Here's My Predicament...

2 years ago I had excruciating pain in my left hip that lasted 2 weeks (spinal stenosis L3-L4)...since that initial 2 weeks my pain is gone but my left leg is weak and left knee is numb and I have been home bound trying to regain the strength in my leg thinking rest will heal me.

Discovered TMS and thinking this may be the cause of my leg weakness and knee numbness (not sure) and since the mantra is to get back to doing the most vigorous physical activity....I plan on playing basketball after 2 years of doing zero physically.

Would this be wise? Does this sound like TMS?

 

Yep. If the pain moves, the brain is still trying to distract. I would just do it, which is sometimes easier said than done. When I just did it, irregardless of the pain, the pain decreased. I would advise to go slow, at first, but then gradually work up to a full basketball game.

 

Rest will NOT strengthen it, only cause atrophy. Keep moving and exercising.

 

Hi there. Well for sure you know the "spinal stenosis " did not cause your hip pain since it went away in two weeks. I mean, what, the stenosis went away in two weeks???? Do you feel your left leg is weak or has a doctor diagnosed a true loss of strength ( even so probably still TMS). I had numbness on outside of my left knee plus pain when kneeling but I knew it was TMS when X-ray was normal. The numbness lasted for at least a year but I just didn't worry about and kept on running. It's gone away now. I would suggest a gradual return to b-ball just due to conditioning factors not because it will hurt your hip/knee.

 

Ok guys thanks for your feedback....gives me the added courage and confidence that playing basketball will not make things worst ( I have the fear of any physical activity would make things worst) course I will gradually work up because that better fits my style.

....and Tennis Tom you hit it on the head after the 2 years my leg has not healed only atrophied.

 

A few years ago, I got so frustrated with my pain, I quit doing all exercise for six months to "let it heal", this only resulted in a dx of "clinical depression" and a loss of twenty pounds, but no improvement in my original TMS location. I'm convinced the WORST thing you can do for your mindbody is to stop exercising and using it--it will just weaken it.

 

This is it. When my right shoulder pain was bad, I said to hell with it and repainted our whole house and the pain went away. Now, of course it's moved to my left shoulder, and now I don't have those big projects, so I'm just exercising and using my arms as much as possible, because for a while, my muscles did atrophy.

 

I had "no choice" when my leg went weak and my knee numb I "knew" that doing anything physical would make things worst so I had to end all Physical activity and "baby" myself so I could heal....

well the first week of April 2017 I had not healed and my legs were atrophying so I thought, "well, shit, I have to do something more Physical even though it might make things worst this atrophy is maybe worst"

So I kind of made a tentative decision to start up playing basketball but I would take it "SLOWLY"

Then

April 15 2017 i'm on youtube and I happen to click on Dr Sarno and in the next 8 hours I learned that physical activity was not only encouraged but may be the most important thing...

 

Man I understand that depression thingie...

 

How 'bout swimming if there's another TMS flare-up?

 

Not like "The Animal" Ozanich....but I am committed to TMS so it's basketball or bust!

(Plus if I competed swimming against a rock...I would finish in second)

 

Sounds like a classic case. But the mantra is also to address whatever is bugging you. What happened in your life about the time the pain started? Please read a Sarno book to get going. I like "Mind Body Prescription" as a place to start.

 

Looking back on that time there was no "what happened in your life"....and I know in some ways "seeing" yourself is the hardest thing to do....I mean we "clearly see" the faults of others and meanwhile we ourselves are such angels (ha-ha).

that aside I do feel I am much aware of myself and my negativity and stress response and reaction and I can "honestly" say as much as my unseen denial may allow that I have a reasonably calm outlook on life.

So for the life of me while I believe in TMS I did not have the huge initiating event (lost job, divorce, death in family...etc.) I just believe it was an accumulation of tiny things over years and it culminated in two weeks if intense pain....but again because I feel like I am "aware" that pain only lasted two weeks, however the numbness and weakness has remained for 2 years (so something is going on)

What....I don't know (maybe to subtle for me and so I don't now where to "look")

In the meantime with overcoming TMS what could be easier, simpler, more doable than to get back to doing physical activity....I mean that's an action step that for a lazy person as myself takes zero brain power and zero effort....who wants to try and contemplate and uncover one's deep psychological hangups.

(waaaaay to much work)

Play Basketball

How great is that as therapy!?

 

However!

I am keeping one sleepy eye on the outlook of what could be going on emotionally....and "mind body prescription" is a great place to start with Sarno is a point taken under consideration.

Thanks

 

Yes, you don't have dig up any past traumas--psycho-archeology. TMS is as you see a combination of life events, and the T-type personality traits. You've got a handle on it, go forward and do. With your new found TMS thinking you will have a new perspective --when you feel the pain or tension building think psychological. Be the observer, don't allow your sub-c to take over.

 

I do a ton of this "beating up" on myself as well. It's hugely counter productive and I'm learning from the people here. I have a similar struggle as you but I also have success with some low hanging fruit pains that I wasn't even thinking about. The numb arms that were supposed be pinched ulnar OR thoracic outlet synonym just disappeared while reading a Sarno book. And I went to one of the best hand and arm docs in Chicago. They dont have answers. I didn't even notice for a couple of days. that and the sore foot arch are just gone. Gone. I am following this TMS stuff for a totally different pain in my knee and groin!! Those I continue to fight with my own head on with this beating up stuff.

But let me just say this on your comment regarding "no significant event." I urge you to dive into the material and this site and take action. I too thought there were no big events until I started writing. The journal work I've done, based solely on techniques found on this site, have been an eye opener and I am beginning to see results with the knee and the groin. I am talking about stuff I thought was silly like high-school girlfriend breakups from the "80's. These seem to have hurt me worse than I thought. I thought I had 'gotten over' them when I believe now it was 'repressed.' Read. Write. Do anything else people here suggest. Search and dig. Get mindful. I continue to do the same. It works.

 

Yes, for examples see the RAHE-HOLMES LIST OF EVENTS, there's your TMS science :

THE HOLMES-RAHE STRESS SCALE:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale (Holmes and Rahe stress scale - Wikipedia)



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Just the mere fact that I went from, "you got to baby yourself, take it easy, get off your feet, do the least amount you can, give up the things you physically love to do" to....

"Man, live your life!....grab it by the balls (sorry) because there is nothing holding you back!"

WOW

bout as great as learning the world is round when all the time I thought it was flat....

 

I will say this about my "numbness"....I'm going to the obvious...that the reason i'm experiencing the numbness in my knee is because it is symbolic of "numbing" down my feelings

and I must admit I have lost my ability to feel things naturally (good and bad) and maybe that's it everything I feel especially bad I just stuff down "numbing" myself....

 

Hi boo boo,

I had it all, pain, numbness, tingling, and had it all over.

Glad you discovered TMS. We are all glad we did.

Basketball might be a bit too early. Start with walking, walking fast, jogging, jumping, and so on and pace yourself, maybe even start bouncing the ball a bit or lift some light weights mainly to build your mental confidence. In this way, if you feel any pain, you don't get too fearful and stop. Go for a slow but steady level of increased activity.

As far as your statement,"What....I don't know (maybe to subtle for me and so I don't now where to "look"

You can use this TMS Questionnaire to get a sense of what could be your TMS triggers and start working on them.

http://www.fredamir.com/questionnaire (Back Pain)


Take care,