Post-concussion syndrome

[Josh Henkin]

Hey All,
Just when I thought I was making some nice progress in my training I sufferred one of those freak accidents that has resulted me in dealing with some severe post-concussion symptoms. Today is one of the first days I don't feel like a truck has run over me after a week of feeling horrible. However, my body still aches a lot and I can feel tension all over.

I was wondering if anyone had tips in training with such symptoms? If going back and working a lot on the WW drills would be most appropriate as a lot of movement with kinetic chains feels highly restricted and I still get dizzy pretty easily.

As always I appreciate others feedback.

ps-if my thoughts are a little awkward I am going to blame the concussion:)

Josh Henkin, CSCS
www.aaptraining.net

[rbibbs]

Ouch, sorry to hear Josh. Been to the doc? MRI? A skull shock that "gives you the flu" sounds potentially serious.

You probably already know, a skull shock "seizes" all the neck muscles and that tension propagates throughout the spine. Do you have Coach's spinal-stretch video?

While waiting for more substantive suggestions to roll in... see if you can get your neck muscles and traps to relax with nice slow easy neck and shoulder WW.

Rick

[Ken Harper]

Two things:

Josh, if you have had a concussion & exercise causes loss of balance or flu-like symptoms AND you haven't seen a doc, do so...nausea associated w/ a head industry can be symptomatic of something more serious, as I learned the hard way w/ my son when he was very young. (He's okay now.)

2nd -- Rick, where did you learn that
a skull shock "seizes" all the neck muscles and that tension propagates throughout the spine.

Finally, what spinal-stretch video are you referring to?

Thx,

Ken

[rbibbs]

The spinal stretch is probably on Zdrovye, since I have WW 2&3 and it's not on those. I only saw it a couple times when Coach Dan first got it.

Reaction to head trauma/concussion? I researched this some, deciding where to put my personal limits in strikefight practice, being 'oldish' and presumed to exercise judgement in such matters. I also went over the falls head first into the ground at Sandy Beach on Oahu in 1970.

"Seize" might be the wrong term, it's a very fast very strong reflex contraction of the cervical spine muscles, trying to preserve the integrity of the neck. The after-effects are somewhat akin to those of an involuntary unmoderated contraction such as in electric shock. The extent to which this happens is somewhat dependent on the vector the force takes, cross-axis or radial forces being worse than ventral/dorsal where there's more muscular stability and ROM to the head position. Hoping that's the "run over by a truck" effect, and not something vascular or neurological.

Take care of yourself Josh, you'll be fine, give it time.

Rick

[Josh Henkin]

I appreciate all the input!

Josh Henkin, CSCS
www.aaptraining.net