Koren Walsh, Bodywork Studio

I would be lying if I said the past 13 months has been a breeze. In reality, it’s been a bit of a hurricane.

July 15th of 2025, while gardening barefoot, I stepped on a rock. Thinking I’d just bruised my right heel, I continued working, vending, and even yoga classes for 3 months until I just couldn’t take the pain anymore. A trip to the orthopedic emergency room showed I’d been walking on a fractured calcaneus, I’d shredded my plantar fascia and had developed bone marrow edema inside the heel.

I was placed in a boot and scheduled with a surgery consultation where I was told to off-weight immediately.

Try telling an artist in peak season to off-weight when there were shows scheduled!

I did everything I could to vend every show I’d committed myself to, while seeing my clients for bodywork, while wearing an air boot from my knee to my toes.
I did my best, but had to back out of one show and two weeks of scheduled clients once the pain became too intense to push away.

I went off-weight just before Christmas, and was scheduled for an injection of steroids that would hopefully create enough scar tissue to glom my shredded plantar fascia together enough to save it in early January. My dear daughter-in-love came from Chicago to support me through as I couldn’t put any weight on my right foot, and we hunkered in while ICE descended upon Minneapolis.

Hours after the injection, I experienced a ripping pain in my foot, and another doctor visit confirmed that the injection had ruptured the plantar fascia. The next step was surgery, and that was scheduled for January 27th, with 4 weeks of zero weight on my foot for recovery.

Removing the plantar fascia does not come without consequences. While the tearing pain was relieved after the surgery, the bone marrow edema in my calcaneus still throbbed constantly. Once I was able to begin walking again, it got worse. I was also witness to the importance of an intact plantar fascia, as its removal began an ongoing change in the structure of my foot. My arches have been dropping, my instep is widening, and I’m still dealing with pain in my heel if I stand or walk too long.

While in physical therapy for my heel, I was struggling with intense pain in my left hip and low back that really became unbearable while sleeping on the couch in my living room, since my bedroom is up 15 stairs in the attic. I knew I had been walking funny for a year with my injury, and I believed the pain in my back and hip was from accommodating my foot, sleeping on a horrible couch and maybe even that menopausal hip pain many women my age complains about.

My physical therapist ordered hip and back x-rays and had me schedule with a hip and spine doctor. The news was not good. I was completely bone on bone. The hip socket and greater trochanter were riddled with bone spurs and I had a large cyst in the socket. My lumbar spine scans showed moderate to severe stenosis, ruptured discs, a vertebra that has shifted forward in the spine and two cysts. I was not a candidate for a cortisone injection, because I could not wait the three months it would take for the injection would wear off enough to allow surgery. I wouldn’t be walking in three months.

It was agreed upon that I would address the hip pain with a complete replacement of the ball and socket, and that if the hip replacement didn’t ease the back pain, I would return for a surgery consultation with the spinal surgeon. My surgery was scheduled for as soon as possible, and the surgeon apologized for not having an earlier opening.

On July 17th, Adam took me to the hospital for my surgery. They could not place a spinal tap due to the stenosis, so I underwent general anesthesia. When I awoke, my dysautonomia from my long covid presented in full force. My heart rate plunged into the low 30 BPM, the entire room was spinning, and I experienced full body tremors that would build slowly until my entire body would shake. These symptoms continued for about 15 hours, making me miss my first physical therapy sessions in hospital. I was kept in hospital for 2 1/2 days, while the nurses, therapists and social worker debated if I would need transitional care.

I was allowed to go home the afternoon after my second night in hospital, and I was so relieved when my son picked me up.

While it felt good to be home, I was still in a lot of pain from the incision, and had very little strength in my leg. I couldn’t stand up without support. I needed help lifting my leg into the daybed set up in the living room. I needed help bathing and dressing. I couldn’t stand long enough to prepare a meal. On top of all this, my dysautonomia symptoms weren’t cooperating.

My son, Jakob and my dear friend Amy from Denver cared for me for the first week. Adam was in and out as his work and kid’s schedules allowed. When Jakob and Amy had to leave after the first week home, Adam and a plethora of friends and neighbors made sure I had a visit or two each day, and that my needs were met. By then I was walking with the aid of crutches, and able to bathe and dress myself.

