Hello to all,
I thought I’d take a moment to re-introduce myself as it has been a long time since I’ve posted here, and I used to be a regular reader and poster on T-Nation.
I know this will be a rather lenghty re-introduction, so I thank anyone who hangs in here and reads to the bottom. It’s much appreciated.
I. My hope is that someone might relate to my situation or at the very least offer some encouraging feedback. In advance, thanks to all who read this, and esp to anyone who would like to respond.
I have been an avid weightlifter and personal trainer for many years. The gym has always been my second home.
In June of 2007 while weightlifting, I sustained a back injury from lifting too heavy.
I had it treated right away with successful chiropractic adjustments. My problem is that I was too impatient to return to lifting and so I went back prematurely, AND lifted too heavy.
I re-injured my back (at L4-L5), and was out for the next several months with chronic pain. In Feb. of 08, while still in pain, I was referred to a physical therapist and massage therapist who have since worked together on me, in and they have done a great job in getting me healed.
I learned a lot about my situation from them. I presented with very tight hip flexors on my right side, and a hypermobile L4-L5. The massage therapist also noted there was a signficant imbalance in the back mucles of my left and right sides. It created a shearing force which also contributed to the pain. Lastly, despite years of doing squatting and deadlifting and being a strict as possible with my form, I had weak gluteal muscles and a weak core.
These conditions were likely brought about because in all the years I lifted, I stupidly never paid attention to warming up sufficiently, I never cooled down, and never stretched. I hate to say it, but I thought I didn’t need to given how well I performed in the gym. My injury occurred just after I turned 47, and likely after years of heaving lifting, my body just couldn’t take the lack of proper conditioning, given how much I used to lift.
The physical and massage therapists have continued to do great work. I have complemented their work by being religious about the corrective exercises/stretches they have given me to strengthin my glutes and core. They have been successful at rehabbing me, but I am embarrassed to say, I’ve not learned from my past mistakes.
I again, on several more occassions, would go back to the gym and once I am feeling close to my “old self” I would again get too ambitious, lift too heavy and wind up in pain and out of the gym again for several months. The desire to return to my previous “size” has always taken precedence over any thoughtful, measured and appropriate approach to rehab. I know, I have only myself to blame.
I finally had an MRI performed in Aug of this year, which confirmed a disc extrusion at L4-L5. I am once again on the disabled list after my most recent stupidity in the gym.
Meantime, I have moved to another city, and yesterday, the new massage therapist confirmed what the other one had told me back then. Muscle imbalance in my upper back, and very weak glutes, etc.
At the present time, I have been feeling really troublesome tension and tenderness in almost all my muscle parts, which for the first time ever, has caused a lot of sleep disruption. ON top of that, each morning, I awake with pain in my L4-L5. These conditions never appeared before with this frequency and intensity and it’s the first time since my back trouble started that I have had sleep disruption becuase of the pain.
I hate to start taking muscle relaxing medication, but I need relief. Again, I only have myself to blame for being so stupid, and my hope is that God willing, when I recover next time, I will go extremely slowly, cautiously when I return to the gym. (though I’ve said that before more than once .
Perhaps the biggest impact aside from the chronic pain is the effect on my self image. As a personal trainer, I have had to give up all my training, on top of losing all my muscle mass. Sometimes, for example, when I feel my pectorals, I am reminded of how they felt and what they looked like pre-injury.
If there is any silver lining is that, despite the stupidity I’ve continued to exhibit by going back to the gym and lifting heavy too prematurely, I have an education, knowledge and awareness of how to lift correctly; exercises that spare my spine, that avoid flexion and that reduce compressive forces on my lower lumber.
For this, I have to thank Stuart McGill, who has provided me with the tools and understanding I need to lift smartly and safely. (now if I could only stop the impatience to get “big” again). Dr. McGill addresses what is sorely lacking in the personal training community - people who are experts at knowing how to create effective, intelligent, evidence based and spine sparing training routines for the back injured lifter.
Again, my apologies for the length of this. If anyone gets down to hear and wishes to share any thoughts and encouragement and positive feedback, I’d be grateful.
Many thanks and continued successes to all.
Sincerely,
Lorne
