Equal atrophy left side.......

[SKINS32]

So four (4) years ago I hit a tree coming down a mountain on a mountain bike at full tilt. I was up on the pedals leaned over do the impact was to the top of the shoulder not the front/collarbone area. No major immediate damage (chipped off the end of the acromion) noticeable. Had MRI and xrays blah blah. Went to the number one ortho in the area (Steadman Hawkins) for treatment. No surgery called for if it healed and there was no pain/restriction movements. It has healed but there have been some interesting things happening. Some days when I push my chin forward I can feel burning pain between my shoulder blades. If I message the C3/C4 area it will burn for a while. The most interesting thing though is that I am having complete equal atrophy on my left side (calf/quad/ham/lat/tri/bi/delt) and when under heavy load and last couple reps, I cannot perceive effort on my left side. Squatting for example, I can mentally make the connection and feel the effort being applied in my right leg/heel but zero in the left. Same with any other movements, the left side is almost numb but still is as strong as the right when doing single side movements. I have searched for others with this condition but could only find those that had certain body parts that were smaller than others not equal throughout. I have been to a neurologist and have more MRIs scheduled. Anyone ever heard of such?

T

[drudixon]

Pinched nerves I'd guess. Get checked out asap. Expand the MRI to spine.

[SKINS32]

Pinched nerves I'd guess. Get checked out asap. Expand the MRI to spine.

Had the MRI contrast and non contrast, thoracic spine and six way neck xrays. Get results on the 27th. Should be interesting.

T

[AriesWarGod]

Hi Skins; This is very probably what drudixon just informed you. I have bad neck vertebrae myself, and two years ago I had purchased a neck harness for doing neck raises with. I was doing very well for about the first three months using it. Then I noticed that over the next month or so that my left arm was going weak! It affected my biceps curls, military press, forward and side deltoid raises, and even my left triceps as well! Needless to say, that scared the crap out of me! I was getting weaker and weaker to the point where I couldn't even curl ten pounds with my left arm! ( Normally I could do 60 lbs. for ten reps ) I had an M.R.I. done and the disc's were very bad. I wanted to get the disc's operated on, but the surgeon said that the operation is a very risky procedure, and that he didn't want to even try to fix them, unless I was in extreme pain. I told him that working out and getting strong is a big part of my life, and that I would risk the surgery if he would. He then just looked me in the eye, and asked me if I thought being able to walk, and control my bladder and bowels, was important to me too? Because this was part of the risk of getting the surgery done! That was very depressing news for me to swallow. The surgeon then told me.... no more 100+ pound dumbells hanging off the neck harness! He said that if I stopped working out for a while, the nerve that was responsible for the weakness may heal up again. The disc's were pinching the nerve off, and the only way to let it heal was to allow the disc's to settle down inflammation - wise. Anyways!... 8 months later, I had gotten about 80% of my strength back in the arm. So I returned to working out again. They told me that there is a 50\50 chance that the nerve can heal itself, and I was Lucky that in my case it did. However,..it's definately not the same as it was before! I can tell when I start to overdo my Military presses and sholder shrugs that the damned nerve is about to act up again. Anyways! go see a neurologist! they can do nerve "conduction" tests ( you may have to put up feeling like a bit of a pin cushion I'm afraid, but it's the only true way to find out how much current your nerve is allowing to pass through to the muscles it controls ). I don't know why your squats are being affected? as this is usually only from the lower back vertebrae problems. Regardless...try to get an M.R.I. done as soon as possible, and speak with a neurologist and if possible a neck surgeon too. You'll be armed with useful information if you do. I would also advise you to lay off any exercising until you are better informed.
I know it's bitch Brother!.... this getting injured..... and getting older baloney! P
Best of Luck to you! And always remember...theres always a way to stay fit! we just gotta think smarter about getting around these things.
Wanna buy a good neck harness? ;o) Peace! Aries