FLORENCE “MOMMY” WARD: An Inspiration Behind the BFF Program

FLORENCE “MOMMY” WARD

1915-2019

My grandmother, Florence Ward, better known to all of us as Mommy Ward, instinctively knew that spinal alignment was a key element in achieving optimal health. She stretched here and there throughout each day and exercised routinely, purposefully with her head held high and shoulders back. Even at 104-years old (that is not a typo), her overall movement appeared fluid and without effort.

When I become a physical therapist, Mommy Ward was a spry 74-years old, still hiking mountains, biking, fast-walking daily miles and doing calisthenics. One day, she asked me for, “back exercises to prevent ‘hunchback.’” Given her excellent fitness level, I prescribed a rather ambitious plan as follows: