Spina Bifida Occulta and Training

[Andrew Wilson]

Originally Posted by Chad Cilli

Wow, thank you to everyone for the responses.

Gant and Andrew, have you ever tried any chiropractic or physical therapy for your back problems? If so, did it improve your condition?

For me it was so bad that it was almost impossible to run some days. Any bending, or sitting also. Didn't need any therapy but I did just mainly try to lay on my back as much as possible. After seeing the doctor & wearing the weight vest, it healed very quickly

[Chad Cilli]

Right now I'm going to a chiro, and he's done a good bit of electro stim and triggerpoint which seems to be helping alot.

What exercises did you use the weight vest for? We have a couple at the gym, I hesitate to run with one just because I don't run pose very well yet.

[Gant Grimes]

Interesting point about the weighted pullups. When I do them, I use around 100#. It's never bothered me though; the traction actually feels a little nice.

I go to a chiro once a month, but it's more for the SI joint stuff. Since this came up, I'm going to look into it a bit and see if there's a connection.

I'm sure that football, rugby, and judo have taken their toll, as well. I've known about mine for almost 20 years--when I first tore some back muscles in junior high--and, like I said, some days it just doesn't work no matter how much stretching I do. Yesterday was one of those days. Light snatches, nice metcon, and I was FUBAR by judo. Some days are better than others. However, I'm convinced that heavy heavy squatting, deadlifting, and trunk work have helped, rather than hurt, the situation.

[Steven Low]

Weighted pullups have been exacerbating my back imbalance. My left side is tighter and more hypertrophied than the right; so when I strap on weight for the pullups, it puts the muscle to work to hold up the weight. Thus, it got more hypertrophied than before and started giving me some pain. Stopped doing weighted pullups for now though so I'm fine... but it's interesting how little things like these can mess with you. Gotta be careful.

[Andrew Wilson]

Originally Posted by Chad Cilli

What exercises did you use the weight vest for? We have a couple at the gym, I hesitate to run with one just because I don't run pose very well yet.

Swissball planks with the 25# Vmax- incredibly soothing. I also wore it around most of the day.

[Gant Grimes]

I'll try the vest on pullups, but I don't run with one anymore. A few degrees of rotation x a weighted torso x several thousand foot strikes = potentially bad things for my back, hip, knee, and foot.

[Chad Cilli]

Thanks for the training advice guys. I'll have to start wearing the vest now. Our head coach wore that thing for a month, it looked miserable, so I can't say I'm looking forward to it.

Have you guys ever noticed your sacrum popping/cracking/snapping? Mine has started popping really often, and most of the time it's when I'm doing normal things like standing up from a chair, getting in or out of my car, even while laying on the floor. It typically is accompanied with sharp pain that lingers for hours, so I'm rather concerned about it.

[Garrett Smith]

Sounds like you might be getting some hypermobility at the S/I joint.

Only thing I know that can help that is prolotherapy / proliferative injection therapy / regenerative injection therapy. See www.getprolo.com if you're looking for a practitioner.

[Chad Cilli]

Thanks Garrett, I'll look into that as well. I checked out the website and found a practioner within driving distance, so now I need to figure out cost and treatment.

As a side note, upon review of my x-rays and sending them out to some other doctors, my doctor noted that I have a possible fracture in the S1 vertebrae, so I suppose that would be a rather obvious explanation for the pain I've been experiencing. It doesn't change that I have SBO, but finding out there may be a fracture explains alot.

Thank you for all the help guys, (and girl) it's been very useful.

[Garrett Smith]

Yeah, a fracture might pop a bit. Glad you got some x-rays.

Take caution with your training. Maybe even a break. Better a little now than a lot later.