As you may recall, about 5 months ago I injured a disc pretty severely in my low back. I wrote a short article on the subject a couple months back.
Now, at 5 months since the onset of my injury, I am virtually pain free. It hasn't been an easy journey but I am pretty proud to say that through the last several months I have maintained my usual gym schedule of 5-6x/week and also have increased my body's strength and skill in many ways (recall: I haven't lifted any heavy weight in months!).I'm not completely out of the woods yet - I have a few more weeks/months of recovery but I'm beyond thrilled for where I am at today.
Here’s what I learned:
✅ Don’t let pain be the guiding force. The pain is going to fluctuate. Sometimes better, sometimes worse but the healing is happening.
✅ Trust the process - our bodies know how to heal better then anything else.
✅ Modify, Modify, Modify - you need to reduce weight, change movements and set different expectations for your workout
✅ Keep moving and don’t stop - under the guidance a chiropractor, proper movement is key. Stay consistent - consistency and the frequency of what we do are the fundamental determinants of health.
✅ Everything you do will have an influence on your recovery - what you eat (especially!!), your mood, your sleep, your exercise.
✅ Learn what your body is trying to tell you - if sitting in a position or a certain chair causes pain then avoid that position/chair for now.
✅ You need to retrain your body and your mind that loading that damaged tissue (I.e. the disc) is ok.
Stay the course! If you'd like to learn more about exactly what I did or discuss a problem you may be having feel free to reach out. I look forward to helping you.
-Dr. Alfredo Petrone
Dr. Alfredo is a health enthusiast who’s goal is to help people and families live healthier, happier lives. My philosophy on health is simple - our body’s have the amazing ability and potential to self-adapt, self-regulate and THRIVE in this world.
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