Christian's Log

[crubio]

Hi,

Thanks to Coach Sonnon for inviting me to post here. I met Coach at two CST seminars and I must say it is truly an honor.


Here is the deal. Currently, my finger tips are numb 24/7. about 99% of the time. The other 1% who knows. Maybe I just forget. At night sleeping or when sittng on the couch, the pain intensifies. I have been having trouble sleeping through the night for 3 or 4 weeks now. Waking diliegently at 3:30 am from pain shooting into my hands. IT is like when your foot falls asleep. Only no reliefs comes from moving it or releasing the pressure. It sucks.

If you don't like to hear whining skip paragraph now. It hurst to flex my wrist, either way. It is like volts of electricity shooting through the nerve. I find it diffficult to do full ROM wrist circles. So I do them with finger interlocked which avoids muscl flexion. It makes me want to cry, both because the pain, although very slight at times, won't completely stop, and because I am losing a level of fitness I had. Also I find it hard to do things that were once so effortless, such as open a jar, turn a screw driver, etc.

Enough whining, I am going to do something. My mind is made up to heal completely.

Last night, right before going to sleep, I felt it, tension at the point of trauma, deeep within the muscle, either the erector spinae or Rhomboid Major, right side between the scapula and the spine. I tried to relax it. But I know now where the knot is. Time for attack.

BAckground
Started Landscaping Bus in Jan. Always wanted to and I am passionate about it. It provides full body muscle usage as many tasks are different.
However first day on the job, my 300lb lawnmower got stuck in a downward facing slope. I put it in reverse, and non-chalantly pulled backwards with semi relaxed muscles, expecting the transmission to pull it out of the slope, but low and behold, the lawn mower pulls back hard and I feel something pop. Right where I feel the tension now, deep muscles between right scapula and spine. (Note the mower's reverse is not really a reverse, only a reverse assist, requiring the operator to pull :oops: )

Wouldn't ya know. I went home and forsaked WW. I knew I should have doen it, but hey I was getting great exercise from all this diggging, moving, throwing, etc right?

This continued for some time, WW gradually took a back seat to landscaping. As I became busier, 12 hour days became the norm. WW ceased approximately 3-4 months ago.

Until about 1 month ago I awoke with shearing pain in my hands.
I felt it ocaasionally before but thought nothing of it. Not to mention I performed weight bearing exercise on top of it. That combined with lots of stored residual tension from hard work it was probably a bad idea.

So now I am back. With numbness in both hands, Starting from beginning again so as not to miss any thing. I miss my CBs as I know that CST was created specifically for landscapers. :lol: BUt I realize I will be swining the bruiser again soon.

I will be posting my recovery training log here.

[Scott Sonnon]

Chris,

Welcome aboard. Firstly, don't worry. Tell me about what you've done so far medically. What has your doc said? Are you on any pain meds? I realize that you need to work, and that requires pain management. However, you may consider on a day you have free from work, to stop the meds so that you can tell yourself an accurate location on the source of the issue. Pain meds can mask its location.

Secondly, don't attack it. The mindset of attacking tension may reinforce it, as it goes on the defensive. The body cannot differentiate between a real (physical) threat and a emotional/symbolic one - it mobilizes defensively regardless. You need to surrender, if anything, so that the entrenched tension will put down its arms and feel comfortable leaving.

Lastly, on a scale of 1-10, what is the perceived discomfort of wrist and finger circles? Write it down. Then bend over at the hip with knees bent and your hands on your knees (flat back - like a 'good-morning'). Now perform 10 thoracic/chest circles in both directions slowly and smoothly. Stand back up and perform the same wrist and finger circles and tell me the perceived discomfort again (scaling 1-10).

Don't worry, amigo. You'll get to the root of it with patience and compassion for your condition.

[crubio]

well after typing for 30 minutes I lost my whole mesg. So here it is again, very brief

Medically saw chiro about 10-12 times. Took some ibuprofen 800mg with no relief.

Chiro said I had a compression injury to a bone in my t spine. i.e. parachute jump injury. Asked if it could be kettlebells and he said no.
My bone in compressed in the front.

No pain meds. No scripts. I think the problem in with either the disc or a knot in my right spinal erector. Could be stemming from DL injury almost 2 years ago that possibly healed wrong. IMO

Got relief from swimming 2 hours yesterday with the kids. Just being in th ewater holding baby christian, also did some decompression afterwards by holding forward bend for 10-20 seconds.

