Help - Pinched Nerve in Neck

[beadvised]

I just found out I have a pinched Nerve in my neck. I am pretty frustrated as I have am pretty focused and my doctor just said NO LIFTING for 6 weeks...I can do cardio but no lifting.... says that I can do cardio so I will focus on that...

but here is my question... I have pain in my right arm and slight numbness/tingling in my thumb, forefinger and middle finger. When I lift or do ANY exercise it makes the pain go away for 5-6 hours.

Dr said regardless no lifting... said that if I were to injure that nerve I could cause paralysis... is this true?

This has been getting progressively worse for about 7 weeks but I am confused as to why the pain would go away from working out , walking, cardio or any movement?

Is there a danger if I continue to lift though? I saw that others are working through their pain with regards to nerve issues.....


I am pretty frustrated because I have been getting tremendous results and I am focused, disciplined, and goal driven and now I have to really change things.... who knows for how long...

Also, how could this have happened? I have been so focused on form and lower weights to ensure good form... and I have had no known trauma to my body at all.... This part is the scariest to me... is that I do not know the REASON this could have happened..

Please.. any thoughts

I am very frustrated......

[Overload]

Sorry to hear that. Maybe Most Muscular will post as to his situation which is similar and almost ended his bodybuilding career. He has done well I believe. You can PM him as well.

Have you checked with a chiropractor? I go to one regularly and they can many times do wonders. Mine has corrected my carpal tunnel issues.

Good luck.

[MiloMan]

Was this doc a GP, a sports med specialist, or a neurologist?

[beadvised]

Originally posted by MiloMan
Was this doc a GP, a sports med specialist, or a neurologist?

It is my family Dr and she is an Internal Medicine Doctor.

I have gone to a Chiropractor for two 'adjustments' ..truthfully, I hear good and bad things about them and I am leary...but I am pretty desparate at this point...

I was thinking that I would cut some body fat for the six weeks but I am more concerned as to how it happened....

and if I do continue to lift against dr's orders... is it safe....?

ugh...

[kmax]

You say the pain goes away when you lift. That means that you are able get some relief from movment. The only thing a MD can do is pat you on the ass and say you'll be better someday.
Next you say you've been to a chiro twice , forget about what others say, what was your experience with these two visits?
Good or bad.

Whatever you answer, a Chiropractor handles your type of problem everyday. You need one and don't worry, your problem is common.

[hbk3]

you might try rolling up a towel and placing it under your neck , you want it just thick enough to relax the muscles. massage and the muscles relaxing and keeping weight bar lower on shoulders instead of neck will be your answer and time. when squatting dumbasses would say to me do not use bar pad well 500 pounds hurts when spread out over 2 inches but a pad spreads the weight over a larger area= less pressure points . anytime a nerve gets pinched the muscles spasm to keep from further damage . its either a disc or verterbra out of alignment pushing on a nerve. chiropractor can adjust the spine and doctor can prescribe anti-inflammatories and you can practice good neck posture.

[Overload]

2 visits to a chiropractor will not give you visible results. Think about going again and talk it over with one. Some people think it's a bunch of crap, but all I can tell you is mine helps a lot. It allows me not only to lift with no problems, but at 40 play ice hockey as a goalie. Talk about contorting your back. Believe me, it helps.

Good luck.

[Charger]

Bump on the Chiropractor. Did you know that becoming a Chiro is actually harder than becoming a GM Doc?? They have much more expertise in this field.
Also, there are good and bad Chiro's out there also. A good one should be able to explain EXACTLY what the problem is and help you either work around it or give you exercises to help recover and or avoid it.
Telling you to take 6 weeks off and saying you could be paralyzed is crazy with out a detailed explanation.

How did you hurt it? I hope it wasn't behind the neck movements.

[Most Muscular]

Well as Overload mentioned I have had the same problem and unfortunately it may be with you forever.... It all depends on what caused the pinched nerve in the first place. For myself it comes down to old age (this is the over age 35 forum isn't it). I developed over time a narrowing of the hole in my spine that the nerve passes through to my left side (mostly arm). The doctor told me it could have been casued by lifting or maybe it just happened by getting out of bed, whatever... it happened and like yourself it casues at times extreme pain and numbness for my left tricep area and upper left back (shoulder blade area).

