Could you imagine going through life every day with near-debilitating, chronic back pain? Back pain is one of the most common ailments in America - it's estimated that 8% of all adults, or 16 million people, suffer from chronic back pain in the U.S. every year. If you've never experienced a back injury or pain, be thankful. Chronic back pain affects every aspect of a person's life, from participating in sports to limitations with everyday activities, like cooking dinner. In fact, many people with chronic back pain can't even make a reliable living and put food on the table. Almost 83 million workdays are lost every year due to choric back pain.
The inability to work and provide isn't just a physical issue - it can become an emotional one too. Many people suffering from chronic back pain also suffer from depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, in the past, chronic back pain sufferers wanting to avoid addictive medications and invasive surgeries had few viable relief options. However, if you're suffering from a chronic back issue like sciatica, a pinched nerve, or a bulging disc, pain relief may be closer than you think.
Modern chiropractic care and, more specifically, a spinal decompression chiropractor in Charleston, SC, may be the long-term solution you need for chronic back pain.
A common misconception is that chiropractors only adjust your back and neck when, in fact, they treat the whole body with all-natural treatments. Here at Elite Healthcare, our doctors focus on your overall health, not just pain. We want to find and address the underlying causes of your symptoms. If you're unfamiliar with an integrative approach to medicine, this strategy may seem new. Our chiropractic care is less about putting a band-aid on the problem and more about finding a natural, long-term solution to your pain.
Fortunately, our experienced chiropractors provide the best in natural pain relief. Prescription and over-the-counter pain medications mask the symptoms you're experiencing versus getting to the cause of your pain. Pain is often the result of your spine being out of alignment, which leads to nerve issues. Once your spine is back in alignment, the nerves function correctly again.
Because our chiropractic center offers a combination of different therapies and non-surgical treatments, we provide a comprehensive approach to healing. Depending on the extent of your back problems, spinal decompression therapy may be the answer to your chronic pain problems.
Initially developed in 1985 by Dr. Allan Dyer, spinal decompression has been used by chiropractors for years. Unfortunately, spinal decompression is often passed over as a viable treatment, despite its numerous benefits.
In the past, patients suffering from chronic back pain issues like herniated discs were usually prescribed powerful medications. They were instructed to refrain from physical activities, referred to a physical therapist, and sent on their way. While physical therapy has an important role in back pain recovery, some back conditions need a more comprehensive treatment approach. For those patients, surgery seemed like the only option.
Today, patients with chronic back pain have many more options to consider. One of the most effective treatments for serious back pain is spinal decompression. This proven therapy, provided by Elite Healthcare, has been shown to significantly reduce pain and help patients live a normal, even active lifestyle once again.
Spinal decompression, also called Lumbar Cervical Decompression Therapy (LCD Therapy), is a very effective non-surgical solution to chronic back pain problems. If you're like most patients, your back pain is caused by disc issues related to your spine. This type of therapy uses computer technology and a spinal decompression machine in cityname, state, to stretch your spinal column slowly and gently, relieving abnormal pressure on the discs in your back, which sit in between your vertebrae.
This precise stretching action causes negative pressure to form inside the discs in your back, making them retract. With time, this negative pressure causes a reverse vacuum of sorts that actually draws your protruding discs into place. When pressure is removed from the disc segments in your spine, you experience much-needed pain relief.
The primary purpose of spinal decompression therapy is to provide you with immediate pain relief while creating a healthy environment to heal your spinal disc condition. Some of the most common conditions that spinal decompression therapy treats include:
This happens when spinal discs in your back are pushed outside of the spinal canal. When pushed outside of their usual space, these discs can put pressure on the nerves in your spine, resulting in localized pain and pain throughout your body. If a bulging disc is left untreated, it has a high chance of rupturing, which can necessitate surgery and longer recovery time.
Herniated discs are discs in your back that fracture or crack and leak fluid. The fluid or gel that leaks from a herniated disc may irritate the nerves in your back. When this happens, you may experience an intense burning sensation that shoots up and down your lower back and legs.
As you grow older, joints in your body, like your knees and hips, begin to wear away with time. The same thing can happen to the discs in your back. Often caused by heavy lifting or a family history of spine problems, degenerative discs are painful and can lead to serious situations. In advanced cases, bone spurs can form and affect the nerves of your spine.