Laid down much better last night. Relatively speaking numbness was a 4 on a scale and is usually an 8

Slept better but awoke with a pain of 6-7 in left arm at 3:30 am


This AM did WW

Found lack of mobility in neck, lot of tension in neck.trap area.
Left arm was numb during elbow circles in frontal plane (6 sets of 5)
Left arm numb during shoulder screws
Left hand numb as I type

On a scale of 1-10 wrist circle pain is 8, 9 if I try to push it. Like a volt of electricity shootin through the nerve at the point where the wrist is flexed as if flexing your forearm muscle, nerve is on palm side

Today did wrist circles with 80% ROM relatively no pain.
Did WW this am. Tried the bent over t-circles, will keep doing them. Saw no diff this am. :(

[crubio]

Scott Sonnon,

I slept throught the night for 8 hours, you da man. I did 3 or four sets of bent over t circles yesterday. Awoke with a sensation in right arm of a 4 on scale of 1-10, immediately after some quick movement it dropped to 2.

Now as I type left hand is tingling. Will keep practice daily.

[crubio]

WW
RNT = rate of numbness/tingling in hands/forearms

Neck forward back
Neck Side to side RNT Both Arms 3
Double arm infinities 6 degree
Elbow circles front plane - RNT 1 Left arm
Arm screws
Elbow circles top/bottom figure8 RNT 3 right arm at rep 7; RNT 5 left arm on rep 4
Shoulder rolls 5 each side RNT 4 both arms
Bent over throaxic circles 13 each direction
Lumbar, fwd/bck side/side twist 8 each direction
Hip circles 8
Pelvic circles 8
leg infinities 5
amosov squats 8 left wrist RNT 7
wrist circles RNT 0 for first few reps, rep 7 RNT 6 rep 8 RNT 9 then reverse RNT 7-8 for 8 reps
finger circles RNT 0-1

So I still get 'shocked' so to speak when ever I flex my wrist/forearm. However I am feeling better. All WW is done in front of a mirror to see tension areas. I was happy to be doing elbow infinities again. Right elbow has been injured since feb, but much better after accupunture on the elbow

[Scott Sonnon]

Chris, right on bro. The bent over posture is lengthening the "pinched" muscle area, which is causing you to sleep well, and give you pain relief. I experienced something similar, so I can relate. Regarding the elbow "shocking" - if it's related in a tension chain, then performing stationary elbow circles (from Freedom By Degree where the elbow moves around and the wrist does not; as opposed to the Warrior Wellness circles where the wrist moves around the elbow) in the bent over posture should either release it or diminish the shock. Also work on the "hitch-hiker" where with your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle you rotate your thumb outwards and around as far as you can - also in the bent over posture.

Keep me apprised of your progress, amigo. We'll tackle this one and get you back out there.

[radiantkd]

Scott,

May I make a nutritional suggestion to Christian?

kathleen

[Scott Sonnon]

Kathleen, never hesitate to make suggestions. You know that I stock endorse your work, and my guys deserve THE BEST for their recovery and performance... which is what you are.

[crubio]

Kathleen,

Please do. I eargerly await you suggestion. I am always open to learning more about how to create healthy lifestyle habits.

Thursday - I started a new employee. I was up 2 hours early prepareing for his arrival, had an 8am customer lined up and the employee never showed up. :x I never had time to do my WW that day and had to work twice as hard to keep the extra commitments I made.

Friday - Woke up everything was sore. My recovery process took a couple steps backwards due to not doing WW. Tried to do WW but ROM was severely limited. Went though as best as I could.

NEck movements - ROM has high improved and is almost back to where it was when I stopped WW several months ago.
Shoulder Infinities. Motion restricted, muscles sore.
Elbow circles, hitchikers
Wrist Circles
Thorax front to back standing, ROM restricted and muscles sore
Thoraxic circles, good morning position
Wrist circles
Forward bends coupla reps felt a picnhing nerve down in my right calf, having to do with the way I slept.
Hips side to side 8
Hips circles 8
Pelvic circles - stiffness was a 7
leg infinities.

Overall I would rate the session a 6 on what it could have/should have been.

Sat is here and time to get moving.

[crubio]

Sat WW

Awoke in middle of night hands felt HOT

Neck movement fwd/back 8 reps
Scott, I am moving my neck on the plane of my mandible. Is this correct. I put my fingers on my crown and chin and connect with a line but that forms a diff plane
Neck side to side and tilt 8 reps, little stiffness on the tilts but improved afterwards
Arm infinities, left hand numbness rating- 2
Elbow circles felt a nice pop in right elbow.
Elbow inifinites felt great no numbness in right, only tiny bit in left hand
Wrist circles 8 inward is doable, outward still no go -- electric pain on both hands but mainly on left.

