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Practiced Hands: The 50-Year Warranty

What Doc Burch Taught Me About Staying Active.

We talk a lot about "life hacks" these days, but most of them don’t have a very long shelf life. Usually, they’re forgotten by the next app update.

But back in 1972, I received a piece of advice that came with a 50-year warranty. It’s the reason I’m still on my bike today, still chasing a golf ball around Carlsbad, and still—mostly—in one piece.

The Kick That Changed Everything

It started with a literal kick in the pants. A kid at school in Cuba, Illinois, was joking around and caught me just right. By the next morning, my lower back was screaming. My mom didn’t reach for the Tylenol; she reached for her car keys.

"Let’s go see Doc Burch," she said. "He’ll fix you right up."

Harry E. Burch, D.C., was a fixture in Lewistown. He’d graduated from Palmer College in ’59 and had been our family’s go-to for years. He was a man of practiced hands and steady eyes. After a quick exam and an X-ray, the mood in the room shifted.

"It’s not just a misalignment, Patrick," he told me. "You have Spondylolisthesis."

To a teenager, that sounded like a terminal diagnosis. Essentially, my lower vertebrae were playing fast and loose with my spinal cord. One bad trauma could mean paralysis.

The Fork in the Road

The specialists in Peoria confirmed it and offered the standard 1970s solution: a spinal fusion surgery. Back then, that was a massive, dangerous undertaking with a long, uncertain recovery.

Doc Burch offered a different path.

"Yes, it can be fixed with surgery," he said. "But if you follow a few simple guidelines, keep your weight down, and stay disciplined, I believe we can keep this under control for your entire lifetime."

I chose the discipline. And for over 50 years, I’ve carried his operating manual for my body in my back pocket.

The Burch Protocol (Circa 1972)

If you’re looking for "wisdom from experience," this is it. These four pillars have allowed me to lead a high-activity life without a single day of chronic back pain:

  • Build Your Own Brace: Strengthen your core, back, and stomach. If your muscles are strong, your spine doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting.

  • Motion is Lotion: Walk, swim, or cycle. (Doc was an early advocate for the bike!)

  • Avoid the Pavement Pound: He warned me off long-distance running decades before it became trendy. "It’s hard on the joints, Patrick. Find a smoother ride."

  • Stay in Balance: Don't wait for the "big pop." Adjust when things feel off.

A Legacy of Movement

I originally wrote this post in 2015, when Doc Burch retired after 55 years of service. He passed away in 2022, but I still hear his voice every morning when I’m stretching before a ride.

In our "Great Un-Working" years, we realize that our health isn't just about luck—it's about the quality of the advice we chose to follow years ago. Doc Burch didn't just save me from surgery; he gave me the next five decades of movement.

His dedicated service to Central Illinois was exemplary, but his impact on my life was immeasurable.

How about you? We all have that one person—a doctor, a teacher, a mentor—who gave us a "golden rule" we’re still following decades later. I’d love to hear about yours in the comments.

We've moved - On the Fly on Substack for my latest writing. 
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Location: Lewistown, IL 61542, USA

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