For the last 5 months I have been living with pain and only for the last 3 months have I been stepping back at the gym- at least with overhead movements. Ironically, pain increased drastically with me doing this. Also, unfortunately those are the movements I need to work on most. I've been blessed with some strong legs and a decent booty, but my chest and arms are the weakest parts of my body. Consequently, I am strong at lifts that are are hip-explosive and utilize leg strength. Think cleans, deadlifts (I have a strong grip), thrusters, squats.
While the pain in my shoulder and arm at first didn't quite stop me from hitting WODs, I soon started noticing loss of strength on my left side. At first, I explained it with being right-handed, and simply considered my left side less strong. Kind of BS, if I consider how I did extra heavy left-hand curls and focused on using my left more in training. It did not help.
Muscle weakness also caused me to not hit any more maxes and I began to stagnate and even regress. Then with my EMG and MRI results, and conversations with my doctors and PTs, I ended the cycle of denial and stopped through the pain.
Light-weight back squats, front squats, pistols, step ups, one armed curls, one armed pullups and push-ups, leg raises, one armed planks, lunges... Yep, basically lower body movements are ok, but nothing over head. Even TGUs on the left shall be avoided. The last PR in my records book was a 210# FS PR about a month ago. Since, I had to take more loads off the bar.
Focus on form. Focus on core. Focus on legs. But I it is very frustrating to feel like I am losing all my strength and fall bac behind everyone else at the gym.
So, I was seeking out data and stories about athletes returning to sports with and without back surgery.
Here are some if my finds
http://www.back-surgery.com/athletes-spine-surgery/
http://www.medicaldaily.com/pros-and-complications-microdiscectomy-and-why-tiger-woods-missing-masters-back-surgery-273900 (this one mentions Tiger Woods, who had back surgery)
http://www.michaelgleibermd.com/blog/74-professional-athletes-undergoing-cervical-spine-surgery.html (this one has short videos explaining different procedures and mentions Peyton Manning who had cervical spine procedures)
http://www.readingneckandspine.com/return-to-play-after-anterior-cervical-discectomy.html (nice read, written by a fellowship-trained orthopedic spinal surgeon named Setphen Banco (MD), citing studies and using Manning as an example as well)
http://www.orthogate.org/patient-education/cervical-spine/cervical-discectomy.html (summary)
---------------------
Today I did the following at the gym, just to keep working a bit - all very slow and controlled - watching my pain level.
1k light row set to resistance 3 for warm-up followed by some easy stretching
40/40 GHD
10rds 5-10sec Ring holds alternating high and low
5-5-5-5 ring rows
Working up to heavy FS
5-4-4-3-3-3-2-2-1-1-1
35-65-85-105-115-125-135-145-155-165-175 (which is 35# below my 1RM)
4 rounds Untimed
250m row
20 alternating pistols
20 alternating curls with 25#right/15#left DB
20 alternating step ups with 10#DB on each shoulder
While the pain in my shoulder and arm at first didn't quite stop me from hitting WODs, I soon started noticing loss of strength on my left side. At first, I explained it with being right-handed, and simply considered my left side less strong. Kind of BS, if I consider how I did extra heavy left-hand curls and focused on using my left more in training. It did not help.
Muscle weakness also caused me to not hit any more maxes and I began to stagnate and even regress. Then with my EMG and MRI results, and conversations with my doctors and PTs, I ended the cycle of denial and stopped through the pain.
Light-weight back squats, front squats, pistols, step ups, one armed curls, one armed pullups and push-ups, leg raises, one armed planks, lunges... Yep, basically lower body movements are ok, but nothing over head. Even TGUs on the left shall be avoided. The last PR in my records book was a 210# FS PR about a month ago. Since, I had to take more loads off the bar.
Focus on form. Focus on core. Focus on legs. But I it is very frustrating to feel like I am losing all my strength and fall bac behind everyone else at the gym.
So, I was seeking out data and stories about athletes returning to sports with and without back surgery.
Here are some if my finds
http://www.back-surgery.com/athletes-spine-surgery/
http://www.medicaldaily.com/pros-and-complications-microdiscectomy-and-why-tiger-woods-missing-masters-back-surgery-273900 (this one mentions Tiger Woods, who had back surgery)
http://www.michaelgleibermd.com/blog/74-professional-athletes-undergoing-cervical-spine-surgery.html (this one has short videos explaining different procedures and mentions Peyton Manning who had cervical spine procedures)
http://www.readingneckandspine.com/return-to-play-after-anterior-cervical-discectomy.html (nice read, written by a fellowship-trained orthopedic spinal surgeon named Setphen Banco (MD), citing studies and using Manning as an example as well)
http://www.orthogate.org/patient-education/cervical-spine/cervical-discectomy.html (summary)
---------------------
Today I did the following at the gym, just to keep working a bit - all very slow and controlled - watching my pain level.
1k light row set to resistance 3 for warm-up followed by some easy stretching
40/40 GHD
10rds 5-10sec Ring holds alternating high and low
5-5-5-5 ring rows
Working up to heavy FS
5-4-4-3-3-3-2-2-1-1-1
35-65-85-105-115-125-135-145-155-165-175 (which is 35# below my 1RM)
4 rounds Untimed
250m row
20 alternating pistols
20 alternating curls with 25#right/15#left DB
20 alternating step ups with 10#DB on each shoulder
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