Falling to bits - any physios?!

Surf-Matt
Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
edited February 2010 in Health, fitness & training
Been a lifelong fitness freak - since the age of 16 I've always done loads of weights, running, cycling, surfing and other stuff.

A few minor issues have come up but always been able to physio them away.

But at the moment it's one thing after another - nothing stops me from training but I have a feeling I might be in for a fall soon.

My right shoulder has dislocated over 30 times - so my upper back gets unstable and seizes up. My right foot is slightly flat leading to a dodgy knee and hip and recently, planta fasciitis (sp?) in my foot. At the moment my entire back appears to be on the verge of seizure - stretching it loads but to no avail.

Always been able to exercise around/through problems but I think old age is catching up - absolutely cannot just rest for a while - it does not compute.

Off to throw myself onto a scrapheap.

MOT failed.

Anyone else fit but falling to bits?!

Comments

  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    Anyone else fit but falling to bits?!
    Sounds like a case of old age mate. A guy I used to work with said it's all downhill after 30 and I laughed but he was right.

    One of the advantages of getting old is that your metabolic rate decreases so your stored energy lasts a lot longer and you can keep going for hours (at a reduced pace) but the redline-relax-redline-relax days are over :(:)
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Half the reason I exercise a lot is to delay becoming fat old git. Probably got better cardiovascular fitness now that I have ever had but the joints/ligaments can't seem to keep up!
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    Half the reason I exercise a lot is to delay becoming fat old git. Probably got better cardiovascular fitness now that I have ever had but the joints/ligaments can't seem to keep up!
    Without preaching, I think anything is better than nothing. My father-in-law is 72 and still jogs the same routes he has always done; it takes him ages but he does it. Back in the 90s I kept a journal of the rides and times I did and looking back at it now I can't believe I did what I did. I ride the same routes now it just takes a lot longer.
  • supertwisted
    supertwisted Posts: 565
    .blitz wrote:
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    Anyone else fit but falling to bits?!
    Sounds like a case of old age mate. ...

    Agreed. No reason you need to give up your active lifestyle, but you may have to give up the notion that you can run around like you did at 16.

    Facing the same hard lessons myself. My body just isn't up to the same level it was 15 years ago.
    Less internal organs, same supertwisted great taste.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    The odd thing is, I have recently got some really decent race times (won my first off road tri last May, several top 10 and even top 5 trail running results in races against proper club runners, can do quite mad upper body "tricks", etc) in various events. My pulse is lower than ever, my V02Max is apparently "Premier League Footballer" level (without the histrionics), I can probably push myself harder than I used to - I guess it's just taking it's toll a bit?!

    No plans to give up but whereas I occasionally had to work around something, they now seem to be stacking up so quickly, I can't "fix" them in time.

    It's really very annoying!
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    edited February 2010
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    I can probably push myself harder than I used to - I guess it's just taking it's toll a bit?!
    The good news is that your cardio is in great shape. The bad news is that your skeleton and ligaments are falling to bits :)
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    It's really very annoying!
    The worst thing is when you start to lose your err...hmmm now then eh what?

    :lol:
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    supertwisted wrote:
    No reason you need to give up your active lifestyle, but you may have to give up the notion that you can run around like you did at 16.
    +1

    And I no longer bounce like I did when I was 16.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    .blitz wrote:
    supertwisted wrote:
    No reason you need to give up your active lifestyle, but you may have to give up the notion that you can run around like you did at 16.
    +1

    And I no longer bounce like I did when I was 16.

    If you were female that would be a classic comment"
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    :lol:
  • asdfhjkl
    asdfhjkl Posts: 333
    Have you tried foam rolling? Improving soft-tissue quality can make a huge difference, and it's something everyone should probably do more of.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    asdfhjkl wrote:
    Have you tried foam rolling? Improving soft-tissue quality can make a huge difference, and it's something everyone should probably do more of.

    Nope but that sounds interesting - any more details?

    I've recently upped my weights a fair bit - can do them fine but have a feeling the ligaments/connecting tissue might be struggling. Eased off on tonight's workout.
  • asdfhjkl
    asdfhjkl Posts: 333
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    asdfhjkl wrote:
    Have you tried foam rolling? Improving soft-tissue quality can make a huge difference, and it's something everyone should probably do more of.

    Nope but that sounds interesting - any more details?

    This is a pretty good article giving an introduction to the idea of foam rolling and focuses on the legs, and for some ideas of how to hit other trigger points, here.

    Foam rollers are cheap, and you could always just use a tennis ball if you're really stuck (although it makes some of the movements quite difficult). It almost certainly will hurt at first, but do it regularly and you'll feel grrrrrreat. My calves are the one place that was really "knotted up" and my running and cycling have improved as a result of rolling the hell out of them.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Happy for a bit of pain if it results in less knackjred muscles!

    Will give that a try - cheers!
  • tubaonwheels
    tubaonwheels Posts: 448
    Don't worry Matt, you won't turn into a fat old git.
    You have that psycological make up that will always fight the onset of lack of fitness. Time will just help you to re-adjust your goals/activities to keep the body going.

    You may yet find a way to continue doing everything you enjoy for a few years, but eventually some things may have to go.
    It really pained may to retire from competitive running (I had several come backs before finally giving in), but I just wanted to be able to continue enjoying general good health and fitness well into old age, so decided to turn to low impact biking!

    I still do run/jog occasionally and love climbing mountains now and again, but I've been well and truly bitten by the mountain bike bug and once again the competetive side is being enticed out.
    I suppose I am just a little more sensible (not too sensible) these days and have even realised that taking 'days off' can be a good thing.
    Good luck.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Cheers Tuba - I think you are right on the money there.