T-spine fwd back, RT 9
T-spine side-side, ROM severely limited
T-Spine circles, good morning two sets of 5 each dir

Hip Circles (this is my fav exercise - really opens up the hips and gives the best stretch to the hip flexors in my book) RT 10 RPE 0 These felt great and set the tone for a great final finish to the routine
Pelvic circles
Lumbar bends f/b s/s
leg infinities
knee circles
FCBD (feel the burn)
Total time taken about 30 min including time to type and edit
Have a great day

[Scott Sonnon]

Chris,

Yes, you're right about the angle of the neck.

How loose are your hands when performing the wrist circles on a scale of 1-10 (1 being shaked out loose, and 10 being hi-tension fist.)

[crubio]

They are a closed fist, I'd say about a 3 or 4. Shaked out loose I can do them no problem. Even when its a one or two, super loose fist It starts to feel nerve pain.

The funny thing is, at times the way I sit I fell no numbness in my hands, but move an inch or two and it comes back. The differenc in spinal alignment between felling numbness.tingling and not is very minute.

I am going to the pool today to play with the kids and get some R&R and see how it feels afterwards

Last night and today I have a huge knot in my muscle

[crubio]

AM WW

Double arm circles 5sets of 5
Elbow circles, hitchhikers and rolls
3 plane neck movement x21 reps each plane
Neck fwd/back side-side 13 reps each
Arm circles 13 reps
feel some tightness in right pec near clavicle
Shoulder Screws
Shoulder Rolls
Thorax 2 plane movement
Thorax Circles standing
Hips circlse
Pelvic circles
Lumbar f/b side/side
leg infinites

I was so stiff I cannot begin to describe. Landscaping is highly muscle intensive. Just try planting some 300+lb trees and you'll know what I mean. The WW is beginning to loosen me back up. Did not rush the session today as I had been doing. Took it nice and slow and did lots of extra reps. This is helping me relax and relieve tons of residual tension from landscaping and not doing this.

Althouhg WW helps the joints, I forgot how much it relaxes the muscles if you let it.

[Scott Sonnon]

Chris,

It's no surprise that when you sit, you can experience hand numbness. The act of sitting normally requires muscles to lengthen due to the hip and knee flexion (and spinal flexion if you do not sit straight). Tension chains don't want to lengthen, so they may compress or 'pinch' nerves as the tension forces over surfaces unrelaxed, still shortened.

Try thoracic circles 10X both directions while sitting, and report back.

Work on your wrist circles only after shakeout and before a rate of perceived discomfort of 5 or less. You may also perform these (and elbow circles and shoulder rolls) while seated to attempt to relax the tension chain.

[crubio]

Coach,

Great minds think alike I can only surmise. I just did a few thoraxic clovers while seated before reading your reply. Not the ten you suggested but just 1 per direction. It seems to release the tension. I'll report back.

Chris

[Scott Sonnon]

Outstanding release, amigo!

[crubio]

Afternoon/Evening Mobility

Still lots of tightness in upper back. Trying to relax the tension away

This evening I did
Sitting in the pool, 5 thoraxic circles each direction for 5 reps
Tried to relax as much as possible, while holding a 18 month old. Hard to relax when holding him. But did whaqt I could. Will try some relaxation exercises tongiht and get back to WW tommorrow.

[crubio]

Well Yesterday after some time in the pool I did some seated arm screws. Wow. I felt about 5 or 6 pops in my vertebrae/rib cage all along the right side. Afterwards I was able to move more freely.

Woke up feeling the freshest I've been since this all started about two months ago. What a great feeling. Knock on wood. I was afraid to type this message in this AM, feeling that I didn;t want to jinx myself and slip back.

But so far so good. Spent some more time in the pool today. Just solo floating on a couple pool noodles, just floated. Tried to relax as much as possible. Did some underwater arm screws, really hard when you can't breath.

Relaxed on the chaise for a while. Then did more seated arm screws this evening. Things ar shaping up. Believe it or not, I have some feeling back in the finger tips! THis is huuge. And definitely a path to recovery. :D I finally realized it when I was able to hold a bolt in place with just finger tip grip today. This is great! A turning point I must say.

Thanks for the helping hand everyone. I must admit I've been selfish and only have been reading my own thread but will try to read up on the others. I have recevied so much help from Coach Scott Sonnon, that that is the least I can do in return.

[Connie Brown]

I am practicing getting out of my own thread too Chris.

thanks for the report. That arm screw is amazing in what it reveals and what it can heal.

