Q: hi im a bodybuilder and recently had a long ago injury re-occur... ive fractured the disk L-5 in my lower back... now im out of the gym which is killing me... any ideas of how i may recover faster? thanks
A: I am a bodybuilder also, and a woman of no certain age if you get my drift. I had a severe accident and damaged a vertebra and two discs which led to inability to walk for about a year. This led to lots of drugs, depression, loss, leading to a ovarian tumor...removed...two episodes of shingles and vertigo. OK, enough already...just want to say I am doing clean and jerks, squats, all the etc...running even on not much hormonal status. I am here to say, it can be done. You can recover. I relate to the sense of boredom and impatience in your post which I can fully understand. Here are a few tips that helped me alot. When I couldn't walk at all, I worked on everything I could while laying flat out. It is pretty tough to lay on your stomach and hold your arms straight out to the sides with mini 3-5lb weights but your muscles will start to shake after a few minutes. I'm not talking movement here, I'm talking finding positions you can maintain muscle challenge without hampering your disc recovery. The strategy I used of active recovery therapy (ART) I believe is helpful due to keeping your blood flooing and more importantly keeping your mind believing it has some sense of control. I think you might be able to build on stomach laying exercises, such as single leg lift, arm lifts and try working into your muscle to engage as much of it as you can without the usual range of motion. I was a trainer for decades at the university level, worked with many professional athletes and feel I know both training and injuries first hand. After you get out of crisis you will need to tend to performance based training protocols that show you what muscle imbalances will have likely developed. Once you have your strength even in legs, arms, back and front then you can probably start to add weights but I would give it some time before you do movements that compress your core. As for your core, while you recover, try and keep your strength there by looking into abdominal exercise done through breathwork (pulling your the sides of your waist toward your navel as you exhale, and dropping your navel in on inhalation) and maybe eventually you can even lay on your back and hold one leg up a few inches. The key for me was to train, not strain, which is not how I have sometimes trained- try to do little challenges along the way to keep your attitude happy, this is important and challenging. Also, I would work daily on grip strength and wrist work, possible foot work picking up marbles, flexing your ankles etc...possibly using resistance bands. None of this may help you recover faster, for nature takes her own time, but any effort you put forth will help you have a better recovery and get back to the gym sooner. If you have injured yourself through the use of performancing enhancing substances, most of which eventually cause your muscles to exceed your tendons leading to joint instability, you must give this some thought. I've been a natural and un natural bodybuilder... I think natural is better having been on both sides. Being freaky has very limited appeal and there is payment to be made usually in the form of joint injury due to over reaching your true ability and strength.