It’s been 22 days since my surgery, and I’m getting a little better every day. I still need the crutch or cane to walk, and I still feel incision pain with each step, but the searing hip and back pain I lived with for so long is gone. My foot is still recovering, and there are days it throbs in rhythm with my hip, but it just shows me that healing is on its own timeline, and that there are things that just can’t be rushed.

After my foot surgery, I had to close my bodywork and yoga studio. This was a painful decision. Opening my studio was an accomplishment I was so proud of. I loved the drive around Lake Minnetonka each day, and my studio had a beautiful view of a woodland full of wildlife. It also had 19 stairs to climb multiple times a day, and the drive itself had become a painful ordeal. Even now my foot throbs when I drive short distances.

I’m lucky I have a bodywork studio in my home, and I was seeing clients there right up to my hip surgery.

I’m finally at a point where I can return back to bodywork again. Adam let me give him a session last night to see if I could endure the full 90 minutes, and I did ok.

I’ve decided to ease back into work on Monday, while scheduling enough time to do some serious selfcare between sessions. I’ll take this weekend to straighten the house back up, and prepare myself for a slow return to seeing clients.

I’ll be easing back into my vending schedule with Strange Times Market on August 23rd, Twin Cities Pagan Pride on September 12th, and The Women and Spirituality Gathering September 18-20th.

Because I was out of work for a little over 3 months with my foot surgery, and almost a month with my hip, things have been a little tight. My savings was drained at the beginning of the year. The little I was able to scrape together to endure more unexpected recovery time is about gone.

That said, if you’ve enjoyed my work in the past, or have wanted to try what almost 40 years of bodywork experience is like, please consider booking a session with me. If you’ve seen my artwork in person, or at a show, my Etsy store is almost fully stocked, and I’ve got shows scheduled through the end of October. I’d love to see you there.

And for all of you who have called, texted, sent messages and cards, delivered gifts, put money in my Venmo account, or driven me to a doctor appointment, please know that your names are engraved in my heart, and I am eternally grateful to you.

I am writing to let you know I will be having a complete hip replacement for my birthday.

My surgery is scheduled for July 17th, and I’ll be in hospital for a couple days.

I’m hoping to begin sessions again starting the week of August 10th.

For now, I’ll be working up until the 16th of July, as my pain level allows.

Please let me know if you would like to get in before July 16th if I don’t already have you scheduled.

This has been an extremely challenging year, and I still can’t believe I’m facing a second surgery in 7 months.

I am grateful for your understanding as I maneuver through the days to come, and I hope this procedure has be back on both feet soon.

Many of you know that I stepped on a stone in July and injured my foot.

I walked on my foot for months before seeing the doctor. When I finally went in on October 31, and found I’d fracture my calcaneus, shredded my plantar fascia and I’ve developed bone marrow edema.

It’s causing a lot of pain.

This weekend I’ve decided to step back from working earlier than planned.
This is a tough decision to make, because I realize that many people depend on my work to increase their quality of life.
I need to practice the self-care I encourage my clients to exercise in their healing journey.

I have an injection scheduled for December 16th that will hopefully create enough scar tissue in my plantar fascia to hold it together.
I’ll be zero weight bearing and toes above my nose for 4 weeks.

My hope is to be back to work the week of January 19th.

Many clients are scheduling their January appointments now, because I’m already filling up fast.
If you would like to book ahead, you can call, text or email me directly.

If you are interested in gift certificates for the holiday season, I can email them to you to print yourself. Just call to arrange payment and delivery.

I’m so grateful for the love and support I’ve been receiving from everyone, and I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season.

See you in the New Year!

Place your palms together in front of your chest like this 🙏

Breathe in deep and slow through your nose

Then exhale slowly and completely while pressing your palms together 🙏

Keep pressing your palms together, until you begin to feel the urge to inhale again

Release the press and start the breath cycle over again two more times

This helps you to access your parasympathetic nervous system and calms the fight/flight/freeze response

You’re welcome

On top of all the crazy hurricanes effecting the planet at the moment, we are also experiencing a massive amount of energy coming at Earth from recent solar eruptions due to the solar cycle 25.
It’s the reason behind all the sightings of the northern lights in recent weeks, and probably a reason why you may have been feeling out of sorts or uncomfortable in your body and your mind.

Today there was a huge eruption that will be hitting us around the 10th, adding to two previous eruptions earlier in the week. Because the solar cycle we are experiencing is on going, we can expect more solar storms to continue well into 2026.

This video explains the effects of this energy on our bodies as well as how if effects the planet.

