Originally Posted by Baby Lee (Post 14653715)

Have you considered just taking up the flute?

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy! (Post 14653579)

Probably a year-plus later than I should have, but better than nothing for helping my weak ass legs. They got me doing a recumbant stepper, squat machine, leg machine, and a ton of leg exercises, plus some band work. Man it's brutal. I know long term it'll help, but damn...

Originally Posted by Gravedigger (Post 14653614)

I hurt my back doing Dead Lifts at the gym, found out on my own that it was a disc herniation between my L4 and L5 then took an MRI to confirm. Originally I went to a chiropractor, which only made me feel good for a day or two out of the two months I went to him. Went to physical therapists off of 69 and 435 and every morning they stretched me out with bands and gave me stretches to do when I got home with the same tight response from my right leg every time I tried them. They tried electrotherapy and ultrasound therapies on me and nothing ever worked.



I still had my gym membership and they had an amazing hot tub and cold swim lanes that I never used, so finally I decided to swim in the cold lanes, just a few laps, nothing too much, just varying strokes back and forth and then the last lap I would lay on my back, floating and just use my legs to kick myself to the other side of the pool. Afterwards I got out and went into the hot tub and let the jets hit my lower back. Did bicycle kicks in there too to loosen up. I did this for a little over a month and my back was fine after that.



Out of all the appointments with doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, nurses, radiologists, or even friends and family, nobody ever recommended swimming to me. Every time I tell this story the person who is hurt never takes my advice and ends up getting steroid injections, getting a bit of their disk removed, or they just live with the pain because they can't afford the other routes. I would ask your physical therapists about water therapy and see what they would suggest, but anytime someone has hurt themselves I always suggest swimming in cold lanes, then resting in a hottub. Take some ibuprofen before you go so you reduce swelling as well, but that's always been my secret.

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy! (Post 14654203)

The PT mentioned this today actually. Unfortunately, due to my dialysis, I can't submerge or swim in public pools or tubs.

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy! (Post 14653579)

Probably a year-plus later than I should have, but better than nothing for helping my weak ass legs. They got me doing a recumbant stepper, squat machine, leg machine, and a ton of leg exercises, plus some band work. Man it's brutal. I know long term it'll help, but damn...

Originally Posted by kcxiv (Post 14654332)

i was in a wheel chair for a year when i was 28. I had to learn how to walk all over again. That shit was ****ing brutal, i fell i dont know how many times! My legs never got back to normal. I can walk, just not for long and not much else, but ill take it! just gotta grind through it.

Originally Posted by scho63 (Post 14654543)

every 5 years puts you into a new class of ailments and diseases. :skip:

Originally Posted by mlyonsd (Post 14654545)

Hang in there FMB. It will get easier.

Originally Posted by loochy (Post 14654563)

Contradictory posts - who wins?

Originally Posted by scho63 (Post 14654546)

BTW, where is the ****ing toast these days? :D

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy! (Post 14654527)

That's where I am. Wheelchair for 6 months. I can walk short periods. Fallen many times since being out. Twice yesterday. Trying to get back to normal.

Originally Posted by kcxiv (Post 14654873)

yeah, just takes alot of work and positive thinking. my legs are like 30 percent at best of what they used to be. I can do only the very basics. I can cut my grass, but not much else. i ride and exercise bike 5 days a week for 30 to 35 min at a time, and after im done and in pain, but i gotta push it. Good luck, you got it!

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy! (Post 14662793)

Fell twice last Thursday. Didn't break anything after going to the doc yesterday, but my leg and knee are bruised to hell. We'll see what the PT says tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Chiefspants (Post 14663041)

My chronic issues are much more minor (bulging discs, stenosis, and arthritis in two joints of my spine)

But, cold then heat, TENS units, and CBD (both a topical cream and a liquid tincture) is how I survive anymore. I've been doing dry needling and stretches at physical therapy that have helped too.

I'm unsure if any of this is helpful. Stay strong, brother!

Originally Posted by Naptown Chief (Post 14663055)

To be fair, pain is subjective. The "tiny bulge" at my L1 is substantially more painful than the herniations at C5-6 and T5-6 but doesn't touch my L3-S1.

I also like CBD. I was on pain pills for 2.5 years (took my last one on Friday! Tapered for 4 months) and started transitioning to MMJ back in September. I do lower THC strains with high CBD to make butter. It seems to work more than the pills did for me

Originally Posted by Naptown Chief (Post 14663018)

I apologise for not remembering what happened to get you here, but I too have chronic pain. Mine is in my back, hips, and have nearly constant sciatic pain.

I oftentimes take a HOT bath before my stretches and follow up with ice. I used to use a heating pad beforehand but the wet heat seems to loosen things up more. The pain afterwards is definitely less than with the pad but YMMV.