Kairiki, Lula, aw nice to know you still care. I have not been logging because I have not been lifting, so I feel kinda out of place. And its been all work and no play for this chica on most days, my role in work is kind of moving upwards, but not my salary unfortunately. Getting in some swimming and snorkeling/diving but that’s about it. I’ve been extremely careful with what I do because I have an away dive trip in May that I don’t want my back & ribs bugging out on me. The hardest part is sitting at work with my fricking ribs, especially my left side. Oh well the beat goes on. Planning on going back to gym after dive trip, so stay tuned.
Hi techno, gee I didn’t realize your back problems were still going on- I just saw your journal now and read it.
Sitting at a desk is also hard for me but I am making every effort to sit up straight and it seems to be getting better. One thing I am experimenting with is placing a 1/2 blue foam roller thing against the back of my chair- this not only supports my back in a really upright position but it also allows my shoulders to fall backwards rather than roll forward. Frankly it feels like heaven at times but at other times it feels like it is too much. I just realized that most office chairs have a slight tilt so that you are actually leaning backwards a bit. Also I realized most office chairs are curved, sort of forcing the shoulders to be more forward.
Just fyi, I personally love to pick up tips on possible back care.
I have also been doing bent over rows- I feel this is where my weakness it- in the thoracic extensers. Really low weight or just lean over for a bit.
I also discovered that I am unsymmetrical in my thoracic area and when I really analysed my movements I found that I was habitually twisted to the right, I guess because I am right handed, but even when rotating to the left I would somehow distort the movement so that I was still twisting to the right. Same issues wrt sleeping postions, etc. It was really shocking to see how one-sided I was. So I made some changes like switch my pencil and pen drawer to the LHS of my desk, try to use the phone on my right side, and when using the computer, I try to have both hands in front of me so that both shoulders are in the same position. I was getting burning, not in my left ribs, but in my left thoracic spine, just to the left of the spine- it would feel like a hot poker was being stabbed into it. That doesn’t happen anymore, knock on wood.
What else, thinking about your ribs, I find that my right rib cage will spasm sometimes but it is much much better now- very rarely spasms. What I do is keep it stretched out by draping over a stability ball. I also do the thoracic extensions on that same 1/2 blue foam roller. I also lay on the floor on my back and suck in my rib cage as hard as I can- that seems to stretch my back in the diaphram area. Doing leg raises like that seems to help me.
I took scuba diving for awhile but the water here is so cold and dark and I would start getting sort of freaked out past 32 feet. You are so lucky to be going on a nice trip, I agree, you don’t want to experiment now!
take care and don’t give up!
Hi Reconstruction. Thanks for stopping by. Yes I’m working on the posture at work, been stretching out the ribs & everything too.
Scuba diving here is dark & cold too, the last 3 dives I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. The first dive of the year I got mild hyperthermia. I stayed glued to my buddy. Actually the last 3 dives have kind of put me off, I’m just hoping the rain stays away during my trip.
@ 22:30 in vid, reminded me of the stuff kimba is doing on the roller…
The back drop of her vid is breath taking.
Take care
Even if you update once a day, I will be happy. 
Up, hey there. Yeah its not too bad, the first 10 minutes are still hard for me though. I’ve flipped through some of their other videos and they always have great views in the background.
Kairiki, don’t worry, starting next week I’ll be logging more, I’m heading back in the gym. Its gonna be interesting since I definitely feel that my squat mobility needs some extra work again. I’ll be back after my trip in the freezing cold sea.
Hi Minimal T, well I can’t say I envy you! Still it is exhilarating in a way right? I look forward to you posting again.
Recon thanks. I went back to my original physical therapist. At least he seemed to be able to work with my ribs. My right 8th & 7th rib seems to be the real problem. My osteopath also noted that he has to adjust those 2 as well. They seem to really be the last painful sticking points in this ordeal.
So the next few approaches are to work with PT and Osteo on those. Got some needling done in the spine of the 7/8th rib area too. I wake up all contorted & twisted, think that’s one of the problems, I move around too much in my sleep.