[Scott Sonnon]

Huge, Chris, huge! Listen, this is important. You can't jinx yourself, but you can reinjure the area by being afraid of the mobility. The defensive bracing could cause the area to relapse. Exhale into it, move it freely, stick with the bend over thoracic circles and the arm screws for two more weeks. Don't touch any weight for at least another two weeks.

You've done it, amigo. Super job being patient, thorough and consistent with your recovery!!!

[radiantkd]

Sorry it took a while to get back to you.

You might want to add some omega 3 fatty acids to your program.
Scott is about to set up a way to order directly from here. I would suggest ProEpa. It will actually help lubricate the joints and make this fabulous work you are doing even better.

I loved your description of doing arm screws while sitting. I am going to add them to my computer routine!

kathleen

[crubio]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I truly appreciate the responses I have been receiving. I will be following the suggestions.

Unfortunately I fell back into relapse state by yesterday afternoon. But this was kindof expected. It didn't take me over night to fall into this mess and I suspect it won't go away overnight either. The good thing is the relapse is much smaller than the last.

Feeling lots of numbness in left hand and right elbow is totaly hurt

So this AM I did my WW as prescribed. I immediately noticed mucho tension in the neck area and down to about T1-T2 area. This was somewhat loosened up by a few side-side neck movements.

Here is my today's routine

Neck movements
arm infinities
seated should rolls
seated arm screws
elbow cirlces, right arm was lameo could barbely do limited rom circles so had to do with left arm only
wrist circles with palms loose
good morning t circles
hip circles - this movement feel so great
lumbar infinities - first time in many months felt fabulous
pelvic circles - I can still do these? :lol:
leg infinities
knee circles
FCBD 10 secs felt really great


So although the numbness continues to the point of being painful in the hands, it is to a smaller degree and I am on the road to recovery. WW is making me feel in a better mood by the end of the workout. Which is one of the reasons why I am continuing on with it. I get such a great feeling from the movements.

Also I think an evening WW is a necessity for me. After a full day of pushing pulling and swinging equipment side to side I need to release the tension that is causin g me to lockup. Look for a post tonight or early tommorrow AM

[Scott Sonnon]

Keep at it, Chris. I suspect your tentativeness for fear of relapse may have caused some defensive bracing allowing it to slightly return. You're doing fine though and are well over the hump.

[crubio]

Coach.

Tonight I was doing some ww drills. I did the good morning posture thoraxic circles and I came upon a principle that was discussed at CST beta. At the very end of day 1. I believe it was that if a muscle is fatigued enough it will start to relax. Is that correct?

I say this because as my spinal erector muscle started to get tired I could feel some tension leaving. I was having tightness in this same are again before I did these exercises.

So I tried some Lateral shoulder rolls, neck rolls, and put together a Kinetic Chain. Standing Shin box, FF sq, shoulder tuck roll.

I felt the tension relieved but as soon as I stopped it comes back a few minutes later.

You think some longer BF sessions will help release the FR and release the tension?

[Scott Sonnon]

Yes and no. A tense muscle responds well to slow and smooth extreme range of motion - moving it along its entire length. So, you could move more slowly rather than longer.

Remember to exhale and drink extra water (2 liters/day at least.)

[crubio]

As a Beta, I feel fortunate to have had the experience of Day 1. As I recall, my brain was fried by the end of the day. So all I have is memory to rely on, and all that was taken in was by osmosis.\\\ I do remember you saying that everything we did on day 1 was to prepare for day 2. I think you meant cleaning the slate. As I also recall, I was in a car accident a couple weeks before, lady ran a red light and hit me as I entered the intersection. I remember having sharp pains of sciatica when I slept at night and I mentioned this to you at the start of day 1. By the end of day 1 my sciatica all but disappeared and I slept well that night. All I can attribute that to was the massive amount of lower body movement we did that first day. This is the analogy I use to say that when a muscle is fatigued enough, it has no choice but to relax. I think.

So today I woke up virtually pain free. So far today it is going well. Even as I work the pain is vanishing. THe Fear Reactivity to the new movement is disappearing and I am feeling well again.

Here for posterity sake is a conversation I had with Diane the other day.

Diane: Why are you so cranky.
Christian: I am not cranky, I am just tired of my arms feeling numb 24/7
D: Stop with this chiropractor stuff and see a real doctor.
C: No, I already stopped the chiropractor and a real doctor can't do anything for you
D: Go see someone who works with sports, in sports medicine.
C: Scott Sonnon is helping me

End of converstaion. Coach, thank you. You have been a friend as well as a Coach. Its truly cool when your s.o. thinks your acquantences are really nice people and they like you. That means you are good people. And I truly call you friend because you have always been there for me, even when I needed you most.