When a herniated disc or bone spur begins to put pressure on the nerves in your back, it often causes sciatica. Sciatica is a common back problem that causes pain to radiate from your lower back down your legs via your sciatic nerve. Sometimes, this pain is only felt in one of your legs.
This condition is similar to arthritis of your spine, where the cartilage inside your facet joint breaks down and becomes inflamed. The result is often intense neck and back pain. It's most often caused by degenerative changes in the joints located between the bones of your spine.
This painful condition manifests when the space in your backbone is too small. When this happens, pressure impacts your spinal cord and the nerves that travel through it. Like other conditions treated by a spinal decompression therapy cityname, state, stenosis is caused by wear-and-tear in your back, which forms arthritis.
This term is often used to classify a range of back problems, most often caused by a pinched nerve root in your spinal column. This pinched nerve root may occur in different locations down your spine, like the lumbar or thoracic areas. Usually caused by a narrowing of the space where your nerve root leaves the spine, symptoms of this condition include pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness.
If you're looking for a safe way to relieve your chronic back pain, spinal decompression should be on your list of treatments to consider. This painless procedure is backed by research showing higher success rates in many patients when compared to spinal surgery. Unlike many medications, spinal decompression from Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine is designed to correct the condition you're facing while also minimizing costs and eliminating recovery and downtime.
Some of the most popular reasons why patients choose spinal decompression over surgery and other treatments include:
Invasive procedures, like back surgeries, often leave the patient racked with pain, long recovery times, and complications. Sometimes, the surgery doesn't work as intended, leaving the patient responsible for a therapy that didn't work correctly. As a non-invasive treatment, spinal decompression therapy can treat back and neck pain without needles, incisions, or harmful manipulations of the spine.
Getting back pain relief from surgery is far from guaranteed. However, because spinal decompression targets the underlying causes of your back pain, it's a much more effective long-term treatment. Spinal decompression is not a quick fix. When coupled with positive lifestyle changes like losing weight, you can maximize the pain-relieving benefits of spinal decompression.
Surgery of the back and spine requires the patient to be bedridden and uncomfortable for days and even weeks. Recovering from back surgery is no easy feat and often requires strong pain medications to help. Sometimes, back surgeries don't go as planned, causing complications and worse scenarios. Spinal decompression, on the other hand, is very effective and doesn't require much recovery time at all. Once your spinal decompression session is over, you'll probably be able to drive yourself home from our office.
One of the least talked about issues with back pain medications is that they only treat the pain, not the underlying causes. For many patients, relying on meds to relieve back pain fosters dependency on pain pills. Pain pill addiction is a very serious issue in the U.S., often leading patients down a dark path. With spinal decompression, you won't have to worry about taking pills for pain relief. That's because the root causes of your back pain are addressed, not just the symptoms.
If you were to look at the cost of surgery and subsequent years of prescription medication, you might be shocked. When compared to spinal decompression, surgery is a much more expensive treatment to consider. You've got to take the cost of surgery into account, but also the fact that you'll be forced to take time off work. By choosing spinal decompression therapy, you're choosing a safe, non-surgical treatment that doesn't require any time off work.
Spinal decompression relieves pressure on disrupted discs, causing them to retract back into place. This revolutionary treatment also lets oxygen, fluids, and nutrients re-enter your spinal discs, which provides additional healing.
By now, you probably have a better idea of how spinal decompression can help rid your life of back pain. But spinal decompression treatment does more than help with bulging discs, herniated discs, arthritis, and more. It has also been shown to provide patients with important quality-of-life benefits.
As mentioned above, harsh surgeries leave you bedridden and unable to work for long periods of time. Spinal decompression allows you to jump right back into the workforce, so you can continue providing for your family. Plus, reducing your back pain naturally increases your mobility since you won't be stressing about hurting yourself while moving. Instead, you'll be living in the moment.
One of the worst symptoms affecting people with back pain is the inability to sleep well. Sleeping with back pain can be horrible, causing you to toss and turn to find a comfortable spot. As soon as you find one and get settled, your back starts to hurt again. It's a vicious cycle, but adjusting your spine and relieving pressure with spinal decompression will help you get a good night's rest.
