From injury to glory ~ lets hear em

[polishedball]

Just would like to hear everyone who has gone through an injury comeback story (cliffs). I know I am feeling on top of the world getting my strength back. Post up your injury and recovery time.

Tricep tear (partial) late May 12'. Lost all strength in that arm. Almost back to the numbers I was putting up at that point. I was off about 3 months some very light work the last few weeks of the final month. Then slow progression back up.

[Minotaur]

Major rotator cuff surgery in Sept. 2012 for full thickness tears and split tendon of the biceps long head. Almost loss full use of my arm if I didn't have the surgery when I did. Pretty bad. Twelve weeks of rehab. Before the surgery I could not do any overhead pressing, or use TRX straps to do push ups. Had really no strength in my arm. I'm back in the gym, I do TRX pushups without a problem, and while my strength is only slowly returning, it is returning. I can do almost all the same movements, with the exceptions of some I need to avoid.

[Dr.Griefo]

Playing hockey (goalie), guy took a hard slap shot and I caught it at a bad angle and my forearm went 'pop' and my bicep shrivelled up. Major bruising (thought it was tendons) but luckily ultrasound showed the tendons were still there but something was not right. Dr had no explanation for what was wrong because the tendons were fine. Physio thought it may be nerve damage because lifting anything over 5 pounds or any light impact made my arm feel like it was being lightly electrocuted. I could not curl 5 lbs and free weights (benching, press) were out of the question as the arm would just collapse.

Could use light bands and worked my way through them but still couldn't lift free weights (so I I'm going to say it) bought a bowflex.

After a year of using the bowflex it was a huge relief to be able to return to free weights starting with 95 lb bench press and 45 lb overhead presses and eventually working up to 205 lbs and 135 lbs respectively. Arm feels great, now it's both rotator cuffs that are limiting the weight I can handle (trying to rehab them) and a recent hip flexor injury (hockey again).

[dungeonmistress]

A year ago knee surgery for torn meniscus, spur removal under patella and some other removal I can't remember what. I have bone on bone osteo and knee caps that don't track the center of joint which gives me uneven wear. Back in gym 1.5 weeks post op working rom for knee and doing seated upper body workouts. Went to pt but dumb bitch put me behind the curve 4 weeks into a 6 week rehab so surgeon told me it would be ok to self-rehab because he knows I know my limits. I kid u not: after my first careful and light quads workout the mind:muscule connection was back and I was walking better-not walking on knee joint but allowing muscles to carry load. The rest is history if u look at some of my numbers in my siggy. I'm also now squatting 200 x 12 and leg pressing 470 x 12. I don't have full rom but I can get to parallel. I train hams on separate day to ensure they are fully worked.

Also dealt with long head biceps chronic tendinitis for quite some time and it got to the point where it was difficult to do normal things let alone train. I also had some normal wear/tear issues inside joint. Was given a cortisone shot and rehabbed myself and today it's as good as new unfortunately now the same thing seems to have happened to the other side

[fittofattofit]

1. Full thickness InfraS and SupraS tear L shoulder March 2010
2. Subscap and LHB rupture R shoulder July 2010
3. Full thickness InfraS and SupraS tear again L shoulder February 2011
4. LHB rupture R shoulder June 2011
5. Full thickness InfraS and SupraS tear R shoulder September 2011
I still have the left IS and the Right SS unattached

After each injury it took about 10 weeks to get the mass back, but I was happy to get a PR dead of 180kg a year after the last op and my squatting form is better than it ever was because I had to focus a lot on lower body work during the recovery
My bench is still sh!te though

[Minotaur]

My bench is still sh!te though

My p.t. said that's the fault of the subscap. It gives that little twinge by the shoulder blade. He said internal rotations with a cable strengthen it.

[induced_drag]

Broken Neck (c7)
Frontal Brain injury (amnesia, short term memory loss)
Broken Ribs
Terrible general bruising from knees to shoulders


12 weeks in a brace wasting away depressed. Lost 30lbs.

It was my inspiration to return to the gym after being out for over a decade. After I was cleared to return to normal activity, I began lifting. Within 12 weeks, I deadlifted 500lbs. (the first time since my 20's)



No looking back now. Just not 100% sure I will ever "recover" from the head trauma. Discovered 3 years after that is screwed up my pituitary and hormone levels...etc. Memory is still a challenge at times..... Brain injuries are tough. You never really know if you are better.

[mrocean]

Herniated L4/5 lumbar disc.
Discectomy October 2011 6 weeks in a back brace. Fire brigade sent me for 2 weeks rehab in February 2012 in preparation to get me ready to return to full firefighting operational duties.
Learned a lot about my body and core strength and on march 1st 2012 I lifted my first weight 'ever'.
Quickly got the bug, progressed at a steady rate and gained 21lbs in a year and look and feel best I've ever been!
Stronger than before my surgery and learned a shedload about nutrition along the way.. A lot of my education has came from on here ;-)
And this is just the start of my journey...

[Kodokan]

cliffs:
* herniated l5-s1, 6 months+ of sciatica down one leg. i remember the day of my MRI i could barely tie my shoe.
* got better
* returned to lifting and lift more than before, back to sports and martial arts.

[discdoggie]

I've told this before. In 2001 I was hit by a truck while running. My best friend and running partner, my dog, was killed.

I was helicoptered to the trauma center---my whole right side was pretty much...wrecked.



My femur was broken (titanium rod now) my anterior clavicle separated, my optic nerve was destroyed and my faced got beat to ****.


The only thing that's permanent is the loss of vision in the eye, ROM and strength in the leg, and strength in the shoulder.



