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When John, a resident of Los Lunas, New Mexico, started losing his ability to grip things with his right hand, he knew it was time to do something.

A 72-year-old retired facilities manager, John had competed in racquetball tournaments for nearly 40 years. Sometimes he played 9-10 hours of racquetball a week.

But unlike tennis, which allows for longer strokes with your entire arm, racquetball games require quicker strokes in tight places that put a lot of stress on your wrist.

There are not many things that slow down Shauna Kastle.

The 42-year-old president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of New Mexico is an active runner and has participated in several marathons and half marathons. She also enjoys supplementing her exercise sessions with cycling and strength training.

But when the pain in her abdomen started affecting her daily activities, she knew it was time to do something about it.

Regularly scheduled health screening tests are one of the best things a man can do for his health. Spotting symptoms of health conditions early on is crucial to keeping men healthy. Early detection of any medical concern is the best way to improve the effectiveness of treatment and management. Even if you feel great, you should still see your healthcare provider for regular checkups.

For Dr. Bill Goodman, staying in shape has been a lifestyle choice for most of his 61 years. A New York Section Champion in the Triple Jump during high school, Goodman went on to earn a varsity letter as a freshman on the University of New Mexico track team.

He continued working out into his adult years, often lifting weights at home or in the gym. He only stopped for the occasional injury, like the one that required hernia surgery.

What is causing that aching and burning in my hand or wrist, and what can I do to prevent and heal it?

Like any other delicate instruments, your wrists, hands and fingers can suffer from overuse. Typing on a keyboard, sports, hobbies and other repetitive activities can all contribute to aches and pains that make it difficult to do your job or even complete simple daily tasks.

Karen A.’s desire to be in healthcare blossomed at a young age. Her career path was solidified when her mother became extremely ill. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, one positive shined through the negative situation and gave Karen a little bit of peace – the nurses taking care of her mother during her extended stays at the hospital.

“I forgot what it was like to love my job,” Rachel B., RN, shared. “I am really grateful to be working in a place where the leadership has created conditions where nurses can thrive, but also where I can provide the kind of patient care that I love to give.”

After spending her entire 15-year career at a neighboring Albuquerque, New Mexico, hospital, Rachel reached a point where she was ready to leave nursing. 

Toni Montoya noticed she was having difficulty hearing others months before she scheduled an appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist near her.

“I’m sorry, when is the next meeting?” she would ask. “Could you please repeat that?” she said more times than she could remember.

Art Lucero has been active his entire life, staying in shape playing tennis and volleyball and swimming. He lived with a sore right knee from a old basketball injury, but that didn’t stop him from riding his bike to work for 15 years. While he has had some aches and pains along the way, wrapping a bandage on his knee for a couple of days would typically take care of the pain.

However, things started to change when he turned 64. The pain seemed to last longer after each activity. Some days he would walk out to the garage, tinker around a bit and feel the pain mounting again.