In the beginning I assumed it was a pulled muscle in my back and went to the chiropractor but that didn't fix it. It wasn't until I had an MRI that properly diagnosed the cause. I went to a neurosurgeon who suggested surgery to enlarge the hole back in Januray of 2002. I was hesitant at the time to go through with the surgery as I had spoke with a couple of other guys at the gym who had similar types of injuries and they eventually came back to 100% recovery on their own.

My strength suffered dramatically. I went from a 335 x 4 bench to a 135 x 1 bench. Talk about starting over.

But I did and got back to a decent 315 x 4 bench this last winter and spring. I started my 22 week diet for a competition this last summer and 11 weeks into it I suffered another relapse. I ended up hobbling through the rest of the contest training with very reduced strength. In the beginning of June I had a cortisone shot to relieve the pain which helped the pain department but totally ruined my strenght. I found out later that cortisone will reduce the natural healing your body is trying to do.

Anyway.... I am planning on having surgery this winter to enlarge the hole. I'm not sure if that will fix the problem but at least it will make it so it won't happen again.

To date, my strength has NOT returned after having the cortisone shot so I would be very leary of having one of those ever again.

While I am a firm believer in chiropracter care there is nothing they can do if in fact you have a narrowing of this hole. If you have a disc that is slipped or out of alignment which is pinching the nerve they should be able to help you there. One thing I bought from my chiropractor which helped relieve some of the tension against the nerve was a neck traction unit which was a device you attached to a door and had a series of pulleys, a wierd contraption you put around your head and a bag full of water (20 lbs +/-) to pull your neck. It felt great. I also went to physical therapy for awhile to lerarn some exercises to try and relieve pressure around the nerve.

I would suggest having your doctor get you an MRI to properly diagnose the area of injury. You may return to full health or you may not. A damaged nerve does not heal in the place of damage but must rebuild from the begining and only grows a millimeter a day, if that.... so recovery can take a long time. That is if it follows the same route back to your muscle. Sometimes it never recovers. I wondering if that has now happened to me. It's been a few months and I'm still not anywhere near what I feel I should be. My shoulder press max sets are what used to be my warm ups. UGH.

However.... all may not be lost with you. I hope not anyway.

I'm not sure what your goals are. I had some ambitious goals to try and attain and although I did attain some, it was not with the intensity and final results I had envisioned within my own mind.

Anyway... good luck with your injury and please keep us informed on what you find out.

email me at: mnmostmuscular@yahoo.com

[Durf]

I was never much of a believer in chiropractors but after suffering for six months with shoulder and then elbow tendonitis I finally whent to a old school chiro and after 3 visits he fixed everything. He told me that it was a pinched nerve in my back that was causing problems elsewhere.

[Charger]

Most Musculer, question??
How are the rest of your lifts affected by this?? Did your squats go down also.

I workout with a guy who has a similar problem and after reading your post it makes sense. Your comment about your maxes were once your warm ups remind me of him He has been lifting for 16 years and his shoulder has went to ****. He does ok on DB movements but anything with a bar his numbers keep going down.

Now his squat has went down. He had a max of 720 2 years ago. He still can make 335 look easy but no where near what he used to do. I will pass on your post to him.

Great Post!! Thanks for sharing. Really sorry to hear about the injury and relapse. Hope the surgery does the trick.

[beadvised]

Originally posted by Most Muscular
Well as Overload mentioned I have had the same problem and unfortunately it may be with you forever.... It all depends on what caused the pinched nerve in the first place. For myself it comes down to old age (this is the over age 35 forum isn't it). I developed over time a narrowing of the hole in my spine that the nerve passes through to my left side (mostly arm). The doctor told me it could have been casued by lifting or maybe it just happened by getting out of bed, whatever... it happened and like yourself it casues at times extreme pain and numbness for my left tricep area and upper left back (shoulder blade area).

In the beginning I assumed it was a pulled muscle in my back and went to the chiropractor but that didn't fix it. It wasn't until I had an MRI that properly diagnosed the cause. I went to a neurosurgeon who suggested surgery to enlarge the hole back in Januray of 2002. I was hesitant at the time to go through with the surgery as I had spoke with a couple of other guys at the gym who had similar types of injuries and they eventually came back to 100% recovery on their own.

My strength suffered dramatically. I went from a 335 x 4 bench to a 135 x 1 bench. Talk about starting over.

