Photo: Credit Paul Gardner 2009. The view from Jackass Pass looking back at our rock climbing route which ascends directly up the classic 1200 foot Northeast Face of Pingora in the Wind River wilderness, Wyoming. Note my knee brace. Six weeks after our trip I had a total knee replacement. It was a memorable, but painful journey.
All of us have physical pain. Pain is the body’s way of getting attention. Pain is a call to action. If I didn’t have pain, I tell myself, I would be dead. As we age, our bodies are subject to a series of challenges. You can fight that or accept it. Relief from pain comes from solving the problem that is causing the pain. Solving today’s pain problem provides a foundation for tackling tomorrow’s inevitable problem.
This week’s edition of What I Learned this Week is titled Pain: The Body’s Call to action. My personal Training clients are men and women age 40 to 80. Some are new to training and others are elite competitive athletes. I have clients who are dealing with pain from orthopedic surgery while others suffer from muscle imbalances or joint pain. All my clients have the desire to stay active and live an active life. See my article Old Dog, New Tricks: Living Longer and Happier It is my job to guide them and help them solve their pain problems. Here some examples of common pain problems
Recovering form Orthopedic Surgery
Tom came to me a year after a hip replacement. He is in his 60s, active and a former collegiate XC skier. Even though he did his physical therapy post-surgery, he had a lot of pain in his hip. I did an assessment and discovered he had muscle imbalances and his quad muscles on his replaced hip side were not firing correctly. I created a program to improve strength, power and mobility. This corrected the imbalances and relieved his pain.
A month ago, Tom returned from a ski trip to Whistler where he skied in heavy, wet snow. He strained the back of his knee— more pain and restricted mobility. This knee has arthritis and some past surgery to remove loose cartilage. We are currently working to strengthen this leg and improve his mobility. It is working. Tom is back skiing with his granddaughter. Solving one problem creates a platform to solve the next inevitable problem.
Sciatica
Sciatica is pain that travels down the sciatic nerve from the buttocks and down the leg. It is caused by pressure on the lumbar spine which causes inflammation, pain and numbness in the leg. My client Ann is an active 70 year old and client for seven years. She developed sciatica several years ago. We worked a program of stretching the hip and hamstring in the affected leg. We also did single leg strength training to isolate and gradually build up strength in the leg. It worked. Ann has gone hiking in Scotland, rafting in Idaho and travelling in Southeast Asia pain free.
Lower Back Pain
I have a number of clients and myself that suffer from lower back pain. In some case the stems from herniated discs in the lumber spine. In other cases, it stems from poor posture which is the result of our modern lifestyle: sitting hunched over in front of a computer or slouching in a chair. I teach my clients correct posture. I use strength training focusing on glute activation and core strength which creates strong muscles and helps relieve the pain.
In my case, I have two herniated discs in my lumber spine; the product of skiing moguls and jumping cliffs when I was young. Twenty years ago I visited the Mayo clinic to look at my lower back. Short of surgery there was nothing they could do. I still do the physical therapy exercises they gave me in 1998. In addition, I do weekly strength exercises like deadlifts, squats, and lunges to keep my glutes, quads and hamstrings strong. These muscles are the foundation of a strong back. I do core exercises multiple times a week that work my abs, obliques and spinal erector muscles in my lower back. Finally, I do yoga and stretching exercises daily to prevent muscle tightness that can exasperate back pain.
Epilogue
I am two weeks shy of turning 70. I deal with pain every day, yet I live an active life. Each year brings new pains and new problems for myself and my clients. This is life—embrace it. Solving pain problems makes me happy. It give purpose to my live. Solving pain problems challenges you to stay young. Read my article: Don’t Let The Old Man In: Seven Strategies For Adding life To Your Years
Don’t let your pain get the best of you. If you would like help please reach out to me and email me at steve.crookedthumb@gmail.com
Photo: On the summit of Pingora. Like the podium, you forget your pain. Credit Paul Gardner 2009
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