Did you know that when your spine is decompressed, it helps fluids circulate throughout your body? These fluids actually flush your lymphatic system, which helps support your overall immune system. Better circulation also benefits your brain and can help boost concentration and memory. The improved circulation from spinal decompression may also distribute oxygen and nutrients to your skin, creating a multi-benefit effect.
We are happy to answer your questions, and help you find the services you need. Please message us to get started.
At Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, we practice an integrated approach to pain relief and chiropractic care. Our goal is to restore your spine to its proper alignment, which speeds up your recovery time and prevents additional injuries. If chronic back pain has taken over your life, it's time to visit our chiropractic office for a thorough evaluation.
Ask yourself this: Have you been suffering from headaches and sleepless nights due to muscle strain? Is your ability to work and put food on the table compromised due to a pinched nerve? No amount of over-the-counter pain medication can provide a long-term fix for such an issue. Thankfully, our chiropractors have years of experience providing relief to patients just like yourself.
After a comprehensive exam, our doctor will create an individualized treatment plan tailored to your body. That way, we can address the full scope of your symptoms by correcting any root causes of your back pain.
From minor chiropractic adjustments to spinal decompression treatment, we'll find the solution that your back and body need to heal correctly. If you're ready to get back on the road to better health, we're here to help every step of the way. Contact our Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine today to get started.
The mixed-use project was given preliminary approval by the panel in February.Florida-based Strategic Property Partners is planning to develop the luxury lodging brand at Meeting Street and Horlbeck Alley, where the former Days Inn still stands today.Plans call for hotel rooms, residential condominiums and amenities in three buildings reaching as high as eight ...
The mixed-use project was given preliminary approval by the panel in February.
Florida-based Strategic Property Partners is planning to develop the luxury lodging brand at Meeting Street and Horlbeck Alley, where the former Days Inn still stands today.
Plans call for hotel rooms, residential condominiums and amenities in three buildings reaching as high as eight stories.
In all, Kirkland, Wash.-based Pinnacle Mountain Holdings LLC has invested $72 million to date in the area to pull together the real estate it needs for the project, after a recent purchase of three vacant lots in April.
The buyer is part of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates‘ personal investment fund, which also has an owership stake in Strategic Property Partners.
The BAR meets on May 8 at 4:30 p.m. at 2 George St.
As the Charleston County Aviation Authority moves forward with pursuing nearly $1 billion worth of airport infrastructure projects to keep pace with demand, Moody’s has revisited the panel’s credit rating.
It is the first time in five years the CHS owner and operator’s A1 rating has been reviewed.
It held steady at that level, meaning it will enable the airport to borrow at favorable rates.
Charleston International saw more than 6 million passengers last year.
Officials want to move forward with building another parking garage, relocating the overnight aircraft parking area and and expanding the terminal, among other improvements.
Brandy James, chief financial officer for the Aviation Authority, said the rating review came at an opportune time and that the airport operator is “well-positioned” as it embarks on the capital projects.
“The A1 rating is reflective of the positive impact recent strategic management decisions regarding expanded air service and debt refinancing have had on the continued growth in passenger traffic, profitability and increased liquidity,” James said.
The Middleton Place Foundation is celebrating 50 years for America’s oldest landscaped gardens with events May 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The educational and hands-on activities will beheld at the stableyard.
The event is free with
general admission for adults.
It will include a variety of demonstrations with horses and working dogs, indigo dyeing, wool felting, pottery crafts and brickmaking. Mama Dukes Food Truck will be onsite.
A year ago, negotiations with the professional tour were wrapping up as hospitality leaders waited with bated breath for a final signoff on the proposed Myrtle Beach Classic.
Now, the field is set to tee off Thursday.
Upward of 40,000 visitors are expected during the four-day competition, with nearly 10,000 tickets sold per round.
Darren Nelson, tournament director, said interest and ticket sales have "exceeded expectations."
"As the first year of a new tournament, 40,000 was our goal from day one and we're closing in on that number. There's been a lot of interest in our hospitality suites as well," Nelson said.
Organizers say the inaugural 2024 event will set the stage for the following three years.
The Myrtle Beach Classic has a lineup of 132 players taking the field at Dunes Golf and Beach Club.
Visit Myrtle Beach CEO Karen Riordan said “golf fever” is definitely in the air.
“We’ve built an established reputation as a golf-friendly state, and that’s something the PGA looks for. This tournament elevates the profile of golf in our region,” Riordan said.
