Why Jacquin Long Believes Recovery Is More Than Relief—and Pain Is a Message, Not a Life Sentence

For Jacquin Long, healing has never been just about easing pain—it’s about understanding it, responding to it, and empowering others to do the same. Her journey into sports medicine began long before degrees, certifications, or business ownership. It started in middle school, watching her grandmother recover from a stroke, and deepened through her own experiences as a student-athlete navigating injury and physical therapy. What began as curiosity quickly became a calling.

Today, as the founder of Long Lasting Life, Long operates at the powerful intersection of athletic performance, recovery, and community wellness. With an impressive academic background spanning kinesiology, rehabilitation science, and athletic training—and a mission shaped by personal loss and lived experience—she has built a health-driven practice rooted in both preparedness and restoration. From CPR and First Aid education to targeted cryotherapy services, her work bridges prevention and recovery, responsibility and resilience.

In a field still dominated by men, Long leads with quiet authority, consistency, and a deep commitment to education. She believes pain is not something to silence or ignore, but a form of communication—and that knowledge is just as vital as hands-on care. In this HER Lounge conversation, Jacquin Long opens up about redefining recovery, building safer communities, and why women deserve access to wellness solutions that honor the whole body, not just the symptoms.

Your career sits at the intersection of athletic performance, recovery, and community wellness. What originally drew you to athletic training and sports medicine, and how did that path lead to the creation of Long Lasting Life?

Jacquin Long: In middle school, my Grandmother suffered a stroke, and a Physical Therapist regularly visited her home. As a student athlete with knee pain who went to physical therapy twice a week, my interest became Physical Therapy. After being accepted into East Carolina University to pursue a Physical Therapy degree, I later switched to Athletic Training. I decided to double major and earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Services & Information Management and Athletic Training. 

Continuing my education, I later earned a Master of Science in Rehabilitation & Sports Science and a Doctorate in Kinesiology. My certifications include Orthopedic Physician Extender, Certified and Licensed Athletic Trainer, Registered Orthopedic Technologist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Cryotherapist, & CPR and First Aid Instructor.

Growing up, I saw multiple family members diagnosed with cardiac conditions, some of whom later passed away, which inspired me to start a CPR and First Aid company. Two years into owning the business, it was not generating sufficient income, so I began working part-time as a Kinesiology Adjunct at A&T University. While teaching my Athletic Injury Prevention and Treatment course, I introduced cryotherapy and realized the service was not available locally, leading me to expand the business to include a mobile cryotherapy service.

Long Lasting Life is rooted in the idea of teaching lifelong skills that can literally save lives. Why was it important for you to center CPR, First Aid, and emergency preparedness as a core part of your mission—not just recovery services?

Jaquin: Preparedness saves lives before recovery ever begins. Long Lasting Life bridges the gap between wellness and responsibility, and was built on the belief that everyone deserves access to skills that can make a real difference in critical moments. 

Cryotherapy and recovery services help people heal, perform, and feel their best—but CPR, First Aid, and emergency preparedness empower people to act when seconds matter. By making lifesaving education a core part of the mission, it’s not just about helping bodies recover; it’s about building safer communities and equipping everyday people with skills that last a lifetime.

For those who may be unfamiliar, can you break down targeted cryotherapy in simple terms and explain how it differs from full-body cryotherapy or traditional ice treatments?

Jacquin: Cryotherapy is a natural form of cold therapy. Targeted cryotherapy is a focused cold treatment applied directly to a specific area of the body—like a knee, shoulder, lower back, or ankle. Instead of cooling your entire body, it delivers intense cold only where you need relief most. This helps reduce swelling, ease pain and soreness, increase blood flow to promote healing and recovery. Ice packs gradually get warmer, and can be messy and uncomfortable. Targeted cryotherapy gives you the benefits of cold therapy without overdoing it—faster, cleaner, and more precise than ice, and more focused than full-body cryotherapy.

In your experience, what types of pain or conditions respond best to targeted cryotherapy, and how quickly do clients typically notice relief?

Jaquin: Targeted cryotherapy works really well for joint pain (knee, shoulders, etc), back pain with sciatica, muscle sprain, arthritis, and tendonitis. It’s especially effective when inflammation is the main driver of discomfort. The majority of my clients feel less pain, reduced swelling, or improved mobility instantly. 

