July 18, 2009 – Good News and Progress…

My second visit to a chiropractor was very very revealing.  My issues do not appear to be bone related, but entirely muscle-related (I figured).  No nerve weirdness from the spine either.

The bad news:  I am now feeling numbness in my LEFT hand (ring and pinky fingertips).  No pain or tingling, just loss of sensation in a small area of each.

The good news:  They think they know what is wrong and how to finally address these problems.  My right arm is doing better, but it is easy to overdo it and slide backwards.  Turns out that the muscle fibers may have something called “adhesion”.  As they explained to me, the muscle fibers are each wrapped in fascia which act as a low friction covering (among other things), permitting the fibers to smoothly slide past each other as they flex and relax.  Sometimes, muscles grow through the fascia and start to bind up with adjacent fibers, or otherwise interfere with the smooth movement of fibers.

Additionally, scar tissue from tiny injuries to the muscle can be layed down in ways that oppose and restrict motion, instead of inline (parallel) with the direction of motion.  These can combine to pull and push on the overall mass of muscles and ultimately end up exerting this force against the elbow tendons, which can then become inflamed and painful.

BINGO.

So the issue is not the tendon itself, it is the binding and sticking within my muscles that then pulls on the tendon.  Curiously, they think this is happening in my left forearm as well, even though I feel no pain.  I was told that pain is usually the last symptom to appear, and that this can be a slow and subtle process years in the making.  The chiropractor also noted that my forearms (left especially) appear to be in a constant state of flex (the big muscle that pops out over your elbow), calling it “atypical”. They think this could overall be pressing on the ulnar nerve along various parts of my forearm, which ultimately emanate from the neck via the C4 or C5 cervical vertebrae and are responsible for the “funny bone”.

The cure:  Ultrasound treatments and deep (painful) physical massage in the forearms to break up the adhesions, ice over the areas several times a day, and the use of elbow braces to redistribute forces away from my tendons (used during physical exertion).  Ice after physical exertion as well and  stretching exercises.  Not a cure really, but a way to manage this and make improvements.   They think that I can be ready in a few months to go back to the gym for light exertion, and work my way slowly back into my routines.

Only the second visit, but I kinda feel better already.  They expect little to no further improvement after 6 to 8 visits, so this hopefully won’t take long.

Medical readers:  Please don’t beat me up too much – I am regurgitating much of this just to remember it (too important to forget).

Feb 2009 – Physical Therapy

I have six sessions of physical therapy, starting after next week. I did not have to get a shot (Doc and I both agreed to save that for worse times).

This stinks. Here’s why:

I felt good today, then had to move something bulky but not heavy. I felt my forearm all day after that – one simple thing turned it from fine to sore. Shaking hands was painful after that.

The thing is, you don’t know when you are healed. You feel fine, and start thinking, “Maybe I’m ok now….”
Then the smallest thing brings it right back into sharp relief – and you know you are not healed. You don’t know how far you can push it, and can’t trust your gut anymore. You start getting worried over doing the smallest things – worried that you will worsen the injury and drag it out longer.

It’s crazy. It sucks. I am still not back in the gym. At least I am not getting used to this – if I did, I would worry that I would not want to go back.

Oh well, chin up, and all that jazz. Looking at it through a six year window helps.

I *know* I’ll be rockin’ six years from now.