The Grand Strand’s tourism season is already off to a strong start. Spring break is over, but other events like the 2024 World's Strongest Man and Country Music Festival kick off the summer.
Typically, hotel occupancy hangs around 60 percent this time of year, spiking at 90 percent for Memorial Day weekend, Riordan said. This year, the bump in business is coming a little early.
“Occupancy has been on the rise since Easter and is inching up higher than what we saw year over year for 2023,” Riordan said. “We’re hearing from our hoteliers that they're expecting to have a very good week during the tournament, which is usually a lull before the holiday.”
More than 4,000 people from across the country inquired about volunteering and once registration opened, it was closed within eight hours because of the demand, according to Nelson.
"The folks that run our registration software hadn't seen anything like that since the Ryder Cup," Nelson said.
Riordan said that a high percentage of ticket buyers are from out of town — both across the state and beyond — but she noted a lot of “pride and enthusiasm among residents too.”
“The town is only 86 years young, but golf has been core to that identity from its earliest days,” Riordan said. “We’ve been called the golf capital of the world because of our numerous courses for various levels of experience. The exposure from this tournament allows us to show how much Myrtle Beach has evolved and shows off our courses and beaches, which are a big part of who we are as a destination.”
Between the players, caddies and families, 1,500 volunteers and 10,000 ticketholders per day, the economic impact and tourism spending is expected to be sizable. It’s too early to tell exactly how big, but a study will be conducted afterward to set a baseline in terms of new revenue and the economic impact on and off the fairway.
Riordan said there is a domino effect on the money that tourism draws in.
"Every dollar of direct spending is a meaningful dollar because it goes back to our businesses, and the tax revenue goes back to our state and local municipalities,” Riordan said.
The tournament places the Grand Strand in front of a national and international audience.
Golf tourism is a growing economic driver for the state, with visitor impact extending beyond the state's 300-plus courses. In 2021, the game had a $3.3 billion economic impact statewide. Roughly 20 percent of the total state advertising budget is spent on golf advertising and partnerships alone.
Duane Parrish, director of the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, does not shy away from his optimism about the impact of the sport statewide beyond the fairways.
Attracting tournaments, and the exposure received from televised events, draws golfers to courses across South Carolina. The RBC Heritage held on Hilton Head Island last month typically generates roughly $105 million in economic activity and is traditionally the largest annual sporting event in the state, Parrish said previously.
Dennis Nicholl, director of golf at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club, said interest in the sport has accelerated over the last three years, and it shows no signs of slowing down with increased attention around the tournament.
Available shares in the club were all sold within three weeks of announcing the tournament, he said. On the heels of the event, Dunes has several golf outings for its members.
“This is a big deal for us and the Myrtle Beach market," Nicholl said. “We all feel the impact and benefit from something like this. Hotels, restaurants, other golf courses. On the other side of that, there is a lot of other ways the community benefits from different charitable efforts the PGA Tour does behind the scenes with the local charities and beach cleanup.”
See, he showed up at a Charleston County Council meeting Thursday to apologize, explain — and justify — $15,000 in suspect probate credit card charges flagged in a recent internal audit.Mistakes were made, the judge conceded, before he went on to criticize county policies and staff, who said nearly $7,000 in food purchases would’ve been denied had the court followed procedure and asked for pre-authorization.“All the expenditures benefited the taxpayers of Charleston County,” Condon declared....
See, he showed up at a Charleston County Council meeting Thursday to apologize, explain — and justify — $15,000 in suspect probate credit card charges flagged in a recent internal audit.
Mistakes were made, the judge conceded, before he went on to criticize county policies and staff, who said nearly $7,000 in food purchases would’ve been denied had the court followed procedure and asked for pre-authorization.
“All the expenditures benefited the taxpayers of Charleston County,” Condon declared.
His protests, and in particular his remarks about staff and bureaucracy, infuriated county officials. Which led them to publicly ask how, exactly, taxpayers benefited from the judge buying a Chewbacca mask.
Ouch. Wookiee mistake.
The internal audit of Probate Court, County Council members say, has shown just how well county government’s system of checks and balances works.
Budget and procurement staff caught questionable charges on procurement cards issued to the court and reported them to the administration. County Council Chairman Herb Sass then ordered a larger internal audit.