Pain and inflammation are often symptoms of deeper lifestyle imbalances. How do you help clients understand the why behind their pain, not just treat the symptoms?

Jaquin: We take the time to educate our clients. Our goal isn’t to diagnose—it’s to empower. We help clients feel informed and in control of their wellness, understanding that their body is communicating, not betraying them. That’s what makes the care at Long Lasting Life truly long-lasting… relief with understanding, not just temporary comfort.

As a woman working in sports medicine and athletic training, what challenges have you faced, and how have those experiences shaped your leadership style?

Jaquin: Working in sports medicine and athletic training as a woman has meant learning early how to stand firm in rooms where your expertise is questioned before it’s heard. One of the biggest challenges has been having to prove credibility faster and more often—especially in male-dominated athletic spaces. Leading with consistency, showing up prepared, calm, and consistent—even under pressure—has been one of the strongest ways to command respect without asking for it. 

Those challenges reinforced my belief that leadership isn’t about fitting into existing molds—it’s about expanding them. At Long Lasting Life, that shows up in how we care for people holistically, educate intentionally, and lead with purpose. I don’t just want a seat at the table—I want to help build better tables altogether.

Education plays a major role in your work. Why do you believe empowering people with knowledge is just as important as providing hands-on treatment?

Jaquin: Education removes fear. When people understand why their body is reacting a certain way—or why a skill like CPR matters—they’re more likely to take ownership of their health, recovery, and safety. That’s what makes the work meaningful: hands-on care paired with knowledge that lasts.

How do stress, sleep, and mental health factor into physical recovery, and how does Long Lasting Life address these often-overlooked elements?

Jaquin: Stress, sleep, and mental health aren’t side issues in recovery—they’re foundational. At Long Lasting Life, recovery isn’t just about fixing what hurts—it’s about supporting the whole system that allowed pain to develop in the first place. When stress is managed, sleep improves, and mental health is acknowledged, the body finally has the conditions it needs to heal. That’s how recovery becomes sustainable—not just temporary relief, but true restoration.

For athletes juggling performance demands and injury prevention, what recovery habits do you believe are non-negotiable?

Jaquin: Rest, intentional recovery, stretching, hydration, healthy eating habits, and listening to your body. We encourage athletes to think beyond short-term performance and focus on career longevity. The goal isn’t just to play hard today—it’s to stay healthy enough to perform tomorrow, next season, and beyond. When recovery becomes non-negotiable, athletes don’t just avoid injury—they perform with more confidence, consistency, and control.

Community impact seems central to everything you do. How do you envision Long Lasting Life contributing to healthier, more resilient communities over the next five years?

Jaquin: Over the next five years, the vision is to help build communities that are not only healthier, but more prepared, informed, and resilient. Many communities lack access to recovery services and education. Expanding mobile services, group trainings, and community-based partnerships will help close that gap—bringing care and knowledge directly to underserved spaces.

What misconceptions about pain management or recovery do you wish more people would let go of?

Jaquin: One of the biggest misconceptions is that pain is something you either have to push through or completely eliminate. In reality, pain is information—it’s the body’s way of communicating that something needs attention. The goal isn’t to silence the body—it’s to help people understand it, support it, and care for it in a way that leads to long-term health and resilience.

How do you see recovery and sports medicine evolving, and where does targeted cryotherapy fit into that future?

Jaquin: Recovery and sports medicine are shifting from a reactive, injury-focused model to a proactive, performance- and longevity-focused model. Instead of waiting for pain or injury to strike, the emphasis is moving toward prevention, maintenance, and optimizing how the body functions day-to-day. 

In the future, targeted cryotherapy won’t just be a recovery tool—it will be a cornerstone of preventative care and performance optimization, bridging the gap between injury management and peak human function.

Finally, what advice would you give to individuals who have normalized living with pain and don’t realize relief and recovery are possible?

Jaquin: Pain isn’t a permanent sentence—it’s a signal. Recovery isn’t a luxury; it’s an intentional, informed action, and it’s possible for anyone willing to make it a priority.