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2003/04/26, 04:05 PM
What I wanted to ask ravenwolf and rsquade, as they both mentioned problems with disks as well -- not sure whether they will read this- so it goes out to anyone please:
HOW are you dealing with the pain or rather the limitations when trying to do strength exercise (weights) or any other way of cardio exercises apart from using an elliptical trainer?? I am severely limited in the exercises I can do because of back problem (have an enlarged disk in my lower back and often have sciatica pains in legs etc.), hence find it difficult to get to a stage where my muscles are stronger to support my back and any disk problems in it,without any pain.....
Just the other day I took my weight training a step further doing some upper body work - more than usually-, as I thought that would be ok, and it left me rather immobilized for the next 2 days, still suffering now actually, but it's getting better.
Anyone any advise on this??
Thanks for your thoughts.
S
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2003/04/28, 08:28 PM
Not sure how long you've had this injury, however I have a herniated disc (that after 2 1/2 months of chiropractic therapy has worked itself out, but initially my doctor recommended surgery for.)
My best advice to give you (as I've lived with the same realm of pain that you must be living with) is to find a chiro for treatment 3x per week & lay off the workouts until it's healed. Otherwise you're aggrivating it & causing it to never really "heal" properly.
I also took Glutamine & made sure I had an extra protein shake prior to bedtime, anything naturally that I could do to help heal my body.
Best of luck....keep us posted.
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You only get ONE body, take care of it and it'll take care of YOU!
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2003/04/29, 04:48 AM
Thanks ebabe1026 for your posting.
I have been through all the 'usual channels' of MD and physiotherapist, chiropracticor, spinal scan etc.
Diagnosis: nothing really can be done. I am not for surgery at all, but even the doctor was very much inclined to advise me to go for it, nor did he want to do it; as the disk concerned is too close to the spinal cord and there would be too much of a danger of permanent 'other' damage (wheelchair).
Used to swim on a daily basis, but in those days (about 10 years ago) my back wasn't playing up anyway, though the doctors told me that I was 'born with it'.
Now swimming isn't a practical option due to time and actually when I tried it, being in quite a bit of pain while in the water, too. I swam for a team before so am able to swim the different strokes correctly but still.
Am trying an elliptical trainer right now, but even with that seem to end up with too much back pain and knee pain on the following day - strangely NOT when on the machine.
But very oddly actually --regarding using the elliptical trainer, which I have now done for a few days 'seems' fine on the machine, but afterwards actually causes more knee pain than back pain. Though since I started with that machine, lifting my legs ,even to put on trousers, seems a struggle (but this could still be from the pain after doing the wrong weight exercises last week)
I have done physiotherapy - so that's not an option any longer..
Guess have to get through this somehow by following my own routine and soon starting to swim as well again.
It's just rather annoying being limited in certain (lots of )movements...
Anybody else any tips?
S
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2003/04/29, 05:52 AM
S - *sigh* I'm really sorry to hear about your pain & the limitations it inflicts upon you physically. I know just how frustrating it is not to be able to take care of your body the way you wish you could (by working out.) Granted I've only had to lay off for a few months, but it seemed like an eternity.
With regards to the Elliptical, when I first began incorporating it into my workouts I too, had lower back & knee pain. I pushed through it & learned that different placement of my feet and doing a sort of "skipping" motion alliviates me of any pain. I'm not sure if doing such will help you as well, but it may be worthwhile to experiment with the machine & try not using your entire foot as you push down on the pedals. By using the balls of your feet it's more of a quadricep workout.
Wish I could help more....
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You only get ONE body, take care of it and it'll take care of YOU!
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2003/04/29, 01:25 PM
Hello ebabe 1026, Thanks for your advice!
Funny you suggested that as I was thinking the same yesterday when I used the machine. So I did exactly what you suggested going more onto the toes. Only problem I experienced then (oh dear it never ends ;-))- that my toes 'went numb/fell asleep'. BUT as I wanted to stick to it, just kept pausing after a while, untied shoes and moved feet/toes around and on I went again.
However glad to hear that another person also experienced knee pains on the machine.(sorry, but it's kind of reassuring) Perhaps it's also (ONE LIVES IN HOPE!!) 'only' getting used to the machine, i.e. more intense knee motion than when not using a machine like that.
Would really be a pity to have to give up THAT ONE,TOO.
so right now, I am still sticking to it, soon I'll be on it again.
Will take advise and experiment a bit more on it, too.
Thanks.
S
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2003/04/29, 09:46 PM
Had to laugh at your feet falling asleep & your pausing story....only because it's happened to me too!!! :) I ended up changing my tennis shoes from hard soled ones, to more of a soft soled shoe (made my Nike the entire shoe is material & ties as well as, velcros across the foot) so that it allows for my feet to be able have more room for motion. Worked like a charm! Maybe it may be beneficial for you too.
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You only get ONE body, take care of it and it'll take care of YOU!
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2003/04/30, 02:07 AM
ebabe1026# Thanks for the advice, will definitely check it out. :-)
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