The jouney of my ... back Part 1
I was on the way to the gym many moons ago listening to the radio, and I remember the DJ reading a story .. maybe it was an interview. They said 90% of all adults in their lifetime would have back problem(s). I remember thinking ... PUSSIES. I'd been working out hardcore in the gym for over a decade pushing iron and loved it. Lived for it. Thought I was invincible.
In two days, it'll be exactly 32 years ago I initially screwed up my back setting things in motion. It was several days after NYE in the country of Panama and I was in the gym having a killer workout. I don't remember which set it was, but I do remember what rep I was on. I had 365 on the bar, and I was doing deep squats. I was on rep #8 when I felt it. Something at the base of my spine moved.. gave way ... made a noise. I quickly racked it, and thought "Oh Fuck!" .. The pain wasn't severe, but I knew something was wrong. Made it home, laid on the floor and tried to relax. Problem was I couldn't get up off that floor on my own. My new reality had set in.
Took a few days to get back on my feet and get back to work. Trip to the Flight Surgeon, pain relievers and muscle relaxers but I'd soon be back in business. Up to this point, I was pushing serious weights and weighing a lean 235-245. Life was good. But things had suddenly changed. Few years before I'd screwed up my shoulder in a motorcycle accident but had finally overcome that. Now I had a back issue to contend with. Problem was, nobody could tell me what happened. Tests didn't show a disc issue. No breaks in the spine. I had a facet joint that would click and a lil' pain. But, as time went on I had a weak spot. Every 2 or 3 years my back would 'go out' . This was my new reality. Over the years, the spine has some wear and tear, got a lil arthritic. I've had to move away from Squats for almost two decades now, since they always seemed to bring the issues back. But I worked around it all for the most part.
Well, two months ago, we got to the next phase. I'd never dealt with a sciatic nerve issue until now. Several things set it into motion. I was rear ended by a car in Houston a few months ago. Diving in Mexico in rough seas (climbing up the boat's ladder had me twisting). And travel. Found myself having more and more pain so headed to the doc. Soon an MRI gave us the answer. Protruding disc in the L5 region. This was a first for me. Things suddenly got 'real' . So, headed to Texas Spine and Joint for some answers. Good news is, most of the tests they gave me I flew through. But I still had the pain. The following day an epidermal soon negated the pain and I felt like a million bucks. But a few weeks later, I began to notice things again. Not good.
Today I finally went back to participate in Physical Therapy. Went through some initial tests again and pretty much everything looked good. Except I have the pain, and they know why. Now the trick is to get the protruding disc under control via exercises, to eliminate the pain. Good News. May take a month or two, but I can live with that. I'm liking what they are showing me in PT. Insurance covers it and they have a belief we can get this under control. Good News.
I feel like the planets have sort of lined up right now. Last week I was watching a Netflix movie on power-lifting and keyed on a machine that I'd never seen or heard of before. It was invented to solve an L4/L5 herniated disc issue of the gym owner. After a short period of using it, he was back to dead lifting crazy stupid poundage's. I'm watching this in disbelief. So much so that I've spent the last week researching this. I've become a believer to the point that I'm probably going to buy the machine: Reverse Hyper-extension Rack. Half dozen companies make them, so now I've got to figure out exactly where it's going to reside. Then make the decision on which company. But the future is looking good. I can't help but think this is my long term solution along with therapy. I'm actually thinking I may be able to squat again, if this works as well as they promise.
Praying the man upstairs agrees with me on this one..
In two days, it'll be exactly 32 years ago I initially screwed up my back setting things in motion. It was several days after NYE in the country of Panama and I was in the gym having a killer workout. I don't remember which set it was, but I do remember what rep I was on. I had 365 on the bar, and I was doing deep squats. I was on rep #8 when I felt it. Something at the base of my spine moved.. gave way ... made a noise. I quickly racked it, and thought "Oh Fuck!" .. The pain wasn't severe, but I knew something was wrong. Made it home, laid on the floor and tried to relax. Problem was I couldn't get up off that floor on my own. My new reality had set in.
Took a few days to get back on my feet and get back to work. Trip to the Flight Surgeon, pain relievers and muscle relaxers but I'd soon be back in business. Up to this point, I was pushing serious weights and weighing a lean 235-245. Life was good. But things had suddenly changed. Few years before I'd screwed up my shoulder in a motorcycle accident but had finally overcome that. Now I had a back issue to contend with. Problem was, nobody could tell me what happened. Tests didn't show a disc issue. No breaks in the spine. I had a facet joint that would click and a lil' pain. But, as time went on I had a weak spot. Every 2 or 3 years my back would 'go out' . This was my new reality. Over the years, the spine has some wear and tear, got a lil arthritic. I've had to move away from Squats for almost two decades now, since they always seemed to bring the issues back. But I worked around it all for the most part.
Well, two months ago, we got to the next phase. I'd never dealt with a sciatic nerve issue until now. Several things set it into motion. I was rear ended by a car in Houston a few months ago. Diving in Mexico in rough seas (climbing up the boat's ladder had me twisting). And travel. Found myself having more and more pain so headed to the doc. Soon an MRI gave us the answer. Protruding disc in the L5 region. This was a first for me. Things suddenly got 'real' . So, headed to Texas Spine and Joint for some answers. Good news is, most of the tests they gave me I flew through. But I still had the pain. The following day an epidermal soon negated the pain and I felt like a million bucks. But a few weeks later, I began to notice things again. Not good.
Today I finally went back to participate in Physical Therapy. Went through some initial tests again and pretty much everything looked good. Except I have the pain, and they know why. Now the trick is to get the protruding disc under control via exercises, to eliminate the pain. Good News. May take a month or two, but I can live with that. I'm liking what they are showing me in PT. Insurance covers it and they have a belief we can get this under control. Good News.
I feel like the planets have sort of lined up right now. Last week I was watching a Netflix movie on power-lifting and keyed on a machine that I'd never seen or heard of before. It was invented to solve an L4/L5 herniated disc issue of the gym owner. After a short period of using it, he was back to dead lifting crazy stupid poundage's. I'm watching this in disbelief. So much so that I've spent the last week researching this. I've become a believer to the point that I'm probably going to buy the machine: Reverse Hyper-extension Rack. Half dozen companies make them, so now I've got to figure out exactly where it's going to reside. Then make the decision on which company. But the future is looking good. I can't help but think this is my long term solution along with therapy. I'm actually thinking I may be able to squat again, if this works as well as they promise.
Praying the man upstairs agrees with me on this one..
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