What are your injuries and illnesses?

AtticWindow
AtticWindow Posts: 295 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hey everybody! I know that most of us are incorporating exercise into our weight loss/gain/maintenance routines, but I'm also sure a fair few of us has leftover, chronic, or major physical injuries and illnesses that present challenges to our exercise on a regular basis. So let's vent about them, share tips on dealing with them, and so on!

I have some mild asthma that's way better than when I was a kid, but still acts up. I'm allergic to basically everything outside, which is stellar. I've broken my right foot twice and sprained the same ankle; the latter injury was never treated properly and so I have a presumably permanent ganglion cyst and have trouble sitting with my ankles tucked under myself. I have two small plantar fibromas, one on the arch of each foot, and, as my beloved right foot seems partial to injuries, the one on that arch is bigger. And I've had PFPS since I was a teenager, especially irritating/painful in my - you guessed it! - right knee. Wheeee!

Naturally, some of my favorite exercises are hell on these injuries and issues. I rode horses for ten years - rough on my knees, and I'm allergic to hay! And I love ballet, which is an activity just BEGGING for joint problems. As an adult, I've gotten into yoga, but some of those poses can be tough on my ankle. Even swimming, arguably one of the gentler full body workouts, can cause me problems if I kick the wrong way. But I push through, because a) I really like these activities! and b) I'm hoping that if I can get back into shape now, before 30, and stay strong and in shape, I might have less of a problem with these things when I'm older. (If that's not true, older people, give it to me straight.)

Replies

  • LifterDave
    LifterDave Posts: 112 Member
    I have had a broken collar bone, a broken arm and a few fractured ribs. Had an inguinal hernia repaired and then blew out the repair a little over a year later, but the most debilitating thing I have ever gone through was a spinal injury at L5S1 which ultimately resulted in surgical repair after injections and followed by physical therapy. It took me a full year to be able to walk normal again. This happened when I was 47 years old and was also in top physical condition strength training 3 days a week and riding my mountain bike between 60-70 miles a week also.

    A year later I resumed lifting again with an empty barbell and worked my way up to a 465 lb squat. Despite suffering chronic daily sciaitic pain from the permanent nerve damage left over from my injury. Will be 51 in a few months and I just keep pushing on. Moral of the story is to NEVER quit on yourself.
  • AtticWindow
    AtticWindow Posts: 295 Member
    I have had a broken collar bone, a broken arm and a few fractured ribs. Had an inguinal hernia repaired and then blew out the repair a little over a year later, but the most debilitating thing I have ever gone through was a spinal injury at L5S1 which ultimately resulted in surgical repair after injections and followed by physical therapy. It took me a full year to be able to walk normal again. This happened when I was 47 years old and was also in top physical condition strength training 3 days a week and riding my mountain bike between 60-70 miles a week also.

    A year later I resumed lifting again with an empty barbell and worked my way up to a 465 lb squat. Despite suffering chronic daily sciaitic pain from the permanent nerve damage left over from my injury. Will be 51 in a few months and I just keep pushing on. Moral of the story is to NEVER quit on yourself.

    It's so awesome how you got through all those injuries! That squat sounds truly impressive. Excellent work, very motivating and inspiring!
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  • Laerai
    Laerai Posts: 495 Member
    I feel like I have nothing to compare. I've got chronic back issues from scoliosis and poor posture. I'm getting physical therapy and learning how to treat myself. Standing for long periods of time is bad. I also have a sprained foot that never quite healed right so a lot of high impact stuff drives it crazy. I still do it anyway as long as it's not further hurt!
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 674 Member
    I have a condition called alport syndrome in which i don't make a certain type of collagen found in the kidneys, ears, and eyes. I lost kidney function at 19 and had a transplant at 21. I wear hearing aids and I'm nearly blind in bright lights.

    I have hyperparathyroidism. I had one enlarged parathyroid gland removed a few years ago, and my bloodwork shows i have another one. Really don't want a second throat surgery, but the condition can lead to this like bone pain and heart disease.

    I broke my foot as a teenager and didn't get it fixed for ten years. That one has a screw in it now.

    I had a nose job purely for cosmetic reasons! But my allergies are worse now.

    Migraines. I have vomited on the bus to work more than one, but actors and such can't really call out sick.

    Bipolar and anxiety.

    So i forgive myself if I'm just too beat too exercise.
  • Simone_King
    Simone_King Posts: 467 Member
    Three months ago I fell from a horse and broke my collar bone which resulted in surgery to fix the whole thing.

    Two months of inactivity resulted in me relapsing.

    I'm getting back to normal now. XD
  • karenrich77
    karenrich77 Posts: 292 Member
    I have fibromyalgia which tries to stop me from exercising lol

    It's complicated with 24/7 vertigo which I have had for 3.5 years. So when I exercise I tend to do as much inside as possible so I don't damage myself. I already bounce off walls and bruise myself a lot lol

    And I have a stupid ankle injury when a 33pound bed head fell on my ankle and tore all the ligaments clean off the bone and stretched my achilles to almost snapping point. I still struggle with that injury on a daily basis.

    But hey, I always get between 30-110 mins of walking in every day and some bike riding when I am well enough to stay upright on it :P

    I promise I sound like a drunk but I'm not one :P :P :P
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  • Autumngolds
    Autumngolds Posts: 30 Member
    In the past depression and anxiety/panic have made exercising extremely difficult, as well as being very overweight and unfit for a while when I first began. The main problem now is (undiagnosed) tiredness, which can come on very unexpectedly, and often with headaches or dizziness as well. It makes it exhausting just standing up sometimes, and when I'm out I often have to take someone's arm to help keep me steady. It makes me feel really ill sometimes and the past few months it's led to me exercising a lot less than I'd like to. I find it really frustrating because even though it's difficult I love exercising, and it helps my depression a lot, so if there's anyone with a similar problem I'd love any advice. :)

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