    Running does take it's toll - I only do XC runs to try and avoid road induced knee death. The trouble is, I only took it up a couple of years ago, started racing, bagged some good results (e.g. 5th out of 700 on my 2nd race) and got bitten by the bug. Almost would have been better if I was cr4p and lost interest! Same with that tri - didn't train much but managed to win my group.

    Might ease off on the weights a bit and stop timing myself on runs - I always go flat out to try and beat the last time.

    Sometimes being fit is as much of a curse as being a slob!
  • turpinr
    turpinr Posts: 255
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    Cheers Tuba - I think you are right on the money there.

    Running does take it's toll - I only do XC runs to try and avoid road induced knee death. The trouble is, I only took it up a couple of years ago, started racing, bagged some good results (e.g. 5th out of 700 on my 2nd race) and got bitten by the bug. Almost would have been better if I was cr4p and lost interest! Same with that tri - didn't train much but managed to win my group.

    Might ease off on the weights a bit and stop timing myself on runs - I always go flat out to try and beat the last time.

    Sometimes being fit is as much of a curse as being a slob!
    i fit in the falling apart catagorie.since i left school,nearly 36 years ago i've been into boxing,football,running, weights and latterly mtbing.
    all was well till i turned 46 and my hip started to disintergrate,so i had to stop running and bike more.i'm 100% sure that the biking put off my date with the surgeon.now my other hip is going the same way but in a different part of the joint.
    in more bitter moments you think,i could have been a couch potato and chain smoked and i wouldn't have been any worse.
    good luck on your not falling apart surf matt
  • gaz047
    gaz047 Posts: 601
    know how you feel matt, im 33 next month and whilst i can still push myself and get good results, its my recovery rate that seems to be slowing down.
    you just need to listen to your body, i know its difficult i have the same problem myself ie just wanting to train and train, but its very true that resting/recovery is just as important as training/diet

    surfmatt wrote - Might ease off on the weights a bit and stop timing myself on runs - I always go flat out to try and beat the last time.

    i too had a (bad)habit of trying to beat my pb on every run
    have you tried hrm's, i think i remember you saying their not for you, but i've recently started running with one and although it feels strange at first not going flat out every time, i've got used to it and find it a useful piece of kit. i still go out and beast myself, just not every time

    cheers
    gaz
    if it ain't rainin.....it ain't trainin
    Stick your 'rules' up your a%se
  • physiosteve
    physiosteve Posts: 194
    Hi Matt judging by some of your posts u seam really interested in ur body and how it works. Gray Cook is a really impressive Performance physio from US, who has a book called Athletic Body and balance which he 1st published 6 or 7 years ago. Its an easy non technical read, and shows u how u can perform a functional movement screen on urself.
    The basic idea is you have to move well before load ur system if with external resistance, otherwise u just add to the dysfunction. Its a quick easy way to assess joint flexibility and stability in a functional way.

    http://www.functionalmovement.com/SITE/ ... /FMSPB.pdf

    Wudnt dream of trying to advise u on ur injuries over a forum but, your complaints do fit a pattern that suggest u need a functional movement assessment. Theres so many things to talk bout but deep lateral hip rotator strength can help allignment in whole lower limb. Do sum of this stuff in the article below and c how increased glute activation helps foot posture and knee poition!
    http://www.mikedemeter.com/articles/ant ... 9_2006.pdf

    FinF
    Couple of 5 spots, a hummer and a handjob.....
  • physiosteve
    physiosteve Posts: 194
    Mike boyles Strength coach podcast available free at itunes might interest u.
    Go straight to episode 47 and @ 32min:50 theres an interview with a guy called Darcy Norman who I rate highly and he is performance physio for Columbia HTC. It might interest u to know what kind of approach he takes with cyclists, common probs etc
    Couple of 5 spots, a hummer and a handjob.....
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,695
    Having groin injected with cortisone tomorrow, for Psoas tendinitis,
    Just had 20 stitches out of my forehead last week, went thro oven door,
    Keep getting metatarsal problem, r/foot, broke it few years back,
    Feels like carpel tunnel in hands after hard/long turbo session, mainly r/hand,
    L/elbow cracks on press ups, bench press, so I just lessn the resistance,
    Had metal plate put into broken femur in 08...

    BUT... I'm still training about 8 hrs per week ave. Circuits, turbo, road/Mtb, stretching etc.
    Never give up, Never EVER give up !!!!

    As long as it's not affecting my "Bedroom Performance", it's not a problem.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Impressive stuff Splott!

    Done similar - went surfing a week after fully dislocating my arm, did a tri two weeks after hardly being able to walk due to a hip injury, etc. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it makes it MUCH worse!

    Regretting surfing big waves on Sunday with a cold - made it worse and still got the bugger. Can't seem to shake it off - good bit of rest for the ailing joints though!
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,695
    Not sure how you spell it, but there's a Victorian word, Valitudinarian, or something like it, that means, A Morbid Concern for your Health...
    Think most physically active people are "concerned" but not Morbid about their health !

    My old teacher, Mr Rosewarn in Junior school used to say, "Better to wear out than rust out."

    At this rate, I'll be the best and fittest looking corpse in the morgue...
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Tragically I have found that despite being in tip top shape, it doesn't stop me being a balding short ar5e ugly barsteward.

    Oh well!
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,695
    Hey, SNAP! Use Kojaks gotta stick together!
    Hey, Who luvs ya baby???
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    I blame it on the EXTREME levels of testerone from being so DAMN hardcore...

    Or just being a genetic baldy - oh well!

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