OT: Calling MGoDoctors / Trainers

Submitted by michgoblue on
All, I have seen the many mgo-medical professionals (or those who just stated in a Holiday Inn Express) on this board provide some great advice over the years, so I thought that I would see if someone on here might have some advice for my current problem:

Last Tuesday, I was at the gym squatting very heavy (for me) and I got stuck at the bottom of the rep. My usual training partner wasn't there, and the guy spotting me didn't know what to do and as a result, I ended up having to try to put the bar on the bottom supports of the squat rack. Long story short, one side missed and the bar came down on me on one side when I was in the bottom position.

Surprisingly, I felt no injury at all and was able to keep on going through my workout. Two days later, after a relatively light workout, I started to feel some stiffness in my neck / upper back which got progressively worse throughout the day. On Friday morning, the pain was excruciating and my range of motion in my neck was way down.

So here's the thing: when I am standing and moving around, I am pretty much ok. Stiff, but as long as I don't make certain motions, the pain is minimal. The problem is sleeping. After laying I bed for even an hour, I wake up stiff as a board and unable to even get up. The pain into upper back and neck (all on one side) is intense.

Anyone have an idea of what this could be? Pinched nerve? Disk? Is it possible to have been injured during my squat incident and to have no symptoms for two days, or is this likely unrelated?

Thanks in advance for any advice, and Go Blue.

ChicagoBigHouse

September 28th, 2015 at 5:38 AM ^

Not an mgodoctor opinion, but it sounds like you strained your neck muscles. My girlfriend had a 'whiplash' injury after a carwreck, and had the same problems you did.  Her pain was worse then next day, not the day of the accident.  Then it became even worse.  She didn't have any numbness or weakness, just stiff and sore.   It was worse after a night's sleep.

She was evaluated in the ER, with a normal CT scan.  She was given pain meds and muscle relaxants to take.  Those helped at night.  After she started feeling better, she did stretching exercises, got a massage, and it took a few weeks, but things returned to normal.

As always, if you are concerned, go see your doctor, but this was just our experience.

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w2j2

September 28th, 2015 at 6:39 AM ^

Do you have any sensory numbness or muscle weakness in your arms or legs?  If not, you likely do not have a nerve injury.

There is no way to tell about a disc injury withou an MRI.

This is probably related to your weight lifting accident.

Try this:

No weight lifting

Stretching 4 times daily. Yoga works

Apply heating pad

Sleep on firm mattress with lots of neck / head support

Take ibuprofen 800 mg 3 times daily

Take muscle relaxant if you have it

Massage if avalable

This will take longer than you will expect

See your doctor

Go Blue.

 

 

Joined: 11/23/2008

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it's Science

September 28th, 2015 at 6:59 AM ^

All of this. I had a similar injury years back, and it's been reoccurring ever since. See a doctor, and take plenty of time off. You're probably a gym rat like me, and I beg you not to rush back. I did, and I've regretted it ever since.



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Jgruss42

September 28th, 2015 at 9:28 AM ^

Nerve injury unlikely.

Disc injury possibly, but generally doesn't take 2 days for pain there.

Muscle injury makes the most sense, as inflammation takes a while to develop.

 

A few other notes:

Stretching in this case means, 'painless stretching'. If it hurts when you are doing it, don't do it until you see the doctor.

Heating pad can be ok, but I recommend ice for 15 minutes 3-4 times a day (you can use both, but let your skin come back to room temperature in between).

You want your head in 'neutral' position when sleeping. Don't use too many pillows, or too few. Honestly, I ask people to use one of those airplane pillows - the U shaped ones. Those generally do a good job keeping your head in neutral (depending on your body type and posture).

Apologies to my primary care and orthopedic friends, but quite often a primary care doc will send you to orthopedics for this. You would be better off seeing a sports medicine doctor initially. The sports med guys generally do the best job treating muscle injury.

