Guest guest Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Hopefully no permanent damage done. But it sure didn't speed up the healing process of the ligament / tendon I tore in January! I can't even do pelvic tilts and GENTLY move a 1 pound weight back and forth over my head (w/ arms straight up). Arms went numb and, worst of all, I caught myself waking up in panic and struggling for breath, as if I were choking to death, while sleeping. I was apparently aggravating some nerve to the extent that it was actually causing this to happen. Thankfully this has stopped since I quit PT. I'm due for a series of 3 epidural injections, beginning this week. I've previously had facet injections and the last of the 3 of those helped about 9 mos. Maybe the epidurals will help. After that my g.p.(who keeps current w/ new research and I trust implicitly), is going to start me on a trial basis of 'myofascial release'. He also doesn't want me to do PT and said it probably wouldn't help me (note, me) anyway. I'm trying to exercise muscles that are running along an immobilized area and everything around them moves, but them. In the meantime, I'm pinching nerves etc. The myofascial release is done by a therapist who works hand in hand w/ my doc in his office, so if there's something weird, he's right there. The idea is to allow the therapist to gently move the stiffened muscle insertion points and fascia adjacent to the rod, because I can no longer stretch them out myself. Loosening them may allow some oxygen to access those clenched muscles and further relax them and decrease the pain (I hope!). As I said, I trust this gentleman, so I'll try it at least once. BTW--Thanks for changing the name from 'flatback'! Maybe this is only a regional anomaly, but where I live, flatback also implies a young lady who has advanced herself (career or education wise, ie) by sleeping w/ certain influential people in exchange for said advancement. Someone who does this is referred to as a 'flatbacker' or 'flatbacking it'. So I always say that word and blush simultaneously (Hi-I'm Donna-I have Flatback syndrome...). New word is much more descriptive and dignifying (and empowering). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Hopefully no permanent damage done. But it sure didn't speed up the healing process of the ligament / tendon I tore in January! I can't even do pelvic tilts and GENTLY move a 1 pound weight back and forth over my head (w/ arms straight up). Arms went numb and, worst of all, I caught myself waking up in panic and struggling for breath, as if I were choking to death, while sleeping. I was apparently aggravating some nerve to the extent that it was actually causing this to happen. Thankfully this has stopped since I quit PT. I'm due for a series of 3 epidural injections, beginning this week. I've previously had facet injections and the last of the 3 of those helped about 9 mos. Maybe the epidurals will help. After that my g.p.(who keeps current w/ new research and I trust implicitly), is going to start me on a trial basis of 'myofascial release'. He also doesn't want me to do PT and said it probably wouldn't help me (note, me) anyway. I'm trying to exercise muscles that are running along an immobilized area and everything around them moves, but them. In the meantime, I'm pinching nerves etc. The myofascial release is done by a therapist who works hand in hand w/ my doc in his office, so if there's something weird, he's right there. The idea is to allow the therapist to gently move the stiffened muscle insertion points and fascia adjacent to the rod, because I can no longer stretch them out myself. Loosening them may allow some oxygen to access those clenched muscles and further relax them and decrease the pain (I hope!). As I said, I trust this gentleman, so I'll try it at least once. BTW--Thanks for changing the name from 'flatback'! Maybe this is only a regional anomaly, but where I live, flatback also implies a young lady who has advanced herself (career or education wise, ie) by sleeping w/ certain influential people in exchange for said advancement. Someone who does this is referred to as a 'flatbacker' or 'flatbacking it'. So I always say that word and blush simultaneously (Hi-I'm Donna-I have Flatback syndrome...). New word is much more descriptive and dignifying (and empowering). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Hopefully no permanent damage done. But it sure didn't speed up the healing process of the ligament / tendon I tore in January! I can't even do pelvic tilts and GENTLY move a 1 pound weight back and forth over my head (w/ arms straight up). Arms went numb and, worst of all, I caught myself waking up in panic and struggling for breath, as if I were choking to death, while sleeping. I was apparently aggravating some nerve to the extent that it was actually causing this to happen. Thankfully this has stopped since I quit PT. I'm due for a series of 3 epidural injections, beginning this week. I've previously had facet injections and the last of the 3 of those helped about 9 mos. Maybe the epidurals will help. After that my g.p.