But I did and got back to a decent 315 x 4 bench this last winter and spring. I started my 22 week diet for a competition this last summer and 11 weeks into it I suffered another relapse. I ended up hobbling through the rest of the contest training with very reduced strength. In the beginning of June I had a cortisone shot to relieve the pain which helped the pain department but totally ruined my strenght. I found out later that cortisone will reduce the natural healing your body is trying to do.

Anyway.... I am planning on having surgery this winter to enlarge the hole. I'm not sure if that will fix the problem but at least it will make it so it won't happen again.

To date, my strength has NOT returned after having the cortisone shot so I would be very leary of having one of those ever again.

While I am a firm believer in chiropracter care there is nothing they can do if in fact you have a narrowing of this hole. If you have a disc that is slipped or out of alignment which is pinching the nerve they should be able to help you there. One thing I bought from my chiropractor which helped relieve some of the tension against the nerve was a neck traction unit which was a device you attached to a door and had a series of pulleys, a wierd contraption you put around your head and a bag full of water (20 lbs +/-) to pull your neck. It felt great. I also went to physical therapy for awhile to lerarn some exercises to try and relieve pressure around the nerve.

I would suggest having your doctor get you an MRI to properly diagnose the area of injury. You may return to full health or you may not. A damaged nerve does not heal in the place of damage but must rebuild from the begining and only grows a millimeter a day, if that.... so recovery can take a long time. That is if it follows the same route back to your muscle. Sometimes it never recovers. I wondering if that has now happened to me. It's been a few months and I'm still not anywhere near what I feel I should be. My shoulder press max sets are what used to be my warm ups. UGH.

However.... all may not be lost with you. I hope not anyway.

I'm not sure what your goals are. I had some ambitious goals to try and attain and although I did attain some, it was not with the intensity and final results I had envisioned within my own mind.

Anyway... good luck with your injury and please keep us informed on what you find out.

email me at: mnmostmuscular@yahoo.com

This is a good post... first of all thanks...

I am almost 36 and I did not consider myself to just get injuries because of age...but heck, I don't know...

Based on the posts that I have read here, I may go back to the Chiro...but here is what is going on right now..

The dr said to give it six weeks and goto a pysical therapist(PT)

the PT says he thinks it is bad muscle balance.... this is ther first time I have heard this..but essentially... my lower traps are not 'firing' and my upper traps, deltoids, chest are all growing to a point they are pulling my back muscles into my neck and causing a pinch....

First, has anyone heard of this before?

Kinda made sense becuase the PT has me doing some rubberband isolation exercises and I am only feeling the burn in my shoulders and nothing in my lower traps.. where he says I should be... he says my shoulders are over compensating for my lower traps at this time and he says that getting the lower traps to start 'firing' and stronger will cause them to pull my upper traps down again and create a balance...

anyway...

from the posts I think I will go back to the chiro as I am not sure it can hurt......

if after six weeks there is no change then I get an MRI and look at surgery options... which after what I have read I am VERY reluctant to do this....

so far....

no muscle pain
no loss of strength
I have stopped lifting..as I figure six weeks is not much time and if this does fix it then I can pick up with minimal loss of strength and size... and I have the go ahead to do cardio


What do you think about this 'balance' theory?

anyone hear of it yet?

and thanks everyone

[Charger]

Originally posted by beadvised



What do you think about this 'balance' theory?

anyone hear of it yet?

and thanks everyone

Yes I have as a matter of fact, from my Chiropractor.
I have a similar problem with my lower back. Mine is a problem of muscles being over worked due to being out of alignment and a genetic problem.
The way it was explained to me was that one side is over compensating to make up for the other side being weak from having to work harder realign my spine. Someting like that. He said in time the muscle simple can't hold the spine in place causing a nerve to be pinched and finally my lower back muscle will go into spasm. This causes me to be out of action, and allows nature to repair itself.
Solution to mine was to strengthen abs and lower back muslces and do stregthing exercises for back and hams.\

I still have some problems and doing real heavy squats/deads are out of the question.
Everytime I go over 300 on either one I pay for it.

