Presentation, first post, character building days

[moringamiracle]

Hello everyone,

I joined the forums some time ago but this is my first post and I want to make myself present before posting any request. I don't really think that personal details are that important, but here it goes. My name is Kinshiro, I am 19 years old, 1.87 metres and 75kg. I joined the forums because I really need help. Short story. I have scoliosis and I recieved chiropractic treatment for some months 8 years ago, but I had to cut because of financial difficulties. After the short treatment, however, the pain disappeared. When I was 14 years old I decided that I did not want to suck and feel bad about myself.

So I started training and moving. I went from swimming to calisthenics and from calisthenics to weighlifting (no machines, real weights) and from that to gymnastics-oriented training. During the last 3 years, I trained sometimes with high volume, others with high intensity. I managed to deadlift 160 kg and do pullups with +40kg, but that doesn't matter anymore. At some point I stopped and just focused on free handstands with open shoulders. To add some lower body, I included KB swings with a homemade KB and everything was kind of fine until one year ago.

During the period that I've described, I had some injuries. I had knee pain, rotator cuff and elbow tendinitis, I got tight intercostal and serratus muscles, thoracic outlet syndrome and some other minor ones. One year ago, however, while using the homemade KB I had an almost deadly accident. The KB broke and I fall against a wall and hit my head in the left side of the back. I still have the video if any of you want to see details, I don't mind.

After the accident, I didn't train for about two months to make sure that I didn't have any major brain injury. Then I continued with handstands, band training, occasional pull ups and bodyweight squats. I must admit, however, that after the head thing, I became some sort of chicken-shit and didn't train as hard or as smart as I could. Sometimes I would take 3 days off because it didn't feel right to exercise, I was afraid.

Fast forward to the last 6 months. I found myself with rotator cuff disconfort in the left arm (side of the head accident) and having a difficult time getting my arm overhead (shoulder to ear), I tried to fix it with self myofascial release and apparently I made it worse. Sometimes I would "mobilize my shoulder" (band traction, flossing, first rib, etc) for 2 hours just to be able to lift it overhead. So two months ago I gave up and went to a PT. She said that I had actually done a lot of damage to my rotator cuff but that was because my left scapula was not upwardly rotating. Then, I discovered a huge knot in the supraclavicular area, near the trapezius and then I listened to the PT and took a month off. After the month, some weird lumbar pain appeared in the right side. The PT says that all of that is the result of the accident and I agree with her. She says that the contusion damaged cervical nerves. But she also helped me a lot with the rotator cuff and to release some muscles and disconfort. She couldn't, however, make my shoulder move freely again. Now I just can hit the 170 degrees with some disconfort.

The last months have been character building days. I've been through depression because of lack of movement. And now I just keep asking myself why nobody ever told me that a head contusion could damage anything besides the brain.

Today I went to a chiropractor. Had the X rays and stuff. Payed a lot of money and was diagnosed with scoliosis and kyphosis in both cervical and lumbar. The chiro says that my shoulder and the lumbar pain are the result of my spine. I do believe in that, but I don't really have the money to receive chiropractic treatment. What's more, I've read several times that it's not really the best tool.

So here I am. I don't really know if it is the scoliosis or the head contusion, whatever it is I will solve it and will get back to moving again. I am, of course, looking for other options and willing to listen to anyone with good advice.

Thanks for reading, I will check back in a few hours if anyone needs more information.

I am really thankful for this community.

PS: I am attaching the photos of my x rays in case anyone wants to see what are we up to.

[AndeL]

Awesome introduction man, what a story. Sorry to hear about that kettlebell accident, that is hardcore. There are definitely good things going to happen from you posting here, I feel. I too am thankful for this community.

oh, one other thing - whereabouts do you live?

Edited June 1, 2014 by AndrewL

[moringamiracle]

Thanks Andrew.

oh, one other thing - whereabouts do you live?

Perú, South America

[Kit_L]

MM, I will post recent X-rays I had taken of my spine: radical, actually, with all sorts of curves and pathology (my back and hip were in a lot of pain)—yet there's quite a bit I can still do with this old corpus! And today, no problems in the body at all (and this is two days after the end oa a workshops with all sorts of strength and movement training). Take your time, and start again: start with the basics. Actually, even complex skills are just groups of basic movements. Basics are anything but basic, actually.

Find out where you are tight, or where a pattern is restricted, and find out what this is a response to. These are protective mechanisms, at root. Dig deep, but gently. In time, you will become the expert in you. The reason I always start with removing restrictions is that it's the restrictions (or tension that you can't voluntarily let go of) that produce the curves and distortions that one sees in an X-ray. When those are gone, the X-ray will show a different body. It will be a different body—where did the pathology go? partly, at least, pathology is a function of the system designed to diagnose it. Unless there is pathology that can be repaired, ignore it.

My suggestion (while we wait for the first program, Master the squat and hip mobility, is to try the How to sit for meditation program, an inexpensive follow-along one-hour program. Forget the name 'mediation' in the title; it's an extended, gentle mobility/limbering sequence. It might just start the process you need.

[Adurst]

Great insight Kit,

The healing power of movement.

My back was super sore in the lead up to the Ido Portal Workshop...I was in a lot if pain and moving was difficult.

Over the two days I pushed myself harder then ever...by the end of day one I had no pain...movement was accessible.

Since this experience...I've sought to heal myself with intense, challenging specific movements I find therapeutic.

And exams of this is Back Bridge walking/locomotion.

If my low back hurts...I've now found this to be an almost instant cure...but that's me

Probably a sign the pain is largely related to tight hip flexors, psoas and abdominal spasms

[AndeL]

I just watched

and found it quite moving. Shows a disabled veteran re-habbing via yoga.

[moringamiracle]

Hello eveyone,

I am really sorry for not replying, but apparently my e-mail doesn't like forum notifications. Thanks for the kind words and suggestions.

Mr. Laughlin, exactly. That's exactly what I thought at first, but given that I have no credentials, I just believed what the chiropractor said. That everything starts with the vertebrae. I am really looking forward to start with the basics, but I have this self doubts that tell me that "everything needs to be perfect before you start". These days I am not doing anything but reading (while squatting) about scoliosis and mobility instead of doing something. As I said, I am afraid that moving with restrictions will cause more damage. I don't want to keep hurting myself.

The chiropractor convinced my parents so I am now going 3/week to hear how my spine cracks. I must be really honest, I am no longer in pain. My spine feels really awkard, but I no longer have lumbar pain. It's just been 2 weeks. But given that my family doesn't have the money to pay for more months, I have to look for alternative options. Thus, I am purchasing Overcoming Neck and Back Pain to "help" the chiropractor.

So yes, I think I have restrictions and tight muscles but I am really clueless about self treating them. In a few hours I will post a few more photos (no X rays). Until then.

Kinshiro.

PS: Books I've read include the MWod, Anatomy trains and Trigger point therapy.

[moringamiracle]

I created a new topic with a summary of the information posted here and some not-x-rays pictures. It's here.