Which found, among other things, that taxpayers last year bought a $75 gift card for the winner of Probate Court’s March Madness office pool.
But Thursday’s council Audit Committee hearing also exposed an ongoing tension inherent in county government. See, County Council funds the budgets of elected officials such as the sheriff, treasurer, clerk of court — and probate judge — but has next to no authority over them.
You know, separately elected officials and all.
That relationship is a quirk of the state constitution and an endless source of frustration in county government.
“Once we give them the money, there’s not much we can do,” Councilman Teddie Pryor says.
Except take grief for politics often beyond their control. For instance: The entire real estate community descended on County Council a few years back to complain about a backlog in the county Register of Deeds office.
It was taking a month or more to process home sales at the time, and people didn’t want to hear about staffing shortages or COVID-related closures — or County Council’s lack of control over the office.
They simply demanded council do something. County officials couldn’t do anything, however, beyond giving the Register of Deeds office more money for additional staff. Which they did.
Once the county hands a constitutional officer a check, however, council has no control over how it’s spent.
“Other than budget setting and internal audit procedures, County Council does not control the activities of elected officials,” Councilman Brantley Moody says. “Their fate is left to the voters.”
Of course, most county officials believe that electing people to largely administrative roles is ludicrous, fractures county government and leads to problems. But that's a whole 'nother story, one that's unlikely to change.
In this particular case, for once, County Council does have a bit of leverage. Because it controls who gets credit cards ... and who doesn’t.
County government, by the way, slashed the number of p-cards it issues by nearly half after an audit more than five years ago found similar abuses in the system. There have been few problems since. Well, other than a few dust-ups like this one.
Once the Probate Court’s questionable charges were uncovered, the county shut down all but one of the office’s p-cards. On Thursday, council said it was putting a minuscule $500 limit on that card — and will make the judge repay government coffers at least $4,500. Maybe more than $12,000.
Truth is, that’s probably a harsher outcome than would’ve resulted from this before Thursday, when the judge argued that Rotary Club lunches and office candy somehow benefited taxpayers.
"All the items were budgeted, and they are all spent on operations for our Probate Court," Condon said. “When you talk about food, you’ve got to look at what we’ve been able to do.”
Condon recounted various outreach programs the Probate Court administers, and said they accounted for a lot of these charges. The argument carried little weight with County Council.
Mainly, council members say Condon didn’t make his situation better by arguing county staff had not made policy clear to his office. Because a not so long, long time ago in a government not so far away, Probate Court was warned to rein in its p-card use.
Repeatedly, the last time only a few years ago.
“This whole thing with staff, that’s not good form,” Moody told the judge. “There are rules everybody has to follow. Nobody’s above the law.”
At least not in this galaxy.
It’s a quote from American astrologer and planetary scientist Carl Sagan.“We are the way for the universe to know itself,” said Roadside Blooms owner Toni Reale.Roadside Blooms, nestled in a solar-powered building off Rivers Avenue, is a thoughtfully curated one-stop shop for both seasoned plantkeepers and the horticulturally curious. The viridescent space houses an array o...
It’s a quote from American astrologer and planetary scientist Carl Sagan.
“We are the way for the universe to know itself,” said Roadside Blooms owner Toni Reale.
Roadside Blooms, nestled in a solar-powered building off Rivers Avenue, is a thoughtfully curated one-stop shop for both seasoned plantkeepers and the horticulturally curious. The viridescent space houses an array of indoor plants, a DIY bouquet bar and a selection of crystals, candles and pots.
“We are made of the same things that the galaxy is made of,” Reale told The Post and Courier.
“We are all the same. And I think if we really tapped into that, we'd have so much more peace on earth. We'd have so much more love in our community and within ourselves. I think a lot of people feel isolated, especially after COVID, and separate from one another. Starting with plants or flowers or even a crystal can (help us see) that we're not just standalone beings, and we can be comforted and feel love from that connection.”
The little plant shop is built on the pillars of community and sustainability, Reale said. She believes cultivating a green thumb requires a holistic mindset with a sense of responsibility for the health of the local economy and environment.
And for those looking to be more green, plant care can be a good way to dial into self-care, and spending dollars that stay local develops an everyday ethical consciousness.
When it comes to people, she said everyone has a nurturing part of them that they need to express — and taking care of plants is such a perfect way to do that.
