Resume Full Activity

I followed Sarno’s advice and returned to full activity 8 weeks ago.

Full activity meaning 60 mins of football a week (soccer)

There’s been zero improvement in any of my old chronic symptoms but now I’ve got constant sore knees and ankle pain.

I’m 35 and in fairly decent shape considering I’m a 15 year chronic pain sufferer.

Do I need to accept I’m too old to run or play sport once a week?

Resuming full activity has made me worse generally so my advice to others is tread carefully.

 

My husband is 56, he’s downstairs on the treadmill running 7 miles.
It’s not your age. I suspect you’ve been a little out of shape, and that you are hyper focusing on any sensation.

 

Thanks but I also know lots of people who are that age who run marathons. But we’re not all built the same..

 

If you're 35 you should definitely not be accepting age as the culprit. It is your TMS. Think of how many professional athletes there are your age. It's definitely not your age and you should definitely not give up. You'll figure this out. Keep trying. Back off the full activity for a bit and try getting back into it slowly. Start with low intensity then build from there. Remember, if doctors have found nothing wrong with you structurally, then it's your TMS/MBS. Also, it is worth noting that I did the same thing going straight back to full activity, and there was increased pain for a while. Then it all just seemed to stop after a little while.

 

There seems to be a lot of misconceptions about what Dr Sarno meant by returning to a full range of activity. My take on it, is that Dr Sarno meant just getting back to what you do without forcing the issue. He didn't mean returning to a full schedule of training like an Olympic athlete (although you might do that over the course of time). I think he meant returning to doing what you normally do without any impediments without forcing the issue. If TMS kept you from walking to the mailbox, sure walk to the mailbox if that's part of your normal routine. If TMS kept you from shopping or going to social functions, sure go shopping and go to that party without feeling constricted. I personally think he meant returning to a full range of activities, no matter how strenuous, only in a series of graduated stages that build your confidence and belief in the TMS diagnosis. I think Charlie Merrill, MSPT, a TMS informed Physical Therapist in Boulder, Colorado has some excellent ideas on this and some excellent outcomes to back him up. Patients of his who haven't been able to run or climb in 25 years have returned to their very active sports while under his care. Dr Sarno also insists that you shouldn't come back too quickly so that you scare yourself and bring the pain back. Remember pain is a warning signal so fear can very well trigger your chronic pain response.

Charlie Merrill's Web site:
https://www.mperformance.com/

 

Pg 77, P77, the 77th page and Pg. 77. of Healing Back Pain.
That is "I suggest to my patients..when becoming aware of the pain to consciously and forcefully shift attention.... a chronic family OR financial problem, a recurrent source of irritation...."

I have done pg 77 until my eyes have teared up. I'm not a puker, but I have almost puked from the pain before.
However, that is the one thing I have always stood by. I feel a twinge at work and just ignoring it doesn't abort it in 2 minutes? Pg 77.

After reading Sarno and learning that we are pretty much indestructible and having a long history of him not only being right, but I think even a little too conservative, any weird new thing instantly gets pg 77'd. If I am in Public, in the middle of a game (Baseball) It is harder because I have to focus on the game....so I go and do alone challenges where me mumbling to myself isn't gonna freak out too many people. It is hard to concentrate when you're in pain and scared but it is THEE most effective tool I know of....
If I am driving I turn off the radio and talk to it out loud!
If I am at work, I go and get involved in a task alone. Lifting weights, pushups, hitting in the cages or off a tee. Running sprints in the park. Alone...ok, maybe with my dog. But no distractions
Sarno compared it to a contest of will in Mindbody prescription ..it's You vs The Pain.

When I first went back to activity, I was stuck. I wasn't getting better. I fully understood the main premise and was already saying "I Get this....why is the pain still here!". I had sciatica up and down both legs and my back was in spasm. I suddenly remembered that the track I was walking around was walked by old and crusty people..I used to run around that track and cycle around it but I never walked until my 'problem' started.(conditioning)
As soon as this dawned on me I went "F-it" and broke into a sprint across the grass.

I did not have some magical cure. I collapsed at the end of the field BUT...a big BUT...I was not in any worse pain like I had been told by my surgeon and the system. Of course I was a little stiff and funny feeling, but after reading Sarno and re-reading Sarno and reading Sarno again, I was prepared mentally... It also confirmed his assertion that you can't hurt yourself. That's just conditioned fear.

I know @BruceMC is quoting the gospel of 'don't scare yourself' and Sarno did say that, but my feeling from reading that was 'a couple of weeks'...not waiting months. Remember, you are gonna get better in a month or 6 weeks. 2 weeks in is a great time to go and test yourself...and Of course your body try's to keep using the strategy that is why advertising in your own head aka READing the text is so important...over and over and over

and whenever I catch myself focusing on the pain PG 77.

peace