[dmacdbest]

i went to a chiropractor who put me on so many machines to manipulate this and that in my spine and neck that i ended up literally not being able to move off my couch the next day... telling me this was "normal" to feel that way.. i went back the following week after being told that i would not have the horrible effects as the first week did... that was my last time going.. considering after that appointment, the next day, not only was i in severe pain, but i also ended up at the ER at the local hospital.. and out of work for 6 weeks...
anyway.. question for you all... do you think i'd be able to get these kinks worked out of my neck that i have acquired through the years of lifting, by going to a massage therapist??.. i am not open to the option of a chiropractor anymore

[Most Muscular]

To Charger: the pinched nerve has mostly affected my pressing movements on my left side only. Benching and shoulder press movements are weak. My left tricep outer muslce (the beloved horseshoe muscle) is virtually gone. That is why you do not see any pictures of me with a left side tricep shot now. I'm not sure if it will ever come back or not. One thing I did forget to mention is that I picked up a strong EMS (electronic muscle stimulator) last spring and boy does that feel good to have something make that muscle move. Since my brain does not have the ability to transmitt signals to that muscle it has wasted away. The EMS units stimulates it from the outside to the point that it feels like it is worked. I used the unit religoulsly last spring but haven't had the time or notion to get back to it. I'm off track again here.... back to my lifts. My leg work outs are okay. I'm back to nearly full strength there putting out 405x5 easilly now. I just have to get back to my 455 form and I'll be happy.


Beadvise: My PT also told me that I had overdeveloped my traps to the point that they were pulling my neck down and helping pinch the nerve. I also used a bunch of rubber band exercises to try and "redevolp" my back. I guess deadlifts aren't the best exercise to do now, but I was back doing them lately also and I've gotten back to full strength there also. The only problem is that I'm genetically gifted in developing my traps and deadlifts really make the big which will cause a problem for me in the future if I don't get the surgery.

As far as chiropractors go... I'm a believer in them if you go to them on a regular basis. For me, it is every 4-5 weeks for maintenance. When you first start going they have to do a lot of work because your body is used to being out of alignment and fights the chiropractor when he attempts to put it back in it's "proper" place. It is used to being out of place so it wants to return there in the beginning.

Again.... keep us posted.

[kmax]

Beadvised , as much as I believe in Chiros, I also believe in Physical Therapists. I had Tendenitis in my knee, an inbalance in my Quadricep and a PT got me back on track, fast.
Sometimes problems are difficult to solve and you have to try different means, within reason of course.
Your PT's opinion sounds ok , so go with it.

[rick1168]

I injured my lower back and have had prob with my sciatic nerve for like months...the ortho specialist wants me to get an epidural cortisone injection before even thinking about surgery. But now im worried, cortisone will make me weaker forever? huh

[Most Muscular]

I'm not sure it affects everyone the same... maybe the general public doesn't care if they get a bit weaker as long as they don't have the pain. But if you're reading the bodybuilding.com forum then obviously you do have some care about your strength and size. I suggest you read up on it before making a decision. I didn't have that opportunity. I was in the doctor's office and he said we can do it right now if you want.... I asked him questions about water retention and the possiblities of failing a drug test since I was planning on doing a show in a few weeks... I didn't think about or realize to ask about losing strength. He told me I wouldn't be bothered with water retention or it would not show up on a drug screening because although it is a steroid, it is not anabolic. As I was lieing in the recovery room the nurse came by and handed me a piece of paper listing the side effects. Number two on the list.... water retention. blah. I looked like a bloated rat for the show.

[beadvised]

I started Lifting again. Goin slow right now...the feeling is almost all back in my fingers and thumb and no pain for a week and a half now.

Turns out that this is pretty common. Muscular Inbalance. The PT had me doing exercises to isolate my mid and lower scapula and this has really worked. When I do back now I also do some extra exercises to isolate these areas. I will know more as to the effects in about 3 weeks of doing this but for now I am back to balls to the wall after a short rampup period..

Michael

PS - Thanks again for all the feedback...

[beadvised]

I started Lifting again. Goin slow right now...the feeling is almost all back in my fingers and thumb and no pain for a week and a half now.

Turns out that this is pretty common. Muscular Inbalance. The PT had me doing exercises to isolate my mid and lower scapula and this has really worked. When I do back now I also do some extra exercises to isolate these areas. I will know more as to the effects in about 3 weeks of doing this but for now I am back to balls to the wall after a short rampup period..

Michael

PS - Thanks again for all the feedback...

[motorhall]

Since this has turned into a bit of an "old farts with bad backs" thread, I thought I'd throw out something that worked for me and my crummy lumbar region.

