Breaking the Cycle of Chronic Back Problems

A New and Improved...Me!
Over the last four years, I've had a a frustrating recurrent cycle of back spasms, hip problems, and muscle pulls making it difficult to train and causing a steady downhill slide in fitness.  I've been going regularly to a chiropractor and following his suggestions of applying heat and moderating exercise. I did check out whether the orthopedists felt any surgery was in order (they didn't).

Much time in Jacuzzi and heat

Last week, I marched into a physical therapist, plonked down my credit card, showed them my MRIs, and told them my story.  The story simply is that I'm 55 but I don't just feel 5 years older than when I was 50, I'm losing my fitness and health at an alarming rate.

Chiropractic treatment included electrical stimulation,
ultrasound, roller table, and  adjustments.

They conducted a few basic tests as in push this way, pull that way, and bend thisaway.  Their verdict: it's easily fixed in 8 weeks.  I'm thrilled.  They found some dramatic deficits in some core areas and some areas that badly need a lot of stretching.   I wish I had tried it sooner.

What's odd is that I have had two previous experiences with PT and both were very very positive.  And there's a friend of mine who's a trainer who  had told me that I could, with a little focus and work, be put back together but somehow, I didn't step up to it. Frankly, I got too wrapped up in my day-to-day busyness and missed the forest for  the trees.

What finally got me into it was that I had to take my son to PT weekly and as long as I was there for an hour, I started asking about what they could do for me.  This is pretty much exactly, BTW, how I first got involved in the martial arts. Stay tuned!

Here's my list of exercises (so far). They add new ones at each session:
- warm up on bike 10 minutes (at studio)
- lay on back, on knee bent, the other leg mostly straight.  Stretch it vertical with a band around it for 30 seconds x 3 for each leg.
- lay on back. Arch. Hold for 2 seconds.  Three sets of 15.
- lay on belly. Arch up onto elbows. Press down with abs.  Hold for 2 seconds.  Three sets of 15.
- lay on back. 15 leg lifts with 5 lb weight. Three sets on each leg.
- lay on side. 15 leg lifts with 5 weight. Three sets on each leg.
- lay on belly. 15 leg lifts with 5 weight. Three sets on each leg.
- Get on all fours like a dog.  Arch back so butt is up. Raise hand to horizontal. 15 times, 3 sets each arm.  Try hard to maintain posture.
- Get on all fours like a dog.  Arch back so butt is up. Raise leg to horizontal. 15 times, 3 sets each arm.  Have no idea how to keep position while doing this.
- Get on all fours like a dog.  Arch back so butt is up. Raise leg and opposite leg simultaneously to horizontal. 15 times, 3 sets each side.  Have no idea how to maintain position while doing this.
- ice afterwards

In PT studio, squat leaning back against big ball against wall.  How many?
In PT studio, lay on back, hold ball between knees, push heavy weight with legs. How many?