The Back Injury

by Paula

Today was a rough day for the back. After a week of training, my back was screaming at me today. I can feel the pain shooting from my back and through my hip all the way down my hamstring. The back is better, but its still a recovery process.

In March 2009 I had been teaching aerobics and I started to feel a little pain in my lower back. It was not bad at first, and I thought it was just a pinched nerve or muscle strain. After a couple of weeks I was in a lot of pain, and by the end of the month it started to impact my training.

After a month of icing, stretching, resting, and taking anti-inflammatorys and muscle relaxers, I gave massage therapy a try. This is a big deal for me because I hate strangers touching me, and I really hate people touching my back. In addition, I do not like just laying in one place and doing nothing.

In May 2009 I competed in the Florida State Championships. My back was killing me during the entire competition. During my Xtreme form I did a jump split kick. On the way up I felt my back give out, and on the landing my back locked up. OUCH!!!! I was not able to walk for a couple days after that.

So for the next 6 months I gave physical therapy a go. I did this in combination with the muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory, and it did not help at all. Then the 6 months after that I tried the chiropractor, and after that I felt worse than ever. I even started to get migraines after getting adjusted. I tried two different chiropractors, and I will never go back to another ever again.

After Nationals in July of 2010 I decided that maybe I would never be able to do Taekwondo again. It was just too painful and most of the time I was physically incapable of even a front kick. I believe this is where God came to the rescue…

My husband just happened to get a job where he just happened to meet a spinal surgeon who just happened to be one of 6 people in the world to do non-invasive spinal surgery. WOW!

The surgeon was great because he wanted to try other methods to fix the problem before we even attempted surgery. We did injections and more physical therapy. But the injections ended up hurting more than helping.

On September 8, 2010 I had back surgery. Without cutting muscle, the surgeon replaced my L4/L5 disc with a metal disc, and fused my spine with two metal rods and some metal screws. I call it my bionic back because the surgeon says its indestructible.

I have no limitations put on me because of the surgery.  A day after surgery the surgeon took out my drainage tube and said to me, “I fixed you so you could move, now get moving.” It was the sweetest thing any doctor has ever said to me, ha ha.

Seriously, I feel great compared to where I have been. I can move and jump and sneeze without being paralyzed from it. I am still sore, and I still have more recovery to go just to get rid of the swelling that bothers my nerves, but I can deal with that because I still get to do Taekwondo!!!!