For most of my adult life people around me have urged me to go into therapy. You climb rocks? You need therapy. You climb ice? You need therapy. You have this weird obsession with lightweight gear - maybe you should see a therapist. Gonna hike for how many miles???
Of course there are many other reasons I've been told I should seek therapy over - relationships, my penchant for good times where music is being performed, an unnatural attraction to dolphins.... wait - that was Troy McClure! I like dolphins, just not in that way - they make tuna fish taste better! Anyhow, everyone who has ever urged me to seek help will be pleased to know that I have taken the plunge.
Yes, I am officially in therapy.
My doctor is a striking young man in Glendale who has a very adept assistant who was able to tell where my problems were just by watching me bend over. Now I know what you're thinking... but it's not that cool.
No, I have long fought with lower back pain you see. I finally came to the decision that I should employ any means available to me to prevent a trip ending episode 100 miles from nowhere by seeking the help of a physical therapist. While they cannot tell me what is wrong, even after a bunch of x-rays of my back, they gave me exercises to help strengthen my core which will hopefully stave off any flare ups come July 28th.
My name is Christopher and I have back problems.
But that won't stop me!!!
Have you ever read, "Treat Your Own Back"? Written by McKenzie. It's helped a few people in our show with back problems. I read it and followed the exercises after I herniated a disc back in '08. Pretty helpful if you're having disc problems.
ReplyDeleteI have now - will check that out for sure! Not sure it's disc problems for me, honestly even my Doctor aint sure what is going on. I just know it has plagued me since High School and I am completely over it!
ReplyDeleteDid your doc do an MRI and CT scan? Since High School, eh... I wonder what you have? Did you do sports in High School? Could be spondylolisthesis... Did you have any xrays to make sure everything's perfectly in line? I've been around so many back injuries at work that I'm really curious now. Hope you get it worked out! If nothing else, core work! Get on a pilates table. Sweat! lol
ReplyDeleteHad X-Rays, but no signs of bone damage or abnormal growth. MRI / CT may be in the future pending results of exercises they gave me. It's very keen of you to mention spondylolisthesis - indeed the Phys. Medicines Doctor I consulted with suspected arthritis, but was surprised to hear it had been affecting me for so long. Maybe the skate boarding (I was never all that good) aggravated something. Never really hurt my back - it just sort of happens.
ReplyDeleteThere are certain repetitive movements, which cannot be mentioned here, that appear to exacerbate the situation... but I'm NOT about to give those activities up! Other times it can be as mundane as sitting in the wrong position for too long or doing pedestrian things like rollerskating.
I plan to follow Doctors Orders and do the exercises they recommend and start going to the climbing gym regularly again. Climbing has seemed to help more than any other Me Sport so far. Prolly due to developing core strength of course. Never played football or did gymnastics - the latter I wish I had! Always been a Hacky Sack, In Line, SK8er, cyclist type of guy. You know the type - you have probably run over me in a wave - yes, I have been a Speed Bump in the past. (Shark Biscuit? Sponger? Boogie Geek?)
I am gonna check out the book you made reference to and keep up the core training for now. This problem will NOT stop me from going for a walk this summer. Mark my words!
Sounds to me like it's disc related. You should get the MRI and see what the discs look like. If so, it's not the end of the world. The exercises in McKenzie's book should be beneficial in more ways than one, if you know what I mean. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, so you're the sponger I was doing foot plants over! Haha