I was at the point where I could hardly tolerate sitting in a chair, and I always had the feeling that I just wanted someone to take hold of me and pull my back apart. I finally got tired of throwing money at a chiropractor that was making me feel worse, so I took a gamble and bought an inversion table. It really helps a lot, as long as I use it on a regular basis, so if you've got the money and the space for it, it might be something worth looking into for some of you guys. The brand I bought was Hang-Ups.

[pu12en12g]

the PT says he thinks it is bad muscle balance.... this is ther first time I have heard this..but essentially... my lower traps are not 'firing' and my upper traps, deltoids, chest are all growing to a point they are pulling my back muscles into my neck and causing a pinch....

First, has anyone heard of this before?

Kinda made sense becuase the PT has me doing some rubberband isolation exercises and I am only feeling the burn in my shoulders and nothing in my lower traps.. where he says I should be... he says my shoulders are over compensating for my lower traps at this time and he says that getting the lower traps to start 'firing' and stronger will cause them to pull my upper traps down again and create a balance...

Thanks for your post. I believe this might be what is happening to me. I'm only 27, and the doctor thinks that surgery might be necessary. The chiro adjustments do help but only temporarily

Any advice anyone can give, please let me know. I don't want scars on my back

[Niroc]

This is a good post... first of all thanks...

I am almost 36 and I did not consider myself to just get injuries because of age...but heck, I don't know...

Based on the posts that I have read here, I may go back to the Chiro...but here is what is going on right now..

The dr said to give it six weeks and goto a pysical therapist(PT)

the PT says he thinks it is bad muscle balance.... this is ther first time I have heard this..but essentially... my lower traps are not 'firing' and my upper traps, deltoids, chest are all growing to a point they are pulling my back muscles into my neck and causing a pinch....

First, has anyone heard of this before?

Kinda made sense becuase the PT has me doing some rubberband isolation exercises and I am only feeling the burn in my shoulders and nothing in my lower traps.. where he says I should be... he says my shoulders are over compensating for my lower traps at this time and he says that getting the lower traps to start 'firing' and stronger will cause them to pull my upper traps down again and create a balance...

anyway...

from the posts I think I will go back to the chiro as I am not sure it can hurt......

if after six weeks there is no change then I get an MRI and look at surgery options... which after what I have read I am VERY reluctant to do this....

so far....

no muscle pain
no loss of strength
I have stopped lifting..as I figure six weeks is not much time and if this does fix it then I can pick up with minimal loss of strength and size... and I have the go ahead to do cardio


What do you think about this 'balance' theory?

anyone hear of it yet?

and thanks everyone

So you are being treated for something that isn't even diagosed ?? I'd be leary about that. You haven't had an MRI which is probably the only way they would be able to diagnose you. I'm sure you have a good P/T but symptoms of different problems can often be the same. I have bulging discs in both my neck and lower back. My neck first started bothering me last spring and the doc said same thing, no lifting go to a P/T well this went of for 6 wks and I got frustrated because nothing was really working that well. So I started to lift again, within 2 wks my problem was gone but does re-occur sometimes. I have heard of the muscular imbalance, my friend has a similar problem with muscles running along his spine, they've actually atrophied because they weren't firing right and his other muscles compensated for this just like yours. I'm just trying to point out that I'd want a definitive cause for my numbness/pain. It seems as if you need to see a specialist and get that MRI now not later on. Sounds like your GP and P/T are going on speculation to determine your course of treatment. I'd ask more questions if I were you.

[gottaloseit]

Had the same problem with shoulder pain, numbness etc, finally had to go the surgery route, man what a difference!!!!! I feel great.. Just get a couple of opinions before anybody CUTS into you. Feeling no pain.

[petemoss]

When i get a kink i use ice to calm the swelling, and it helps. Ibeprofein for inflamation, and a good physical therepist who can help you get back to normal. Normal down time for me is 2 to 3 weeks. Avoid HOT showers on that spot. It will not be a good thing.
I am 49 and have these things pop up every now and then.

[joed]

Motorhall: I use the Hang-ups inversion table too. Great $300 investment.

[Monkzilla]

Beadvised, there are different causes for this problem. It may be a lateral canal stenosis as described by most muscular. And even if it is, it may be due to different reasons (ie. osteoarthritis, ligamentum hypertropy, multiple myeloma, etc).