I'm a cockroach. You can't kill me.

[m314]

I ruptured a distal biceps tendon last June going for a new deadlift max. I was in a splint and then a hard cast for 6 weeks following the reattachment surgery. It was 4 months before I could deadlift just the bar without pain. I had another surgery in December to fix a complication from the first one (extra bone growth blocking rotation of the forearm). The second surgery had a different complication, nerve damage resulting in loss of control of the hand and fingers. The nerve damage eventually healed on its own.

I'm finally past most of that and making progress in the gym. I'm not back to my old strength yet, but I'm already stronger than most of the guys at the gym (a small college gym). Assuming nothing else gets in the way, I feel like I'm on track to get back to my old strength this summer.

[beachguy498]

Recent injuries: 2010, right shoulder: partial thickness RC tear, impingement, instability, 100% labrum tear, calcium deposits, bone spur, arthritis, etc. No surgery, rehabbed it in close to 4 months of PT, shoulder is very good now.

2011: Back & neck injury from a car accident. C5-C7 to T1 and T7-T9 herniated discs. Was out of the gym essentially for close to a year with all sorts of fun things, chiropractor, PT, pain management with ongoing injections of all types.

Finally said fark it late in 2012 and jumped back into the gym with doctor's permission. Doing better than I expected, have a great pain med Rx though...

Rob

[ArchAngel'73]

Some pretty magnificant accomplishments in here!

[Jrob69]

right wrist blew out cartilage which balled and hardened, two surgeries 1 month apart, rebuilt, pins works good now
8 months later

Two blown disks (level 2 acdf) c5-c7 one 35% impingement one 75% impingement. Stated loosing the ability to feel legs, arms walking major issue. 4.5 hour surgery, Full fusion, metal plate. 4 months with neck brace. 8 more months in pain,daily cluster headaches all sorts of shots tests etc. Pain finally calmed after a year. Started working out 13 month after injury, lifting for 6 months now. 400 hex bar on Sunday, 275 squatting, 225 bench and im just getting going.

[induced_drag]

Some pretty magnificant accomplishments in here!

Where is BodyHard?! THAT is something else for sure!

[BlackSwan88]

This tread makes my measly injuries seem like paper cuts by comparisons.
All of you are an inspiration to the rest of us mere mortals.
Thanks for sharing your stories.

[ChazWood]

Do broken hearts count?

Seriously tho - Way to overcome, Guys & Gals!

[TheIronMaster]

Mines in my sig. So far 1st 1/4 of the year in and things are going great.

[David Wiggins]

In 1992 I broke my neck in a wrestling accident. Diagnosed in 1996.. C6 &C7 fusion, and carpal tunnel surgery on both hands. Docs said athletic days were over. Lifting over, and I would be lucky to be able to feel my hands.

Within 6 months incline benched 405, flat benched 500, deadlifted 700, and won my first Highland Game. Still lifting and even occassionally do a lil competition lifting.....

[MASSter]

In 1992 I broke my neck in a wrestling accident. Diagnosed in 1996.. C6 &C7 fusion, and carpal tunnel surgery on both hands. Docs said athletic days were over. Lifting over, and I would be lucky to be able to feel my hands.

Within 6 months incline benched 405, flat benched 500, deadlifted 700, and won my first Highland Game. Still lifting and even occassionally do a lil competition lifting.....

Seeing some of the weights you throw around you are clearly not human so your story doesn't count.

[JRT6]

Was told I would have my first total knee replacement by 40. Did ATG squats with over 300lbs.

Brain damage from mountain biking accident. Well I still ain't right.

Suffered near fatal depression and anxiety. I'm doing better than I ever have.

Had bone spurs removed from right elbow in Dec'11 which included cutting a tendon to access the joint. Due to bone remodeling I didn't regain and range of motion but I can do whatever I want except heavy deadlifts.

Moderate arthritis in both shoulders causing some serious impingement. I can't bench anymore but I can OHP and do weight push-ups as heavy as I want and I've regained considerable ROM.

[MikeinOZ]

well....
When I was 19yrs old, I was training hard at Muay thai and weights, fighting in the light heavy weight division.
Riding my motorcycle .... I hit a metal lamp post on my way home one night.

Broke: (sorry for the horrible medical spelling)
Odontiod Peg (neck) - the bone the hang man breaks to kill you - apart from asphyxiation
Concussion
Left Scapular into 3 pieces - very hard to develop my left trap as my shoulder sits lower now
Crushed T6 &T7 - Throasic vertebrae
snapped 6 ribs completely off my spine
1 punctured lung
Ruptured spleen
right ankle into pieces

13 bones all in one go!

The docs said if I didn't have muscles to hold me together then (if I was skinny) i would have probably died...
wore a metal neck brace for 12 weeks then soft collar, back to the gym and Muay Thai about 7 months later.

I still have a slight headache all the time tho' - neck still out of alignment.

So morale of my story, train hard and keep fit. (And I still ride my bikes !)

[fn257]

In Dec. 2011 my left leg was crushed against my forklift by another one backing into me. Fibula was broken, Popliteal artery was crushed and severed, ACL torn, menicus tear, massive crushing injury below knee. In ICU for 5 days, PCU for 4, then home. Vein was harvested from right leg to graft into Popliteal artery in left. Dr. told my wife I most likely would not have the leg when I came out of surgery. Have since had the knee scoped and a stint put into the graft and have been told that replacement will be needed within 10 yrs. Haven't gone back to work yet but I just started squatting, DL'ing. Somedays I can walk without a limp. Mostly I thank God, I have two feet. The leg will never be right and I still have some issues but I'm pushing forward.