Physical Therapy

Kelly, I don’t know where to begin… many of the topics you educate us on hit me like a ton of bricks. I’m 32, 6’8, 220lbs and have severe spinal arthritis. Yes I walk and run like a duck that caused me to grow a new calcaneus. Yes I used to slam my heels into the ground thinking i would jump higher. Yes I over exstend when I squat and deadlift probably causing my facets to degenerate after I extruded my L5-S1 disc AND YES my parents always got me the hardest bed for my back because that is what the doctor said would help me. I had the worst range of motion to the point all my coaches would make fun of me for being so stiff. I look at my dad now at 75 and I think how stiff he was even when he was younger that his students thought that he had a stroke…. literally. My only hope is that this knowledge that you have provided will enable me to have a longer more active life with my children, so that I can help them avoid a situation like mine. The worst part for me is that my 8 year old boy, who is already 5’1″, has the same issues I had/have that it scares the crap out of me. I do not want him to endure my mistakes and be left a spine like mine. Thank you so much for sharing with us, and please don’t ever stop.
PS Where can I buy those bands you use. I constantly feel like I can’t get my right hip into position to do anything. I wish I could rip it out and reattach it.
Later,
Alex
Peoria, IL

My name is Samuel Selay, I am 26, have served in the United States Marine Corps since 2003, have some joint/orthopedic problems and wanted to see if I can get your perspective if you would be willing. I have been crossfitting on my own since July of 2009, but think my current injuries are a major constraint. I stumbled over your mobility wod site and think the work you do with performance based orthopedic sports medicine is amazing.

First off, I have a low back problem which I have not gotten looked at by medical. The problem is I get a throbbing back pain whenever I do any kind of work in fairly large loads. Usually it comes from any kind of core work, kb swings, deadlifts, box hops, sumo deadlift high pulls, running longer distances, and longer wods in duration 25+ min. Also, my deadlift is significantly lower compared to the rest of my lifts. The last time I did the cf total my dl was 355, squat 340, and shoulder press 170. Doing 225 deadlifts in wods takes a lot out of me. I think it might be from a weak core, a possible flexibility issue, or my other muscles are stronger, advanced, and can handle heavier loads. I also have had a long history of my core being weaker than the rest of my body when I played football, and wrestled in high school. Recently after recovering from a patella tendentious I have been doing core, gymnastic, and oh squats & bench press for strength. I am kind of convinced that I really should be focusing on body control, flexibility, core rather than the strength and Olympic lifting side right now. I follow the main site and modify when I need to.

Second, in November before I hurt my knee I was working my split jerks and heavy over head press and I felt a pinching sharp pain when doing any over head press, or even HSPU. Since then I was cautions and even stopped doing any overhead presses, & HSPU. I recently got it looked at got x-rays and was diagnosed with supraspinatus impingement. The therapist told me that my tendon was rubbing against my spur bone. I was prescribed some exercises such as external, internal rotations, the sleeper stretch, close grip row, and shoulder pendulum flexion extension. I was told if these exercises don’t correct my injury I will need surgery to shave down my spur bone. I also can feel my shoulder roll in place if I twist it will grabbing the steering wheel or something similar. There is also popping. I can do bench, dips, pushups and any other shoulder movements fine except if it’s a pressing overhead or hspu’s. I want to get back into overhead pressing and hspu’s.