I found it interesting that many of my clients have been reporting more fatigue, brain fog, aches and pains far beyond their normal body aches. Also, many have talked about bad dreams and restless sleep even though they have been experiencing deep exhaustion.

In the words of Neil deGrasse Tyson, “We are Stardust. We are alive in the universe. And the universe is alive within us.”

We Have TWO MORE YEARS of CRAZY Solar Activity 💥 Health Effects and the Science of Bioelectricity ⚡ Rapid changes to solar activity due to solar maximum will be common for AT LEAST the next two years, and with so many people now feeling the health effects o...

My last session of the day was a blend of yoga, body rolling and hands on bodywork.
While my client found their breath and presence in supported asana, I applied myofascial and crainosacral techniques to lengthen the body and deepen the pose.
This is an amazing way to merge yoga, pranayama and bodywork into an incredible healing session.

In the cold, dark shadow of today’s US Supreme Court’s decision to allow businesses to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ communities, I want to make clear that my business, my practice and my heart sees you, accepts you and loves you.

Bodywork and breath work and art work are for everyone.
My studio has no place for hate.

Today is World AIDS Day.

I remember, as a Gen X teenager hearing about “gay cancer”. I was a dancer and so many of my friends in the theater world were hush hush when talking about it because of the way the virus stigmatized.

When I went to college to study massage in Arizona, we were told not to work on anyone with AIDS because of risk of transmission even though the means of transmission was so clear.

I went rogue, and with one of my instructors we began donating hours of massage to people living with HIV/AIDS in Phoenix.
People in need were directed to us by bartenders working in the clubs. They had their fingers on the pulse of the community and they knew who needed our work.

When I moved to Idaho in 1988, I began volunteering with The Idaho AIDS Project. I was listed as a massage therapist willing to work on people living wirh HIV/AIDS. They kept me busy doing house calls.

After a few months I was asked to work in a more involved role. Idaho AIDS created a national hotline and I trained to be able to answer phone calls about this virus and steer people to services available.

Suddenly I became a volunteer coordinator for the organization. I juggled staffing the hotline as well as compiling a list of volunteers willing to serve the local population of people living with HIV/AIDS. I connected those in need with those willing to help.

We had lists of hair stylists and handi-people, dentists, home healthcare workers, lawyers and veterinarians and more that weren’t afraid of the stigma attached to our clients and were so willing to provide for their needs.

We had a food shelf. We had a clothes closet. We had a needle exchange program. We had funds to cover emergencies and funerals if money was needed.

We also provided educational outreach that gave science based information about the virus and how to best protect yourself from it. I remember running our booth at Boise’s Pride Festival, handing out condoms when I was obviously very pregnant with my son and being teased about how I must not of been practicing safer s*x at the time.

I was in bed asleep that night when I received a phone call from one of our board members. Someone had broken into our office, ransacked it and then lit it on fire. My husband and I stood in the parking lot with staff and volunteers watching the fire department put out the flames and waiting for our chance to salvage any sensitive documentation that we could find.

The arsonists were never found.

When I moved to Oregon I got involved with Cascade AIDS as an outreach volunteer, doing much of the same work that I did with Idaho AIDS Project.

When The Name’s Project came to the Pacific Northwest, I went to work for them, finding funding for the project by taking panels of the AIDS quilt to businesses, churches, schools and street fairs to raise awareness and donations.

When we set up The Quilt, I worked as a docent, leading groups through the display, giving voice to the panels that memorialized so many lives lost to AIDS. I did this while I carried my little boy in my backpack carrier. He was raised as an activist.

I moved to Minnesota with my son when my marriage fell apart. As a newly single parent, my volunteer hours were replaced with all it takes to raise a child alone. Thanks to my nephew, I was able to take a week to volunteer as a massage therapist for the AIDS Ride.

As part of the massage crew, I helped riders warm up with assisted stretch in the early morning hours. As soon as they were on the road, I jumped in the bus that took us to the evening’s camp sight where I awaited the riders arrival. Once they had showered, they came to our tent for much needed and appreciated bodywork.

The experience was that of selflessness and humbleness. I will never forget it.

Because of my work, I met many people who are no longer with us. I held the hands of many while they took their last breath. For some, I was there instead of their family memebers, who ostracized those with AIDS. For others, I became part of their family.

My photos of my time with The Names Project/AIDS Memorial Quilt are buried in a box somewhere, but here are a couple photos from the Ride.