How Balloon Sinuplasty Helped Rustyn Run Without Limits

Rustyn spent years struggling to breathe while running, never realizing his nasal blockage was holding him back. A simple in-office balloon sinuplasty helped unlock his full fitness potential.
ADVENT Patient Rustyn on Red Gradient Background with a Quote
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Published on
March 7, 2025
Updated on
March 7, 2025

Key takeaways:

  • Rustyn didn’t realize his difficulty breathing while running was related to a nasal blockage that had held him back for years.
  • He found answers at ADVENT–his Breathing Triangle® was blocked, but a simple in-office balloon sinuplasty could open his airways.
  • After the procedure, Rustyn went from struggling through a few miles to running half-marathons.

Running requires endurance, strength, and discipline. But what if, no matter how hard you work, your own body holds you back?

For as long as Rustyn could remember, breathing had been a challenge. Running, playing sports, even speaking—all required extra effort. He pushed through, believing this was just how life was. It wasn’t until decades later, when he learned about ADVENT, that he finally understood: breathing well wasn’t just possible—it was within reach.

What running with nasal blockage was like

For some runners, breathing is second nature—inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. But for Rustyn, that simple rhythm was never an option. He was at a disadvantage, forced into constant mouth breathing while running, which left him feeling exhausted faster and struggling to keep pace.

"Coaches would tell me, ‘In through the nose, out through the mouth.’ But I couldn’t inhale. It wasn’t that I didn’t know how—it just wasn’t physically possible." - Rustyn L.

In high school cross country, he watched teammates recover quickly after tough workouts while he struggled to catch his breath. No matter how much he trained, his trouble breathing while running made it feel like he was working twice as hard for half the results.

"I ran my first marathon when I was 48. It was a struggle—not just because marathons are tough, but because I could see other runners around me moving effortlessly. Meanwhile, I felt like I was gasping for air. They didn’t seem to be working as hard as I was, but they were leaving me behind." - Rustyn L.

The frustration wasn’t just in racing—his breathing problems during exercise followed him into every fitness challenge he took on. During his time in the Boise Fire Academy, his breathing struggles became impossible to ignore.

"One of my fellow recruits told me, ‘You sound just like a freight train coming down.’ And my fire captain? He said, ‘If you breathe through your nose, this will be easier.’ But I couldn’t. No amount of training could fix the fact that my airways were blocked." - Rustyn L.

Rustyn could push through pain, exhaustion, and muscle fatigue—but he couldn’t outwork his body’s inability to get enough air. No matter how much he trained, he always hit a wall.

"I met the minimum fitness standard, but I couldn’t go beyond that. I washed out of the academy, and my breathing was a big part of it." - Rustyn L.

Even after years of running, his breathing issues affecting his fitness meant he never felt like he was performing at the level he should. But since he had lived that way for so long, he didn’t realize just how much his breathing was holding him back. That changed when he had his balloon sinuplasty procedure.

Addressing the root cause of poor endurance

For decades, Rustyn had no idea why breathing felt so difficult. It wasn’t until he sought medical help that he finally got an answer.

"A doctor took a quick look up my nasal cavity and said, ‘It’s no wonder CPAP didn’t work for you. It’d be like trying to push air through a brick wall.’ My septum was so deviated, with bone growth and swollen turbinates.” - Rustyn L.

The explanation made sense, but the solution—traditional septoplasty—felt out of reach. The procedure was invasive, expensive, and required a long recovery. Rustyn put the idea on the back burner until he visited ADVENT years later. Instead of traditional surgery, ADVENT offered Rustyn a simple in-office solution: balloon sinuplasty. Rather than breaking and repositioning the septum, the procedure gently opens blocked nasal passages, allowing for natural airflow with minimal downtime.

Rustyn scheduled his appointment, and within days, he noticed a change. For the first time, air flowed freely.

Benefits of balloon sinuplasty for Rustyn’s fitness

Rustyn had spent his entire life pushing through a breathing problem he didn’t even know could be fixed. His deviated septum and exercise performance had always been connected, but he never realized the impact until after treatment. Now, with clear airways, he wasn’t just running—he was running stronger, faster, and without limits.

"Normally, two miles was my limit. But [after the balloon sinuplasty] I knocked out four. And then I realized—I could do four more. I wasn’t exhausted. That was pretty amazing." - Rustyn L.

With his airways fully open, Rustyn was able to push himself further than ever before, overcoming the endurance problems caused by nasal obstruction that had limited him for decades. Running was no longer about survival—it became something he could enjoy.

His new endurance was put to the test as he took on bigger challenges, including an upcoming half marathon at high elevation.

"This weekend, I’m doing a half marathon in Utah—13 miles at a higher elevation. But I’m actually excited. I want to see what it feels like to run that distance and truly be able to breathe." - Rustyn L.

For the first time, he wasn’t fighting his own body. His performance finally matched his effort.

Take the first step toward breathing well

If you struggle to catch your breath during workouts, feel like you’re working harder than you should, or constantly hit a wall with endurance, there’s a reason—and a breathing evaluation can help uncover it. ADVENT looks at your entire Breathing Triangle® to find the root cause of your struggles. If nasal blockages are holding you back, simple in-office solutions can help you breathe freely, perform better, and finally move without limitations.

Take control of your health. Schedule an appointment with ADVENT today.

Video Transcript

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First published by ADVENT on
March 7, 2025
Table of contents
How Balloon Sinuplasty Helped Rustyn Run Without Limits

Sinus Infections? Snoring? Sleep Anea?

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What’s a Rich Text element?

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The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

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A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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Video Transcript

What’s a Rich Text element?

What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
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Is your nose working the way it should?

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