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Hi - quick question for you triathletes who have experienced a lower back injury. After a full and relatively injury-free season (excluding flu and cold viruses) - I hurt my back the other day by simply pulling in a garbage can. When I went to nudge the corner of it with my right foot - it felt like Macca just rammed his Kestrel into the small of my back while going full steam...with aerobars. Anyway, I did the "good" things: rested, iced, anti-inflamatories, etc. The pain has gone down from unbearable to really hurts to now being mostly stiff and sore. I tried some easy cycling 2 days ago and that went well: pain-free although my legs felt a bit weak/tired. Yesterday I tried a light 4 mile job (that hurt after about 3 miles) and a wetsuit swim with almost no kicking (sore but no pain except the few times I kicked down with my left leg). So...it is moving forward - slowly. My question: I am entered in a 1/2 Ironman in Malaysia in 10 days. Has anyone had a disc injury (I believe that is what I have...tingling in legs, etc.) and still completed a long distance event? I know - I know...rest. But let's assume I'm stubborn, and won't listen to logic and reason. Possible? Advice?
Thanks
Alan
It seems your schedule doesn't currently match your bodies schedule. And, if history is any judge of fact, your body will win the healing schedule.And, it seems that you haven't given R enough time. Ironically, it's the R (REST) that produces the greatest recovery, but is the least likely followed.
Seeing a doctor to detemine the degree of injury might be useful. Unfortunatley, there is no majic pill or therapy that I know of... But, my guess is this. The anti-inflamatories may be masking pain to a point where they may be giving you a false sense of recovery. If it was me... I'd continue with the RICE and emphasize the REST (BTW, Rest means doing nothing). As for stretching (as some might suggest), it may be a good or very bad idea... it would be difficult to tell whether stretching would help or hurt until you have it evaluated by a doctor.
Good Luck...
FWIW Joe Moya
Years ago when I was a junior aged athlete I was a pretty good steeplechaser. I was doing some training which involved repeat 400s over barriers and I screwed up my back during this workout. This was 2 weeks before the national junior championships so I said figured I'd race anyway and just deal with the discomfort. I ended up placing 5th in the steeple and 9th in the 5k which was good, although the back problem really did slow me down. The bad part was that I managed to really push the injury over the edge so that I had constant muscle spasms and no running for the next 8 months. I saw a specialist who suggested that I give up running (no way!!!) but it was a very long road back to normal living and training. My personally dictates that I would probably race the 1/2 anyway (Back in high school I was young and stubborn ... now I'm older and stubborn) but my experience would make me wary and I'd be monitoring it pretty closely to make sure you don't put yourself into real difficulties. That's my $0.02.
I will be doing the Big Kahuna this weekend. This is my third attempt at a 1/2 iron distance.
Why is this on topic? Well it is about one year from to the day that I had back surgery after blowing up in training for the previous two. Everything would be on track and then WHAM, I would be living on the ground for between 8-10 weeks. Literally. I ate like a dog using an ottoman from a chair to support my midsection. Easily the worst two summers of my and my family's life.
Stop taking any drugs and see what you feel like just doing daily tasks.
If you choose to do this event, you could be making a mistake that you will always regret. You better have great health insurance, a FAT bank account and an employer that will be understandnig when you have to take 2-3 months off.
Brian
PS. It wasn't just the surgery thay helped. I changed just about every aspect of my daily lilving and I now count Bikram's Yoga session as workouts. Also, I would be lying if I told you I am not very nervous about Sunday. Just like drinking alcohol, you have to be big enough to know when one more is the last thing you need. It's probably a good idea to give a friend your keys.
Thanks - kind of the responses taht I expected and hoped not to get :)
I took 1 full week off with no real activity (maybe not enough "R" - but far longer than any span in the past 3 years).
I stopped taking pain killers by the fourth day so taht I would have a true sense of the pain/discomfort.
I started the light cycling on advice of my doctor. He did recommend against running, but said light spinning and swimming with a pullbuoy (I chose a wetsuit so no kicking) would be OK. I did another ride today - 20 miles flat and relatively easy. Overall no pain, although still feeling the sciatica-like feelings down my legs.
I start P.T. tomorrow a.m. and will see how that goes. I have about 3 more P.T. and 3 more doctors visits before I leave for Asia. I have decided that unless I see a 100% improvement, I won't race the event....but so long as I have my doctor's OK and feel stronger, I will take it easy and try to enjoy the day (and its 95% humidity) and go for the "just finish".
Then again - I may say screw it and head off to the nearest Malaysian beach bar :)
Alan