One moment can change everything. While driving one day back in high school Max was in a car accident. His back was injured from this incident, but he had no idea how badly. He was largely able to brush it off and resumed life, including playing soccer. A near miss? His back seemed to be OK.
As a soccer goalie, it was his job to defend and stop the other team from scoring at all costs. Diving for the ball and other forms of bodily sacrifice to stop the opposing team from scoring was all part of the fun! However, after repeated insults his back started to reveal just how injured it had become.
Months later, Max was on the operating table. It was pain that led him there. Max went from barely noticing anything was wrong after his car accident to being hunched over in horrible back pain. The pain was so bad that he consented to back surgery, which is never a minor decision. After the operation and initial recovery period he felt better. However, the pain relief did not last and he lapsed into horrible pain again. What was going on? From the surgeon’s point of view it was simple: Max you have a second disc that has bulged out of place. What is out of place can be fixed by surgical removal. You need another surgery. Surgery is how you get better.
Believe it or not, this whole story played out again! Max felt better after surgery, but then the pain came back. His surgeon was ready to operate again (a third time), but Max had had enough. No more surgeries! This was a good call.
Max using the kettlebell swing as therapy. Sometimes this move can be exercise AND therapy for the right kind of back/ injury.
Luckily, Max ended up at my studio and we started to go work. In order for Max to truly overcome his back pain, he was going to have to master the biomechanics of the spine. Half of his protocol was being diligent with how he “exercised” his spine outside the gym. In other words, how one treats their spine for most of their day is the biggest factor on how it feels, heals, or doesn’t heal. Max had to learn how to sit, stand, vacuum, sleep, study, and even sneeze in a spine sparing manner. Three hours of top notch therapy a week can never beat 50+ hours of poor posture and bad habits.
Within a few weeks Max started to see improvements. His pain was down and he was committed to having good spine mechanics whenever possible (studying for collage classes with good mechanics was the hardest part). He started using my top therapeutic exercises as well. From the beginning Max understood the importance of exercising the spine underneath the threshold of tissue harm. In time, tolerance will build. Health and “youthfulness” in the tissues can come back. It did for Max. Check out what he can do now for workouts!
Week after week Max and many of my clients continue to “build armor” around their back injuries making them stronger and less prone to flare ups. Their tolerance for exercise and all of life continues to improve. Gaining back health and fitness from chronic back pain is rarely a straight and easy journey but it is possible and even likely. Others have done it, why not you?
Are you ready to get out of pain and get moving? Contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach at Eightfold Fitness in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.