 

MGoFeelBetter

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Jgruss42

September 28th, 2015 at 9:59 AM ^

That is not what I meant, but chiropractic treatment can be helpful. I work closely with a chiropractor and refer patients to him all the time. However, the background and training for chiropractors can sometimes have a wide variability. This is true of doctors too, but I have found it to be more true in chiropractors. If the chiropractor is good, and the pain is primarily muscular, then they may be the BEST people to see initially. Remember that chiropractors cannot write medication prescriptions, so if medications would also be helpful, you will end up seeing a traditional physician anyway.

What I was referring to is a medical specialty for 'Sports Medicine'. It is a fellowship that people take after they have completed their residency. Sports medicine doctors will work closely with therapists (physical and occupational therapy), trainers and other staff.

http://www.acsm.org/

Joined: 09/03/2011

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Naked Bootlegger

September 28th, 2015 at 10:40 AM ^

I was never able to schedule directly with sports med or ortho when I had lingering musculoskeletal issues a few years back.  I always had to go through my primary care doc first, then get a referral.   I solved this dilemma by finding a fantastic primary doc who also did a sports med fellowship - she can address most of my midlife crisis sports med issues.   I'm curious, though...it doesn't seem like many people in this managed health care environment can directly schedule with a specialist w/o getting a primary care referral first.  

Also, good luck to the OP.   See a doc.

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MGoStrength

September 28th, 2015 at 6:57 AM ^

FWIW I'm not a doctor. My masters is in exs science and my focus was performance enhancement and injury prevention. I saw this thread on my way to work and try to help folks in these positions. I'll check in on this thread later today if I haven't seen any good advice when I get time.

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Gucci Mane

September 28th, 2015 at 7:45 AM ^

As someone who lifts, I can say rest is very important. I wouldn't lift for a week, and reevaluate then. If no significant improvement is made then see a doctor. Just make sure you don't lift again before you are ready.

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2012 Canadian

September 28th, 2015 at 8:04 AM ^

1) Go see your doctor to have it properly evaluated.

2) Sounds like a muscle strain. It is very unlikely to be a severe nerve injury without numbness, tingling, severe weakness, etc.  Also, unless you are having pains shooting from your back into your arms/hands it is unlikely for it to be a disc injury.  Disc injuries are what they are because they impinge on the spinal nerves/roots that transmit into the upper and lower extremities.  You need some rest and ice for 20 min on 20 min off typically as tolerated.  Anti-inflammatories like motrin, etc. are good also but not knowing your previous medical history is why you need this to be managed by your doctor.

Hope this helps.

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Jgruss42

September 28th, 2015 at 9:40 AM ^

The disc can tear without disruption of the nucleus pulposus. Generally it is disruption of the pulosus that triggers nerve inflammation and pain. Disc bulge can also cause a physical compression and inflammtion of the nerve root.

It was previously thought that only the outer 1/3 of the intervertebral disc was innervated, but we have since found that innervation extends essentially throughout the disc. Nevertheless, a tear of part of the outer disc will be painful (particularly in the morning after sleep when the disc is at full height), even without disruption of the pulposus.

 

http://thepainsource.com/innervation-of-the-intervertebral-disc/

 

MGoAttendingPhysiatrist

[Edited for clarity]

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gopoohgo

September 28th, 2015 at 9:51 AM ^

Innervation tends to be more common with the presence of prior injury, supposedly the chronic inflammation will result in both angiogenesis in addition to collaterized sprouting from the rami communicans.

And cheerfully agree with the chemical (inflammatory) radiculopathy.

High five, fellow MGoAttendingPhysiatrist

PS Going to Boston?

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Jgruss42

September 28th, 2015 at 10:02 AM ^

Absolutely going to Boston. I'll be taking the Regen course on Wednesday (which I'm kinda looking forward to). But our primary mission is recruiting. Our practice is very active at the jobs fair and usually does interviews for the days after.

Plus, it's always a huge reunion, which is nice.

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Erik_in_Dayton

September 28th, 2015 at 9:23 AM ^

Aleve (naproxen sodium) has a muscle relaxer in it in addition to a pain reliever.  I use it when I strain muscles.

But I don't know your medical history or what other meds you take.  I am not a doctor and recommend that you see one.  You want to rule out anything serious and make sure you're taking the correct painkillers (if any).  I'm sure you've thought of all of this and that this second paragraph isn't helpful at all.

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