The Vibe Check: Spinal Edition
If you ever needed a sign to stop over-optimizing your wellness routine, this is it. Former The Bachelorette star Gabby Windey just revealed she cracked a vertebra in her spine, and the culprit? A vibration plate set to "supersonic speed."
In a recent Substack essay titled "Broke back, no mountain," Gabby kept it real about how a routine morning of "vibrating" turned into a literal pain in the back. Apparently, she cranked her plate up to level 30, and her spine just wasn't having it. She noted that the vertebrae began rubbing against each other until a piece literally cracked off. It’s giving "ex-boyfriend’s bumper," as she eloquently put it.
Life in the 'Bad Back' Lane
Since the incident, Gabby has been dealing with "insatiable" paresthesia—which is basically a fancy, agonizing term for a pins-and-needles sensation that just won't quit. She described the feeling as "tormenting" and joked about joining the official "society of bad backs."
Gabby also took a moment to reflect on why she was on that machine in the first place, questioning if she was chasing a health goal or just spiraling into the pressures of modern beauty standards. Sometimes the lines between self-care and self-destruction get a little too blurry, no cap.
Why it matters
Gabby’s story is a reminder that even wellness influencers are human. Whether it’s over-training or just listening to the wrong advice, our bodies aren't invincible. It’s a major L for the vibration plate, but a W for being honest about the reality of health struggles, even when it’s totally chaotic.
