The Healing Power of Stretching: The Remarkable Story of Jacques Gauthier

I met Jacques Gauthier in March of 2005, as he was nearing the end of a walk across the United States to spread the word about the benefits of stretching. At age 66, he looked the picture of health – energetic, enthusiastic and quick to smile as he shared the inspiring story of his recovery from severe illness and pain through stretching. Seeing Jacques today, it is hard to believe that 16 years ago he was in severe pain and barely able to perform the most basic activities of living. Diagnosed with arthritis, osteoporosis and vasculitis, it took him 15 minutes just to get out of bed. He couldn’t even shower himself as he was unable to lift a bar of soap!

Jacques' problems began at the age of 41, when he was afflicted with neurological problems which doctors were unable to diagnose. He was in pain and started losing function in his limbs. He lost all use of his left arm which atrophied over time. His "mystery illness" made him the subject of much medical interest and he became the object of a great deal of study. With all of the symptoms of vasculitis, he was prescribed prednisone to combat the pain.

Told that he would be on steroids for the rest of his life, Jacques was pleased to find that the pain was relieved and his energy returned. Little did he know that a side of effect of prednisone is loss of bone, and 8 years later, he learned that he had developed severe osteoporosis with 30% bone loss! He was then prescribed a medication to stop the effects of the osteoporosis. It was then that he made what he calls “the most important decision of my life – no more pills”. He realized that the new medication would likely have new side effects which would require yet another medication. At that point he decided that if he was to become a quadriplegic, as doctors were predicting, he would rather have that happen as a result of the disease rather than the medication. Jacques stopped taking the prednisone.

Although this turned out to be a good decision in the long run, Jacques did not realize that stopping the prednisone all at once could be fatal. Fortunately, it wasn’t fatal, but it did lead to crippling arthritis. Jacques’ pain was so severe that he was practically bed bound for 6 months. All he could do was listen to meditation tapes and pray! Finally, a friend told him about someone who might be able to help him.

Despite his pain, Jacques traveled 600 miles to meet a man who told him that the simple exercise of stretching was his only hope to recover from this terrible condition. At first he could only stretch for a few seconds and then rest for ½ hour before trying again. But after spending 3 weeks doing stretches throughout the day, his pain had been reduced by 50%. In another 6 months, he was pain free and leading a normal life.

Today Jacques insists that "you don’t have to live with pain!" Thankful for his recovery, he has dedicated himself to bringing the life-giving benefits of stretching to everyone he can. People of all ages and all walks of life have been receiving the benefit of the simple stretches he teaches. Doctors, nurses, chiropractors, physical therapists and all manner of health care providers have enjoyed his courses and recommend the stretches to their patients. As we age, our muscles tighten and we have less range of motion in our joints. Simple activities that we once took for granted, like cutting our toenails, picking things up from the floor or zipping a dress, can all become difficult. A regular stretching program can help lengthen your muscles and make these daily activities easier and more enjoyable.

Everyone can learn to stretch, regardless of age or flexibility. It does not have to involve a huge time commitment, but stretching can end up giving you huge results! Some of the benefits of stretching include:

Increased energy levels
Increased flexibility
Increased circulation of the blood to various parts of the body
Greater sense of well-being
Reduced muscle tension
Injury prevention
Enhanced muscular coordination

Over the years, Jacques has taught stretching to thousands of people. Many have reported improvement in a wide variety of problems, including headaches, sciatica, back and neck pain, insomnia, depression and even conditions like fibromyalgia.

Stretching is the simplest and perhaps one of the most effective fitness techniques there is. Best of all it’s free! Even if you don’t set time aside for stretching, you can stretch throughout the day. Simply taking breaks from time to time and stretching in whatever way feels good can be highly beneficial. You can start right now – stop, be still a moment, take a few slow, deep breaths – and stretch!