As for the balance theory. The PT did a good job of recognizing the imbalance in these muscles, however that is not the cause of your problem. If you are having neurologic symptoms right down into your thumb, forefinger and middle finger this is because the Median nerve is comprimised. This muscle imbalance has no way of putting pressure on the Median nerve.

Your best bet is to see a chiropractor...however I recommend seeing a good chiropractor, because there is an incredible difference between good ones and bad ones. Here is a referral directory for chiropractors that use the "gonstead" technique - the gold standard of chiropractic.

http://www.gonsteadseminar.com/referral.aspx

Good luck.

[Tim_G]

Well as Overload mentioned I have had the same problem and unfortunately it may be with you forever.... It all depends on what caused the pinched nerve in the first place. For myself it comes down to old age (this is the over age 35 forum isn't it). I developed over time a narrowing of the hole in my spine that the nerve passes through to my left side (mostly arm). The doctor told me it could have been casued by lifting or maybe it just happened by getting out of bed, whatever... it happened and like yourself it casues at times extreme pain and numbness for my left tricep area and upper left back (shoulder blade area).

In the beginning I assumed it was a pulled muscle in my back and went to the chiropractor but that didn't fix it. It wasn't until I had an MRI that properly diagnosed the cause. I went to a neurosurgeon who suggested surgery to enlarge the hole back in Januray of 2002. I was hesitant at the time to go through with the surgery as I had spoke with a couple of other guys at the gym who had similar types of injuries and they eventually came back to 100% recovery on their own.

My strength suffered dramatically. I went from a 335 x 4 bench to a 135 x 1 bench. Talk about starting over.

But I did and got back to a decent 315 x 4 bench this last winter and spring. I started my 22 week diet for a competition this last summer and 11 weeks into it I suffered another relapse. I ended up hobbling through the rest of the contest training with very reduced strength. In the beginning of June I had a cortisone shot to relieve the pain which helped the pain department but totally ruined my strenght. I found out later that cortisone will reduce the natural healing your body is trying to do.

Anyway.... I am planning on having surgery this winter to enlarge the hole. I'm not sure if that will fix the problem but at least it will make it so it won't happen again.

To date, my strength has NOT returned after having the cortisone shot so I would be very leary of having one of those ever again.

While I am a firm believer in chiropracter care there is nothing they can do if in fact you have a narrowing of this hole. If you have a disc that is slipped or out of alignment which is pinching the nerve they should be able to help you there. One thing I bought from my chiropractor which helped relieve some of the tension against the nerve was a neck traction unit which was a device you attached to a door and had a series of pulleys, a wierd contraption you put around your head and a bag full of water (20 lbs +/-) to pull your neck. It felt great. I also went to physical therapy for awhile to lerarn some exercises to try and relieve pressure around the nerve.

I would suggest having your doctor get you an MRI to properly diagnose the area of injury. You may return to full health or you may not. A damaged nerve does not heal in the place of damage but must rebuild from the begining and only grows a millimeter a day, if that.... so recovery can take a long time. That is if it follows the same route back to your muscle. Sometimes it never recovers. I wondering if that has now happened to me. It's been a few months and I'm still not anywhere near what I feel I should be. My shoulder press max sets are what used to be my warm ups. UGH.

However.... all may not be lost with you. I hope not anyway.

I'm not sure what your goals are. I had some ambitious goals to try and attain and although I did attain some, it was not with the intensity and final results I had envisioned within my own mind.

Anyway... good luck with your injury and please keep us informed on what you find out.

email me at: mnmostmuscular@yahoo.com

great post, but i think nerves regenerate at a millimeter a month.

[Most Muscular]

great post, but i think nerves regenerate at a millimeter a month.

Tell me about it.... while I've been slowly recovering since my surgery more than a year ago I suspect it'll be next fall (2 years after the surgery) until I'm back to pre-injury strength, or some close version of it.

It has been a very ssslllooowww road so far, but I've been just doing what I can. While my left tricep still does not flex hard as it used to, surprisingly my left bicep is MUCH stronger than my right... go figure.

My bench has improved by doing more flye exercises which do not involve the triceps, thus enabling me to work the pecs hard.

[Tim_G]

Amazing at how resourceful we can be to compensate for injuries. That's dedication!
Best of luck the rest of the way to recovery!