(who keeps current w/ new research and I trust implicitly), is going to start me on a trial basis of 'myofascial release'. He also doesn't want me to do PT and said it probably wouldn't help me (note, me) anyway. I'm trying to exercise muscles that are running along an immobilized area and everything around them moves, but them. In the meantime, I'm pinching nerves etc. The myofascial release is done by a therapist who works hand in hand w/ my doc in his office, so if there's something weird, he's right there. The idea is to allow the therapist to gently move the stiffened muscle insertion points and fascia adjacent to the rod, because I can no longer stretch them out myself. Loosening them may allow some oxygen to access those clenched muscles and further relax them and decrease the pain (I hope!). As I said, I trust this gentleman, so I'll try it at least once. BTW--Thanks for changing the name from 'flatback'! Maybe this is only a regional anomaly, but where I live, flatback also implies a young lady who has advanced herself (career or education wise, ie) by sleeping w/ certain influential people in exchange for said advancement. Someone who does this is referred to as a 'flatbacker' or 'flatbacking it'. So I always say that word and blush simultaneously (Hi-I'm Donna-I have Flatback syndrome...). New word is much more descriptive and dignifying (and empowering). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Exactly! This is what is so scary--the kind of experience you yourself have had with inappropriate PT. I certainly hope you did not have any lasting damage from this, Donna . . . .? Re: Exercises Hi-I don't know how well that PT regimen worked for you, but I had to do most of them recently and they nearly finished me off! I had things popping and clicking painfully in areas where I'd had no previous complaints. Arms went numb, choking when I was asleep, etc. Very scary. I went to get a second opinion from another orthopod. and he told me to stop doing them immediately...I know each case is different though-particularly in our situations. The leg lifting exercises were actually like climbing stairs which I'm not allowed to do and were continually throwing me out of balance and overstraining my pelvice joints and muscles. And I can't even roll over on my stomach and do anything! Not even in PT. I have to concur w/ on this one. Doing the 'wrong' exercise (not presecribed and monitored by your own treating physician) can have devastating effects. In my case, even your own treating physician's plan may have to be double checked to ensure its appropriateness for you. One size does not fit all. Donna Support for scoliosis-surgery veterans with Harrington Rod Malalignment Syndrome. Not medical advice. Group does not control ads or endorse any advertised products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Hey all, It's been a long time since I've been on. I have too a volunteer job at my church thrift store and I love it but it's player a bad role in my back pain. Is there excerises any of you use for stretching when you have super tight muscles? I need to try and tighten as much as I can my leg and stomach muscles but I've always been so afraid of messing up the rods. I've had 3 surgeries associated with scoliosis. As most of you the pain down my legs grows worse all the time. I don't have any insurance as yet but have applied for SSI benifits. Sorry again for being so long in checking in on all of you but you are in my thoughts and my prayers. Thank you for any help. The pain is not helped anymore with the Loratab so I don't know whats left for me. I went through a year of pain management which did nothing for me as well. God Bless all of you, Dereise........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 LJ thank you so much and I will talk with my new general doctor about this. He is nice enough to put me on a sliding scale with all my blood work I have to have done. I went back to the excersises they told me to do after surgery such as raising my legs up and down slowly and they really did help the stiffness this morning. I have to get the fear of hurting the hardware out of my mind. It's been there since 1996 so it must be in there pretty good. The spine specialist even told me years ago that if he had to take it all out it would probably kill us both. God Bless You, Dereise........ > > > From: Dereise <dereise1958@...> > Subject: Exercises > Scoliosis Treatment > Date: Sunday, April 12, 2009, 7:14 AM > > > > > > > > > Hey all, It's been a long time since I've been on. I have too a volunteer job at my church thrift store and I love it but it's player a bad role in my back pain. Is there excerises any of you use for stretching when you have super tight muscles? I need to try and tighten as much as I can my leg and stomach muscles but I've always been so afraid of messing up the rods. I've had 3 surgeries associated with scoliosis. As most of you the pain down my legs grows worse all the time. I don't have any insurance as yet but have applied for SSI benifits. > Sorry again for being so long in checking in on all of you but you are in my thoughts and my prayers. Thank you for any help. The pain is not helped anymore with the Loratab so I don't know whats left for me. I went through a year of pain management which did nothing for me as well. > > God Bless all of you, > Dereise..... ...... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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