Constant injuries... What can I do to build fitness?

RedemptionZ

Had a neck injury when I was 16 and had to stop playing sport for a while and then after school sort of took over and ended up losing all my fitness, previously I would've trained about 4/5 days a week. Fast forward to me being 20 about 2 years ago and trying to get back fit with jogging after gaining a bit of weight for the first time in my life. Haven't been able to get a month straight without an injury, usually it's my lower back or my shoulder. Have been to three different physios but can't afford to keep going back. I stretch before and after and even started having ice baths, switching to swimming etc, but I still end up with a sore lower back and or sore left shoulder. Has anyone had chronic injuries like this before? Is there any way to build fitness without putting strain on my lower back? I think the shoulder injury is down to my posture but I don't know where the lower back pain comes from.

Cheers.

when does it hurt? during training? middle lower back? etc? not diagnosing just trying to get a picture that's all.

Clearlier

RedemptionZ wrote: »

Had a neck injury when I was 16 and had to stop playing sport for a while and then after school sort of took over and ended up losing all my fitness, previously I would've trained about 4/5 days a week. Fast forward to me being 20 about 2 years ago and trying to get back fit with jogging after gaining a bit of weight for the first time in my life. Haven't been able to get a month straight without an injury, usually it's my lower back or my shoulder. Have been to three different physios but can't afford to keep going back. I stretch before and after and even started having ice baths, switching to swimming etc, but I still end up with a sore lower back and or sore left shoulder. Has anyone had chronic injuries like this before? Is there any way to build fitness without putting strain on my lower back? I think the shoulder injury is down to my posture but I don't know where the lower back pain comes from.

Cheers.

Might be worth looking for a rehabilitation specialist or somebody who specialises in movement. IME many physios are great at fixing an injury but don't necessarily view the body as a whole and aren't necessarily able to pinpoint the source of a weakness.

The only person that I have personal experience of is James Dunne who runs kinetic rev. You might find his 30 day challenge useful. He also does an online running course which is of necessity generic. Individual instruction is obviously the best option if you can afford it. He's based in the UK but is coming over to Ireland towards the end of the month.

I've also usually been impressed by what Champions Everywhere (based in Ireland) have had to say about movement but I've no personal experience of their offering.

RedemptionZ

rusty cole wrote: »

when does it hurt? during training? middle lower back? etc? not diagnosing just trying to get a picture that's all.

It hurts when I run and a few days after I run, if I try to continue running the pain worsens to the point I can't run at all.

Clearlier wrote: »

Might be worth looking for a rehabilitation specialist or somebody who specialises in movement. IME many physios are great at fixing an injury but don't necessarily view the body as a whole and aren't necessarily able to pinpoint the source of a weakness.

The only person that I have personal experience of is James Dunne who runs kinetic rev. You might find his 30 day challenge useful. He also does an online running course which is of necessity generic. Individual instruction is obviously the best option if you can afford it. He's based in the UK but is coming over to Ireland towards the end of the month.

I've also usually been impressed by what Champions Everywhere (based in Ireland) have had to say about movement but I've no personal experience of their offering.

Interesting, I had never heard of physios that specialise in movement, do you know where I can find one? And how expensive they are?

youngrun

RedemptionZ wrote: »

It hurts when I run and a few days after I run, if I try to continue running the pain worsens to the point I can't run at all.



Interesting, I had never heard of physios that specialise in movement, do you know where I can find one? And how expensive they are?

.
Movement - osteopath ???, try this even for info purposes, never been but have heard of . http://www.osteopathgalway.ie/
If you are a weed like myself then core work is recommended for strengthening up and injury proofing though I am guilty of doing nowhere near enough

ger664

RedemptionZ wrote: »

trying to get back fit with jogging after gaining a bit of weight for the first time in my life.

Can you clarify what gaining a bit is ? Weight/Height

RedemptionZ

ger664 wrote: »

Can you clarify what gaining a bit is ? Weight/Height

I'm not exactly fat but I went from 5'8" 55kgs to 5'8 70kgs. Not a lot of muscle gained with that 15kgs so hasn't done my appearance much favours.

RedemptionZ

youngrun wrote: »

.
Movement - osteopath ???, try this even for info purposes, never been but have heard of . http://www.osteopathgalway.ie/
If you are a weed like myself then core work is recommended for strengthening up and injury proofing though I am guilty of doing nowhere near enough

Thanks I'll check that out there, I wouldn't say I'm a weed though certainly far from being anywhere near considered strong for my size so core work probably wouldn't do me any harm.

ger664

RedemptionZ wrote: »

I'm not exactly fat but I went from 5'8" 55kgs to 5'8 70kgs. Not a lot of muscle gained with that 15kgs so hasn't done my appearance much favours.

Not overweight by some standards, and I don't think is a major contributor to your issue and one which you are trying in vain to rectify. Given you had a previous neck injury I would seek professional help as has been outlined by other posters.

Firedance

OP I can recommend the guys here: http://sportsmedireland.ie/ they are qualified physios and will give you a strength training program you can do at home, specific to your needs. You do need to go back a few times to review your program but might be worth trying.

Clearlier

RedemptionZ wrote: »

Interesting, I had never heard of physios that specialise in movement, do you know where I can find one? And how expensive they are?

They're not physios. James Dunne is a rehabilitation specialist and has a BSc in Sports Rehabilitation. He charges £60 sterling an hour so pretty pricey but I think that he's good.

Champions Everywhere appear to have less formal qualifications. They have a website with details of their running workshops here. I've never used them so can't say whether they're good or not.

BTW, IME movement must come before strength. I've had physios prescribe strength first, diligently done my exercises gotten stronger and watched a look of confusion come over their faces as they realise I still have the same problem as before. The two are interlinked of course but for me correct movement comes first.

Firedance

Clearlier wrote: »

BTW, IME movement must come before strength. I've had physios prescribe strength first, diligently done my exercises gotten stronger and watched a look of confusion come over their faces as they realise I still have the same problem as before. The two are interlinked of course but for me correct movement comes first.

Can I ask Clearlier what do you mean when you say movement, or how do you ensure you have that right before you move onto strength? is that the drills that James Dunne does?

Clearlier

Firedance wrote: »

Can I ask Clearlier what do you mean when you say movement, or how do you ensure you have that right before you move onto strength? is that the drills that James Dunne does?

A common enough one is that you get told that your glutes aren't firing i.e. you're not using your gluteal muscles when you should be using them so you compensate by using other muscles. Plenty of physios will tell you that you need to strengthen them, better ones will give you exercises such as single leg squats to try and get them working but the best people will give you cues to use when you're running to promote their normal use. Hope that makes sense as although I'm reasonably confident that I understand it I'm a little outside of my comfort zone trying to explain it!

Firedance

Clearlier wrote: »

A common enough one is that you get told that your glutes aren't firing i.e. you're not using your gluteal muscles when you should be using them so you compensate by using other muscles. Plenty of physios will tell you that you need to strengthen them, better ones will give you exercises such as single leg squats to try and get them working but the best people will give you cues to use when you're running to promote their normal use. Hope that makes sense as although I'm reasonably confident that I understand it I'm a little outside of my comfort zone trying to explain it!

yep thanks!