Reale, a self-proclaimed “science geek” with a background in environmental geology, believes that part of being a good plant parent is learning about a plant’s origin. A good first step is to replicate the plant’s native environment at home in order to see the best results. Whether the plant is from an arid or tropical environment, people can mimic light and water conditions to optimize the health of their plant.
The shop is designed to educate people so they can be the best plant parent possible when they leave. Throughout the space, customers can read clever signage filled with care tips and facts about the natural history of the plants for sale.
She encourages people to think of the bigger picture when they are caring for plants, putting together a flower arrangement or even getting into the metaphysical aspects of crystals. It’s about being mindful that it’s not just an item on a shelf but a living thing.
“Humans are part of a much greater, deeper web of living things,” Reale said.
Slowing down to nurture plants is therapeutic, and even necessary, in the nation’s complicated social climate, she said.
“It feels good, it feels like home. And when the world outside is chaos … having plants creates your own safe space that you can call home ... .”
And while there’s some sense of loss if a plant fails, there’s so much joy in seeing a plant succeed.
Another tenet of Roadside Blooms is sustainable flowers are not a luxury item. That’s why a single-stem bouquet bar greets customers at the entrance.
Roadside Blooms made its first appearance at a 2013 Earth Day fest in Charleston as a mobile shop in a refurbished ice cream truck, and Reale continued to build an eco-friendly flower arrangement business before she ended up at her current location in June 2023.
As owner of “the OG flower shop on wheels,” Reale embedded that congenial community-based concept with a streamlined approach to retail flowers. The shop offers a variety of American-grown and locally sourced flowers, with choices limited to what is in season.
“It's really important for people to have access to flowers,” Reale said. “You don't have to be a florist to put something beautiful together.”
Roadside is part of what is known as the slow flowers movement, the conscious consumption of cut flowers grown domestically, seasonally and ethically.
It’s wise to think about these three things in conjunction as a consumer, Reale said. One of the big focus points is sourcing. About 80 percent of flowers consumed in America, from weddings to funerals, are flown in from other countries that have little to no labor or environmental laws. Committing to slow flowers means supporting ethical labor and putting the planet first.
“... flowers make people happy,” Reale said. “And I love that.”
Goodall was listening to music at a local brewery in the spring of 2022 when Veronica Hill, a co-captain for the Charleston Hurricanes Rugby team, approached her about playing one of the most physically demanding sports on the planet.“Veronica was like, ‘You look like you should play rugby, and I think you should play with us,’&rdqu...
Goodall was listening to music at a local brewery in the spring of 2022 when Veronica Hill, a co-captain for the Charleston Hurricanes Rugby team, approached her about playing one of the most physically demanding sports on the planet.
“Veronica was like, ‘You look like you should play rugby, and I think you should play with us,’” Goodall said.
Goodall, 43, had been a cheerleader in college and despite a hectic home life had been an active distance swimmer for years.
But rugby?
Goodall was a wife, a mother of two middle-school aged children and an elementary school art teacher, for goodness’ sake.
Did she have the courage to go out and tackle other women without pads?
The short answer, which surprised even Goodall, turned out to be a resounding "Yes."
“I knew next to nothing about the sport, but the players welcomed me, took me on and taught me everything I know,” Goodall said. “It has been a life-changing experience for me. The amount of confidence I’ve gained from playing rugby has been amazing.”
This weekend, the team, which is made up of women ages 19-43, will travel to Austin, Texas, to play in Gulf Coast Super Regionals.
The top 16 teams in the country will compete May 4-5 in Texas to determine who moves onto the championship weekend, two weeks later.
The Hurricanes will face Tampa Krewe on Saturday in an opening-round match.
The Hurricanes are the three-time Division-II Women's champions of the Carolinas Geographic Rugby Union, which is primarily made up of teams from South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia.
Most of the two dozen women who make up the Hurricanes’ rugby squad have a similar origin story. They come from all backgrounds. The vast majority had never played the sport before lacing up their cleats and stepping onto the pitch for the first time.
Selena Dardia, 29, had played lacrosse in college, and was approached by a team member at a local gym to join the fun.
“Never in a million years did I see myself playing rugby,” said Dardia, who works in the food and beverage industry. “I did the ‘rookie camp’ last summer and I was hooked almost from the beginning. I enjoyed the camaraderie and the culture of the sport.”