[quote]minimaltechno wrote:
Recon thanks. I went back to my original physical therapist. At least he seemed to be able to work with my ribs. My right 8th & 7th rib seems to be the real problem. My osteopath also noted that he has to adjust those 2 as well. They seem to really be the last painful sticking points in this ordeal.
So the next few approaches are to work with PT and Osteo on those. Got some needling done in the spine of the 7/8th rib area too. I wake up all contorted & twisted, think that’s one of the problems, I move around too much in my sleep.[/quote]
So do we need to strap you in at night? 
I was really struck by your opening post in this thread- it sounds like what I went through last year. Does “needling” mean intramuscular stimulation or acupuncture? I spent $500 on IMS and screamed my lungs out. My guy took pride in the quantity of “pokes” (or whatever they are called is called) he could do in a half hour. There was blood, bruising, it was truly brutal! I guess I had to go to all those experts etc, but I was also losing strength the whole time. Hopefully there will not be a next time for me - I am personally counting on strength to protect me in the future.
Kairiki, ha, yeah maybe I do need to be tied down in bed. I tried ear plugs the other night, it helped a bit but of course I woke up and some how had taken them out of my ears. Not to mention I always have weird fitful dreams.
Recon, osteo just did a bit of needling. First he adjusts me, then some needling and then soft tissue work. My PT does needling too, but he really just leaves the needles in place for a few minutes, then starts doing is work. My PT says its good to just draw the blood there, but I don’t get really tortured by it.
Okey dokey. Well can’t afford to go to the gym this month, need the money to attend that Somatic workshop coming up. I’ve done a couple of the free vids that are out there, and they do help, for about a couple of hours after I do them.
So I’ve been able to do other exercises at home. Working on skater squats as my left leg has lost a lot of stability/strength, it used to be that it was the stronger one. PT says my psoas isn’t activating properly either, whereas a few months ago it was tight as a virgins you know what. Did some god awful GHR’s on the couch too, foot kept cramping up. YTWL’s, scalp push ups & sldl’s. I might try some snatching with a broom handle later this week.
Went diving over the weekend, could only do the first day, ribs were not happy with me on the 2nd day. Won’t be able to do my Rescue Diver this year, don’t want to upset things. But I’m actually ok about it.
Hi MinTech, I ma sorry about missing out on the Rescue Diver- hopefully things will work out for the best, they usually do. You sound like you are improving, that is a good thing!
Thanks yes, I pretty much did the same exercises as the other day, but managed to add in 5 snatches from the hip, only using a 2kg York bar, but last time I tried it, I spasmed after the 1st one. I’ve done something to my finger now though, don’t know what from, but think I might’ve banged it on the diving trip.
Three steps forward, two steps back…the main thing is to keep moving forward, Mini. Praying for you.
Hi MiniTech!
Some motivational love:
Thanks for the pep pic Recon.
Kairiki, interesting title, but er my sensitive ears really can’t listen. Does he have a blog I could read instead. I’m not such a verbal person.
Let’s see the last few days, went to pool, did some home exercises, I tried snatching a couple of times with a 2kg bar, seriously though it just doesn’t feel right snatching 2kg, feels like its been ages too. I’ve been doing that psoas activation exercise for my left side, don’t know if its working but I find I actually have to dig my hand in there to get it activated. Squat mobility is coming back.
Did some more home workout routines. Quads and buns are quite burny. Not sure if doing GHR on the couch is optimal, but could feel it in the hams alright. Was nice and shakey afterwards. I keep forgetting to add in my wrist exercises though.
Some more somatic stuff. My left psoas still feels like it needs some pushing along.
Went to pool, might add in some breast stroke along with front crawls next week.
Hi Mintech, it sounds like things are coming along! I went to a chiropractor last year and he pushed his fingers into my left psoas and it made my right glute medius ache. He was not surprised by that but I sure was.
I saw a new article here today on snatches btw…