Pain

The title says it all, doesn't it?

For many of us, pain is something that we live with on a regular basis, in some form or another.  For others, pain is something that occurs occasionally...from a traumatic event, or just a hard training day.  And then there are those who thrive on pain.  You know the type...the one's who actually go looking for that 'good' pain...the type of pain that separates them from the rest of the pack, and leads to success.

That's not me.

Nope, I'm the guy who lives in a moderate amount of pain, most every day.  My life as an industrial athlete (firefighter) and as an amateur competitive athlete, has taken it's toll on my body.  Throughout my twenty-three year career in the fire service, I have had arthroscopic repairs performed on both shoulders, and my left knee.  I've endured multiple Grade-3 sprains of my ankles, and have suffered damage to my lumbar spine.

The surgery to my left knee resulted in the removal of nearly 45% of my medial meniscus, which ultimately means that the bones in my knee come in contact with one another, and will most likely result in arthritis at some point.  In fact, I am sure there is some arthritic development already.  When I run, it hurts.  Plain and simple.  So guess what?  I no longer run.

The multiple traumatic episodes to my ankles have left me with decreased mobility and decreased stability...both of which I work on constantly.  The simple act of stepping out of the fire truck onto the ground, which is something I do many, many times each shift, is done very cautiously now, so as to prevent any further damage to my ankles.

And then there's my back.  I have irreparable damage to my spine.  Both L3 and L4 discs are bulging, and x-rays reveal that there is both stenosis and calcification present.  L5 is the doozie though...I have an annular tear in the disc, and the nucleus pulposis is protruding from from within the 'casing' of the disc.  This means that at times, the nerve root that emanates from within the L5 vertebral body is being impinged upon, and thereby causing a mixture of discomfort, pain, and numbness within my lower back, glutes, and left leg.

To say I am in pain all the time wouldn't be completely truthful.  I do however, believe that without performing the regimen of strength and mobility exercises that have become my staple, I would certainly be in pain...all of the time.  Not only would I be in pain, I would not be able to participate in many of my favorite pastime activities.

I have asked this question before, and I'm asking it again.  How many of you experience some sort of pain, and how often?

I began this blog in an effort to help others...to hopefully reach more people in need of my knowledge and experience with performance enhancement and injury prevention.  In order to meet the needs of my readers, I could really use some insight as to what I can do to help.  The best way to do this, is to leave me comments.  I really love reading your comments, as it allows me to make a fairly generalized blog post, a little more individualized.  You don't have to be a follower of my blog to leave a comment however, I would love it if you would follow me officially...but all you really need to do is type in your comment, then click the ANONYMOUS selection under SELECT PROFILE...it's that easy!

Okay, enough of the public service announcements!

So, I ask again...how many of you are currently battling pain, or have experienced pain in the past?  

Would you like to eliminate or alleviate your pain?

I would imagine everyone of you answered yes to both questions, due to the fact that if you are reading this blog, you are most likely an aging athlete...and we all know athletes have their share of aches and pains.

The most beneficial method I have found for reducing and/or eliminating pain from my body, is self-myofascial release (SMR).  If you've been reading my rants for any amount of time now, then you should be familiar with these techniques.  The specific type method of SMR that I feel has provided the most benefit for me is the Myofascial Compression Technique from Trigger Point.  

Cassidy Phillips, the CEO and developer of the Trigger Point products and system, says it all in this video below.  He says that we tolerate what we accept - and we tend to accept that aches and pain are just a natural part of training, or simply part of getting old.  We accept those myths as truth, when in reality we can alleviate or eliminate pain from our lives.

I have decided to take each of you through what Trigger Point refers to as "The Ultimate Six".  These six areas of the body are key points in the kinetic chain, and if left 'untreated' can create a great del of movement dysfunction, and pain, within our bodies.  The dysfunction and pain can ultimately lead to decreased performance and nagging, chronic injuries.

Each day I will take you through one of the Ultimate Six areas, describing why we need to work on the specific area, the benefits, and how to perform each exercise.  When possible, I will provide a short video for each.

It goes without saying that these techniques cannot be performed without the Trigger Point equipment, so please...if you have not yet purchased one of the Trigger Point Therapy kits, I implore you to do so right now.  It's simple...just scroll to the top right corner of this page - yep, I'm talking to you - and click on the small Trigger Point Banner that says GET RID OF PAIN FOREVER.  That banner is linked to my affiliate store front, where you can purchase everything you need to begin your journey towards living a pain free athletic life.  

Believe me...it works!  I am living proof, as is Mr. Cassidy Phillips who, at one time was an elite level Tri-athlete who competed in Iron Man events.  Cassidy's life changed dramatically when he began to experience pain and fatigue throughout his body, and was ultimately diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  Cassidy underwent years of unsuccessful treatment with doctors and therapists, and ultimately created the Trigger Point system, which has allowed him to return to a normal life.

The Ultimate Six...

The following areas are the six areas of our bodies that we will be working on:

Join me over the next few weeks as we take an amazing journey through the human body - your body - and discover areas of dysfunction that are decreasing your performance as an athlete, and increasing your potential for injury - both acute and chronic.  

Remember, we shouldn't accept aches and pains as a natural part of being an aging athlete.  We CAN do something about it!

I look forward to hearing from you as we take this journey together, towards living a pain free, high performance life!

Yours in Health and Performance!

John