Dardia went from rookie camp participant to starter for the Hurricanes in just a few months.
“Selena is one of the fastest players we have on the club,” said Hurricanes captain LeAnne Hudson, who works as a kayak guide for Charleston Outdoor Adventures. “About half of our team is made up of women who played sports either in high school or college. The other half probably never played an organized sport growing up. This is their first experience playing on a team.”
Much like American baseball, rugby’s beginnings are steeped in myth and legend.
Rugby is said to have originated at the Rugby School in Warwickshire, England, in 1823 when during a game of soccer, William Webb Ellis decided to pick up a ball and run with it.
Like the folklore surrounding Abner Doubleday’s invention of baseball in Cooperstown, N.Y., in 1839, there is very little evidence to support this theory, despite the fact that the Rugby World Cup Trophy is now named after Ellis.
In 1863, at the height of the U.S. Civil War, a collection of English boarding schools and clubs decided upon a set of rules and in 1871 the Rugby Football Union was officially formed.
Imagine 25 potential strangers crammed (ahem, tastefully arranged) in the backyard of your very regular and ordinary rental home. You’ve frantically hung string lights, you just learned to leaf blow and there’s bug spray wafting in the wind. All of these potential strangers are looking at you to create a good time for them over a four-course dinner.With so many eyes on you, do you start to sweat? Doubt yourself? Panic-think why on earth would anyone ever want to come to this? Well, that’s pretty much me every time I ...
Imagine 25 potential strangers crammed (ahem, tastefully arranged) in the backyard of your very regular and ordinary rental home. You’ve frantically hung string lights, you just learned to leaf blow and there’s bug spray wafting in the wind. All of these potential strangers are looking at you to create a good time for them over a four-course dinner.
With so many eyes on you, do you start to sweat? Doubt yourself? Panic-think why on earth would anyone ever want to come to this? Well, that’s pretty much me every time I host my extremely baby, small-time supper club: Dinner at Kiki’s.
These anxiety- and joy-inducing “dinners’’ originally formed from my love of cooking and hosting friends. My enneagram Type 2 heart (reinforced from a young adult age by my older sister’s propensity to invite anyone and everyone over) gets a bit bigger every time I see friends from different backgrounds melding together.
Even if it’s just for the night, there’s something magical in the meshing of people over something as simple as dinner. I find this especially true in our lonelier, screen-filled, post-pandemmy age.
As the manager of Graft Wine Shop I have been very lucky to interact with and be surrounded by amazing wines. We have a concise menu of cheese and charcuterie, so one of the essential “buckets” of the sommelier profession, food pairing, doesn’t always get fulfilled there. Dinner at Kiki’s not only allows me to fulfill my hosting desire, it gives me a creative space to try out wine pairings and explore bottles that might not otherwise make sense for my 9-to-5 wine-o job.
There is a community of people that helps pull off Dinner at Kiki’s. I’ve been spoiled to have so many talented friends in Charleston who are willing to be partners or lend a hand. While I love to cook, Dinner at Kiki’s requires a seasoned chef willing to “genie in a bottle” a professional cooking operation into my small kitchen.
Chef Rod (currently the sous chef at local favorite Chubby Fish) can be credited with pushing me to continue this dinner series past the first one. (Shoutout to Jamie and Matt of Gingerbug who trusted me with the very first!) We’ve gone from an indoor dinner of ten people to an outdoor series of 25 to 30 people with custom playlists and menus — no small feat in a cobbled together little backyard.
Back to all those eyes on us in said backyard. In the moments of doubt right before a guest shows up and surveys your handiwork, when all the gremlins in your head are shouting “What the heck are you even doing?!” is the thought that this is perhaps what every small business dreamer must feel before they open the doors: vulnerable. You’ve put yourself out there for your small world to see.
Vulnerability isn’t something I’m particularly adept at in my personal life — looking at you ex-boyfriend trauma. (Jk. Jk. Sort of.) But with each Dinner at Kiki’s workshop, I’ve learned to settle into the feeling of stepping off the ledge into an empty frame. The empty space is scary, and it makes you pause, like that ball of air suspended in your stomach before the roller coaster drops. The good part comes when you realize you’ve made something that you catch yourself on and stretch out into, expanding with a pretty cool group of people intoa once-empty space
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