Cindy Powell

My name is Cindy Powell and I would like to tell you about an experience that has changed my life. I have been a physical therapist for over 15 years with a passion for sports, wellness and exercise based therapy.

Out of curiosity, I went to meet the GlideCycle staff to find out what their product might be able to do for my patients and more about a therapy position the company was developing. Within a short time that morning, it became clear that the GlideCycle was truly changing lives. People who should not have been running were doing so with ease and were eager to share their incredible stories. One wonderful person named Holly Rush, an above knee amputee, ran beside and ahead of me on her own GlideCycle, offering encouragement on my first GlideCycle run. As if that wasn’t a powerful enough experience, a few days later, an amazing amputee by the name of Mike Foster ran with us on his GlideCycle up three steep hills. At the top of the last hill, he pulled up next to us, at eye level with a proud and happy smile acknowledging that at that moment, there was no division between an amputee and non amputees. We had all joined together as athletes. From that day on, my life would be forever changed.

Since then, I have had the pleasure of witnessing many GlideCycle success stories and have been amazed at what can be accomplished with this unique innovation in exercise and mobility. I was originally interested in what the GlideCycle could do for patients and how I could help others. Little did I realize what the GlideCycle would do for me personally. I was a dedicated and joyful, multisport athlete, with cycling as a favorite activity. During the last 10 years, chronic knee and hip irritation topped off by a traumatic back injury left me unable to participate in many favorite activities to any level that I desired. My exercise options were becoming more limited as time went on and I struggled to avoid a downward spiral at 40 years old.

Immediately upon the GlideCycle, I was able to enjoy the freedom of running again for the first time in years. On the GlideCycle, I could work out at any intensity I wanted over most terrain without experiencing joint or soft tissue pain during or after workouts. It was shocking to be able to run up to 22 miles (my longest so far) without experiencing muscle and joint soreness usually associated with moderate to high intensity and long duration workouts. I had never run more than 2-5 miles at a time in my entire life!!! I knew that many others would want to experience this too.

When GlideCycling up hills the first few times, muscles around my back injury would fatigue and burn. Eventually, the muscles adapted to this activity becoming strong enough to notice improvements that carried over into daily activities. Back pain subsided leaving me with pain free motion and the ability to lift reasonable loads again. Not only did my knees and other joints not hurt during GlideCycling, the chronic inflammation actually subsided over a few months of this new exercise enough that I have been able to return to many of the exercises I use to enjoy, which sure feels great. Two years of physical therapy back and core muscle exercises alone did not produce such dramatic improvements as a few months of GlideCycling. And I should mention that I can walk and hike miles now without any hip pain from the improved range of motion and strength that comes from GlideCycling.

The GlideCycle has helped bring me back. I can now protect my joints and remain active, fit and healthy for the rest of my life. What a gift! I would highly recommend it to anyone who has found themselves in a similar situation. Oh, and anyone who wants to keep up with me is going to have to get a GlideCycle.