How old are you, and how many buildings have you fallen off of?
Member
MRI results, back of leg paralysed from squatting injury, advice?
Hi. I am wondering what you would recommend to me given my circumstances. I was squatting on Jan 25 during the beginning of an SS workout when I injured my back and had to stop. It turned out to be multiple injuries. I was bedridden for a few days, after about a week I started to get radiculopathy and after about two weeks noticed that the back of my right leg was paralysed. By that I mean I cant contract the glute, hamstring, or calf.
The MRI results were as follows:
FINDINGS
Evaluation of the lumbar spine reveals a mild 3 mm retrolisthesis of L5 over S1. No distinct pars defect is seen.
There is no compression fracture.
Mild anterior osteophytic lipping is noted. A superior endplate Schmori's node deformity is noted scalloping the superior L4 vertebral body with surrounding reactive changes present.
Disc desiccation changes are seen at the L3/4 level through the L5/S1 level.
Facet sclerosis, hypertrophy, and remodelling is seen, mild.
Marrow signal intensity within the lumbar vertebral bodies and posterior elements and the visualised sacral elements is otherwise unremarkable. No osseous expansion, epidural disease or paraspinal abnormality is found.
At the L3/4 level, there is a broad based disc bulge and small central disc protrusion which indents the thecal sac and results in mild spinal stenosis as well as mild ventrolateral recess and foraminal narrowing..
At the L4/5 level, there is also a broad-based disc bulge displaying a ventral annular tear, but with facet hypertrophy which results in mild central spinal stenosis and mild to moderate ventral lateral recess narrowing and milder bilateral foraminal narrowing.
At the L5/S1 level, there is a broad-based and lateralising disc bulge eccentric to the right with a small right paracentral annular tear, couple with facet hypertrophy which results in mild to moderate central spinal stenosis and partial narrowing of the right more so than left ventrolateral recess as well as mild to moderate foraminal narrowing. There is contact descending right S1 nerve root as well as the exiting L5 nerve root, right and left.
The visualised thoracic cord, conus and terminal nerve roots maintain intact morphology and signal intensity.
The retroperitoneal structures are unremarkable.
IMPRESSION
1. Mild retrolisthesis L5 over S1. No distinct pars defect
2. Mild lumbar spondylosis with facet arthrosis
3. Discogenic disease as above. Of note:
4. L5/S1 level broad-based and lateralising disc bulge eccentric to the right with a small right paracentral annular tear, coupled with facet hypertrophy, results in mild to moderate central spinal stenosis and partial narrowing of the right more than left ventrolateral recess as well as mild to moderate foraminal narrowing. There is contact descending right S1 nerve root as well as the exiting L5 nerve roots, right and left.
I've just gotten back into the gym the past week and a half. Im only doing dips and chins as they don't put any compressive forces on the spine. My questions are:
should I attempt to get the paralysis fixed before I get back into barbell strength training? As it is I don't believe I could even attempt to perform the movements of squat, power cleans, and deadlifts as I don't have control of the posterior musculature of the right leg. I could probably attempt to do them with only one posterior leg musculature activated and use other compensatory muscles on the right side, but would this be wise in your opinion? If I cannot regain control of the right leg muscles should I give up on squats and deadlifts, powercleans?
I could probably physically Bench, but would you recommend this given my condition at this time? (kind of following this is that if I cant press I probably shouldnt bench because of the shoulder imbalances you discuss in SS:BBT3, correct?)
Would the press require me to have full control of my leg before attempting to add it back?
Do you think hyperextensions would be wise with my condition/are there any other exercises I could do at this time to keep my lower back strong other than deadlifts? I'm worried about muscle atrophy as at this time I'm on much bed rest and just walking.
Thank you for your help and opinion.
TMPHBITEU
How old are you, and how many buildings have you fallen off of?
Member
Sorry, should have included that. I'm 27. I have not had any previous serious muscular skeletal injuries. I worked in construction for about 5 years but I have been in the service industry since then. I had been doing SS for 10 months when this happened.
TMPHBITEU
No sir, you have had several previous musculoskeletal injuries, whether you know it or not, and as they should have explained. These types of degenerative changes do not occur in 10 months. With this kind of MRI, my advice would be to decompress with a good chiropractor for about 3 months before you train again.
Member
I'm currently in the process of setting up a consultation with a neurosurgeon once I have an EMG test performed to access any (ongoing) nerve damage. Would you suggest seeing a chiro over a neuro?
Member
10-11-2013
11-01-2013Originally Posted by Stonemason
11-15-2013
12-16-2013
Coincidence?
Member
Directly from the first page of Stonemason's log:
"My previous injuries was basically a "bad" knee from my stonemasonry apprenticeship (deadlifting heavy cornerstones with an utter lack of form on a daily basis for a few years, thank god my back is "fine" so far".
Member
Stonemasons are subject to various hazards, vibration from tools, RSI, and the most frequent, manual lifting injuries due to lifting of slabs of stone. It is an occupational hazard.
Member
My knee was sore from time to time. You will also see that I went to get my knee examined last summer and the x-ray said that my knee was perfectly fine, no degenerative signs were found. My back has always been fine. I never had a sore back or trouble lifting. I merely stated in retrospect since I read SS that my form during my stonemasonry apprenticeship (which was only 1 year long btw) when i deadlifting cornerstones was most likely terrible.
Member
By my joints I meant my shoulders, knees, wrists, and elbows. I never said anything about my back hurting. My back felt fine to me up until this injury. I did have some severe DOMS from a deadlift PR about three weeks before the injury which I also related.
I'm simply looking for advice on what I should do given the injuries I am now aware of. I don't understand what you are trying to say. Rip just said that anything I'vebeen doing the past 10 moinths wouldnt be enough to cause this degeneration. I've not beeing working in manual labour since about 2008 but it's completely possible while I was that I was lifting incorrectly which perhaps damaged my spine perviously before lifting. I have just never had any injuries that required me or compelled me to go to a doctor before my knee last summer which I;ve mentioned turned out to be nothing and did go away as I continueing squatting (that too is in my log if you care to read carefuklly) and that my back never hurt me before. It still doesn't the only symptoms im dealing with now are muscle paralysis and numbness following the S1 nerve root path.
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