Muscle spasms: How much progress will I lose?

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BayInTheWoods
BayInTheWoods Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
40f, 5'6, SW 205, CW 185, GW 150. I started walking and doing You Are Your Own Gym back in January. I know enough to know that I'm not building muscle in a deficit, but I was getting a little bit stronger, and I brought my steps per day from less than 4,000 to around 10,000.

I felt a knot deep in my right glute start a few weeks ago. Couldn't relieve it with stretching, couldn't relieve it with a foam roller. Kept walking - it's low impact - but took the training down on YAYOG to four days a week instead of five like it recommended for where I was in the program.

Today I woke up with pain and spasms in my lower back and right hip flexors. Dear God, the pain. I've had kidney stones that were more fun than this. I can draw a line on my right leg where my sartorius is; that thing has been twitching most of the day. Thought I was going to fall a few times when my back and outer hip spasmed at the same time. I've been in tears all day. I can't sit comfortably and I can't stand comfortably.

I am terrified. I'm about 41% body fat, higher than average for my BMI. I was trying to preserve muscle with strength training while using the walking to boost my TDEE a little bit; I can't even do half a mile right now; I'm back down to less than 4,000 steps again. Strength training is right out; I can't sit comfortably, and I can't stand up straight.

What do I do? I can cut my calories by 200 to compensate for my lack of movement (not looking forward to 1200, but oh well, I guess). I'm afraid I'll lose as much muscle as I do fat, so no matter how much I lose, I'll still be 41% body fat.

I'm afraid a doctor won't take me seriously because of my weight, or will tell me to just lose weight, which is what I was trying to do... I have a massage scheduled on Friday to see if that'll help, but I'm afraid the massage therapist will cancel because of my weight. Fat discrimination is a thing, and I'm afraid of asking for medical help because of it.

The last time I hurt my back this badly was with yoga (so no, I won't do yoga again). I spent 12 weeks doing physical therapy. I'm so afraid of how much progress I'll lose if I have to do that again. I don't want to still be 41% body fat three months from now.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Replies

  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,660 Member
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    Eat at maintenance while you're injured? Consider losing slower, by changing your goal from 2 lbs a week to 1, or even 1/2 pound per week, so you're not at 1200 calories, even without exercise? Usually, I stretch a tight muscle, but I've never had spasms so bad that I couldn't sit, stand or walk. That sounds horrifying. I DO know that working through an injury tends to prolong the injury, if not make it worse. You lose even more progress that way. But the hell you're describing might even be enough for me to see a doctor about. And if you knew me, you'd know how much that is saying.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,642 Member
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    I won't touch the injury (no pun intended) cause I don't know enough to offer any advice or suggestion other than to consult a specialist/health professional.

    But the rest of it?

    Just reduce your deficit to something more manageable for now while you're dealing with your injuries.

    And while you probably WERE building some muscle if you were relatively untrained when you started out, I wouldn't worry too much in the short term about body composition.

    Assuming your 41% is accurate (which is a huge assumption), you are extremely likely with a normal sized caloric deficit (not exceeding 20% of tdee or so) to preferentially lose fat as compared to anything else.

    So keep on losing by creating a reasonable caloric deficit, heal, and resume training once you have improved!

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    BayInTheWoods wrote: »
    What do I do? I can cut my calories by 200 to compensate for my lack of movement (not looking forward to 1200, but oh well, I guess). I'm afraid I'll lose as much muscle as I do fat, so no matter how much I lose, I'll still be 41% body fat.

    I'd suggest cutting the size of your deficit rather than cutting calories.
    Excessive deficit is a big contributor to losing muscle.

    Get medical attention, could be as simple as nerve impingement which could be an easy and quick fix but until you get a diagnosis you won't know.
  • Arralethe
    Arralethe Posts: 222 Member
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    I've had a spasm exactly like the one you're describing, and I went straight to my osteopath (not my doctor). She did a mix of deep tissue massage, acupuncture on the area and assisted stretches, which eased the immediate pain, and after a couple of weeks of taking it relatively easy (and seeing her once a week), it cleared up and so far has no recurred (2 years plus).

    Basically my entire glute went into spasm and locked up. This caused knock-on problems through hips and lower back. Osteopaths I've seen have never commented on my weight (and I have been over 200lbs for a while), and simply look to get you functional and pain-free, without medication. Please go see one!
  • Arralethe
    Arralethe Posts: 222 Member
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    Oh, and also get a prickle ball for self-massage :https://www.physioroom.com/product/PhysioRoom_Spiky_Massage_Ball_Trigger_Point_Massage_to_Improve_Circulation_Eases_Back_Legs_and_Arm_Pain/2267/39008.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwu5CDBhB9EiwA0w6sLTM6L2IqoT7TPmiY_f7-2SG18yY1AudAhk8dkvd3_tCt5Ti8vAqJwhoCBrEQAvD_BwE
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    edited March 2021
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    I looked up this muscle to learn something. All say to see a doctor ASAP, so you will start the correct treatment and not worsen your condition. It says 4-6 weeks to get over it. As for you being overweight and afraid your doctor will not take you seriously, this is a known injury and not something you make up. Don't let your head stop you from doing the right thing. If your doc won't take all this pain seriously, then find another, until you get the help you need. Keep up with your calorie deficit. You will probably do PhysioTherapy to learn to stretch the muscle gently and correctly. Learn from it. Go on and exercise after, but work into it slowly, or change up your exercise.
    I'm 66 and am doing exercises to avoid this problem. I've known people that have had the pain you describe, and I don't want it. Good luck to you and stay strong.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    I'm afraid a doctor won't take me seriously because of my weight, or will tell me to just lose weight, which is what I was trying to do... I have a massage scheduled on Friday to see if that'll help

    See a doctor, not a masseuse. Getting a massage can actually make it worse, depending on what is going on. Schedule your PT asap!
    I spent 12 weeks doing physical therapy. I'm so afraid of how much progress I'll lose if I have to do that again.

    Talk with your PT about your concerns. You could also get a referral to a registered dietician (not nutritionist) to work on a meal plan for while you are recovering and safe movement for while you recover. I know I was only able to barely do my PT exercises when I was injured, but by the end of 2 months I was able to walk on the treadmill at .5 mph, then .7, then 1.0, until I was back to my 2.5 walking speed.
  • mikhnpaitsmum
    mikhnpaitsmum Posts: 119 Member
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    See your doc and go to physio. Physio will not judge your weight - mine never does. They will work on you to reliev the pain, give you exercises to help relieve is and to prevent it from reoccurring.
    You deserve to take care of this.
  • queanmum
    queanmum Posts: 28 Member
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    5'6" and 185 sounds beautiful and curvy. If you think your current doctor won't take you seriously, look for an osteopath (DO) or a nurse practitioner (APRN). I have always had better luck with a female provider, They seem to listen better. Please don't mess around with this injury. Go get a proper diagnosis. Take care.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,463 Member
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    As a side note, I’ve never had a masseuse treat me different because I was fat.

    If that’s the case, find another.

  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,092 Member
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    https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/pain-in-training-what-do/
    Have a look at this article. It may help

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