Thanks. Again.
Christian "The Android" Rubio

[Scott Sonnon]

Chris, mi amigo...
You are a warrior, and it makes me proud to call you a friend. Congratulations on your patience, persistence and capacity for healing yourself.

[crubio]

Here is quick update.

I have maintained WW for the most part in th epast 4 weeks. I would say 80% of the time. However, that is still not good enouhg I want 100%
So here I go again

Day 1
WW Intermediate
Day 2
WW INtermedaite
RPE = 3
RPD = 1

As for food, I am also dedicate to stop putting unhealthy things into my body. Whats done is done. TIme to move on.

[crubio]

Day 3 WW intermediate

RPE=0
RPD = 3 in left hand

Food = still avoiding foods high in sugars, only eating fruits/nuts/veg/ some protein

[crubio]

Day 4
Cervical Infinities
Shoulders
elbows
wrist
finger
thorax
hip circles
Ended it short and never found the time or energy to make it up

Day 5
WW Intermediate

5 days with no candy or ice cream, it is a start.

[crubio]

Day 6

WW Intermediate
RPE=1
RPD=2.5

[crubio]

Day 7
WW intermediate
RPE=1
RPD=2

[crubio]

Day 8 WW Intermediate
RPE=1
RPD=1

[crubio]

Day 9
WW intermediate.
RPE = ?
RPD =?

Day 10
Almost missed a day but got it in at 11PM. :P
WW INtermedaite
got some major releases in cervical and upper thoraxic during multi planar bridging and I have been thinking that a nightly session is in order. Also keeping hydrated is very important. Was 99 today with high humidity. Got to keep hydrated and do nightly WW

[crubio]

Day 11 in a row of WW. Over half way there for 21 in a row

Felt good today from last nights session. Tonights session felt great also. It seems that I build up a LOT of tension throughout the day and the night sessions are critical to release it to keep it from building up.

Perhaps two a days will release even further sO I can get back to where I was 7 months ago

[crubio]

OK Yesterday was day 12 and I did my morning WW.

Today is day 13 and I haven't done my routine yet
I had a dream last night I was eating handfuls of blue M&Ms. I am glad that I have not eaten candy, chocalate or ice cream since I started counting days. 13 days no candy. A new record for me in the last 15-16 years
Time to get busy

[crubio]

Day 13 WW

RPE = 3
RPD = 3

I noticed that I feel numbess in the arms when I bring my chin to my chest. This is caused by some tighness in the upper thorax region

It is good to know your body. I felt pops all in the hip sockets. I was surprised because I relaxed and swam today.

[crubio]

Day 14
WW
RPE=1
RPD=2

[crubio]

Missed two days of WW. Missing one day made missing day two so much easier. So now I am back to square one of trying for 21 days in a row

I think doing it in the afternoon makes it easier to miss. SO I am trying for morning.

Also will add in in BF

[crubio]

Day 1
AM WW

RPE=3
RPD=4

PM WW
RPE=1
RPD=0.5

I just noticed that my right elbow pain is 99% gone. Left arm tingling is almost gone also

[crubio]

Missed two days. Starting over aiming for 21 consecutive days.

AM WW
RPE=2
RPD=3
Elbow tendonitis really acting up. Left arm still a little numb

[Paul K]

Chris,

You mentioned arm numbness, and you have recently been in an auto accident. Focusing on neck/head movements and alignment/posture while performing other activities, may be appropiate. I have had excellent results staying symptom for SI by performing Scotts's Multi-Planar Lumbar Mobility Protocol - mutli-planar pelvic tilts, downward facing pelvic tilts, multi-planar back arches and arches (I use spinal arch & wall walk arch).

Namaste,
Paul

[crubio]

Paul

Thanks for the tips. I will try them. I think the problem for me is more with staying consistent on a daily basis than anything else.

Now if I could just get into the habit of daily routines I would be fine.

Day 1 WW
RPE=2
RPD=2

[crubio]

Since July 29th I have done WW every day except 2.
Seems like you miss one the next one always follows. Weird.

Anyway this morning I did ww

RPE=1
PRD=.5

amazing

[crubio]

A quick update.

Its been over 5 months since I last posted to this log. I can honestly say that I am 100% healed from this severe (to me) injury. I give 100% credit to myself, for making up my mind to overcome it and 100% credit to Warrior Wellness as the vehicle that let it happen.

Another guy on a different forum asked me if I recommend WW, I say yes, without a doubt. The proof is right here and in many other places too.