Day 3 exercise - Bowen

The last time I did Exercise was 2 days ago. I do hydrotherapy most weekdays. I feel better physically and emotionally when I do hydro. The problem is that is the extent of my exercise. I have gone from being a professional football player to only being able to do hydrotherapy in a pool.

I can only walk a couple of hundred meters now and haven't played any sport in 10 years. I was extremely active 14 years ago when I first I injured myself. For the last 10 years the pain has been intense, constant and widespread so I have been unable to jog run or play any sport. I miss sport so much. It was the biggest thing in my life. Now I can barely even sit through watching a game of football let alone play it. This is Australian rules football so it is very physical.

 

G'day Bowen,

Try mixing up your routine a bit. For me the same routine every day has been a dogged act of will.

Perhaps alternate...Light weights? Row? Yoga 15-20 mins?
Morcomm suggested this to me, as a means of creating new brain "pathways", and avoiding same old responses.

I went kayaking this morning for just 30 mins... felt great to "put some shoulder in" and see a few feathered friends.

Hang in there brother.

 

Thanks Michael,

Good suggestions. And your right it is a dogged act of will much of the time.

will take your suggestions on board and thanks for the support.

Kayaking one day would be amazing!!

 

Bowen,

I hear ya! I used to run 5 days a week and play competitive basketball and trying to " take it easy" on the exercise bike has nearly killed me. I can't imagine what it must be like for you being a former AFL player ( I live in Austrlia).Did you have real injuries and now it's TMS or has it always been TMS?

I ask because I had a knee reconstruction 15 months ago and now the pain just lingers. My physio just says I am a slow healer and my surgeon said I can not run again because I don't have anough cartilage in my knees. My rpoblem lies with uderstanding where the injury ends and the TMS begins.

I want to run again!!!

I am so grateful I found this forum where at least I get some feedback and encouragement from people who take the time to respond.

 

Hey PMOoz. Thanks for your post.

To answer your questions. I did a lower back injury during training. Scans showed bulging disc L5-S1. I treated it for back pain for 9 years as thats what I thought was my real injury was . Saw every type of specialist imaginable. Nothing worked and my pain was massively disproportionate with a bulged disc. I played with it for 4 years in agony until I retired at age 24. The whole time it was mis-diagnosed. It was TMS all along and that's why nothing worked.

In terms of your knee injury I am not a doctor but here are my thoughts. I don't believe you are a slow healer, your body has the capabilities of healing at the same rate as everybody else. Pain from surgery or an injury should only last a short amount of time whilst it heals. When it becomes chronic the body is stuck in survival mode and the pain doesn't really serve a purpose. It is my belief that your symptoms are consistent with TMS. As for never running again; I know AFL footballers who have bone on bone and have played for years relatively pain free. I think you are in the right place mate. I believe the injury ended after your knee reco and TMS started when the pain became chronic.

Cheers

Bowen

 

Lads: Couple of observations:

PMOoz: Some of the stuff I see here written about Doctor's proclamations makes me BOIL. They are prolonging so much suffering with their knee jerk (pardon the pun) advice.

From your thread:
"I ask because I had a knee reconstruction 15 months ago and now the pain just lingers. My physio just says I am a slow healer and my surgeon said I can not run again because I don't have anough cartilage in my knees".

PMOoz, suggest you email these overpaid and underskilled "healers and let them know that you WILL run again. If I were you I would then consign them both to history. Give your wallet a break. They've done nothing but harm your psyche with their assertions. From here on you can heal yourself, free of charge.

SLOW HEALER ? What a cop out. Slow is 3 mths, 6 at worst. To say this after FIFTEEN mths is plain negligent.

Bowen: Recommend you Order "The Great Pain Deception" by Steve Ozanich. Probably the greatest recovery story available, and chock full of insights on how to re-progam the pain pathways.

Here's a tip for both of you Southerners. www.mindbodyhealing.com.au (Hal Greenham, former TMS basket case).

I have travelled to Melbourne to see Hal and it's been a valuable part of my mentally coming to terms with this new approach.

Keep posting. Others care.

 

Michael and Bowen,

I wrote a long reply last week but left it to answer the phone and my kids jumped in so lost it! Here is a shorter version:

Thank you both for taking the time to answer questions and provide much needed feedback-it's amazing to hear such encouraging comments. I can't tell you how much it means to me to hear people challenging my lingering debate between structural and TMS. I have devoured the internet in the past week to find any evidence of a link between osteoarthritis, pain and running. It just screams of TMS to me! I will save my money and never return to my physio as it was a pain to get to, expensive and I always left feeling deflated. My physician was marginally better but the surgeon is a complete wanker so he will not be getting any more of my money! LOL

I actually attempted a run 4 days ago (slow intervals on the treadmill) and was relatively pain free during and post. It was invigorating!! I was so scared but challenged my thoughts and made it through 20 mins unscathed. I tried squats and step -ups on Monday which were virtually impossible last month and I just woke up with extremely sore glutes. Hooray! Maybe I will get some muscle back.

I tried running again this morning and of course the cunning TMS has now moved into my hip and is quite painful so it was hard to run. I know I have a lot to deal with at the moment on a personal level and am very aware that this TMS is really trying to distract me. I actually sent an email to Hal requesting an appt to help deal with some of this stuff but it's been 4 days and no reply. In the mean time I have 5 days of sunshine on the Gold Coast and I will peruse my dowloaded books and keep journalling. I will try to be present and enjoy the weather with a run (fingers crossed) along the beach.

My fear of pain is gone though and I have hope for the first time in a long time.

Thanks again.
P

 

This is so awesome to read, P. Way to go! This TMS is some insidious stuff, for sure, but if we are persistent, we can and will win out.

 

One of my issues has been shim splints. I have fought them for 17 years. In January my husband and I started walking. I warmed up for 30 minutes, walked slowly, walked in the grass, walked a short distance, etc. I have worked up to 4-5 miles each day. Then out of the blue here comes the shin splints, then I do more warm up stuff, walk 4-5 miles for weeks, no changes, here come the shin splints again. This has gone on for weeks. The shin splints coming on made no sense at all. Nothing changed. I now know it has been the TMS. So I am going to be doing pain talk to my shins.

"Go away shin splints. Nothing is wrong at all. I am going to continue this journey no matter what you do" The walking has helped my head, helped me to wear myself out, sleep better, and loosen up all the muscles in my pelvic floor.

 

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I have really been working on the emotional side of things and very very gradually been building up my physical exercise. Pain is still the same but I am not expecting an overnight miracle. I have been Talking to
Myself and identifying fears and anger from the past. Unraveling the emotions that are stuck behind this.

I am going to get that book Michael. I think it may be a real key for me.

I have actually been seeing Hal for a few weeks now. Gradually working through things.

PMOoz. Keep trying hal. He is hard to catch. He s away at the moment for a week and a bit. Try him on his mobile though.

Cheers

Bowen.

 

Bowen,

I did hear back from Hal and he said he was back after the 12th. I will try his mobile as you suggested.

Hang in there with the exercise- it is a tough, long journey dealing with the pain then the fear of pain. I ran today on the beach here in the Gold Coast. Only 25 mins and 90secs on then 1 min rest and it wasn't too bad while running ( lots of hip pain) but now me reco knee is really sore and swollen. Feeling pretty discouraged and doubting my ability to deal with this TMS. I finished Mind Body prescription again today and I just think I am one of the 2 % who need psychotherapy. I too know i have a lot of stuff to contend with and being up here on hols just compounds it!
Here I am yelling at my brain, singing songs and changing the lyrics to yell at my brain but it's so difficult to get that surgeon's
diagnosis out of my head. He told me not to run again so I just have to deal with that I guess.

What a battle! I will just keep reading the success stories to help keep me motivated.
Hang in there !

Cheers,
P

 

Hi P, I was actually speaking to Hal about your comment " I just think I am one of the 2 % who need psychotherapy".
He said it is natural to feel this way. Especially when you have tried so many things to no avail. The questions pops into your head. Is this going to work for me? What if I am one of the 2% this doesnt work for?
When you are desperate to be out of pain and you have been disillusioned with other treatments I think these fears are natural.

Hang in there mate. I also have been talking to my brain and sometimes shouting at it. Great effort going for a run. Just know that underneath all of this are the repressed emotions causing it. I know its the same for me and but I keep reminding myself of this and not allowing myself to stray from the path. I know there is no physical reason for my pain but it is still there. I am just continuing to do the work.

Ive had a a pretty rough week physically and been addressing a lot of emotions. Sooner or later I am hoping my brain will 'get it' that there is no more reason to keep sending these false pain signals.

Best

Bowen