Living with Chronic Back Pain: Part 5

Reinventing Myself

Living with chronic back and leg pain

By Cathy Smith

Part 5: My New Norm

It has been three years since my back surgery and I am still learning my new norm. I think the hardest part has been learning to not overdo it. Pushing myself too hard has sidelined me one too many times! Through trial and error, I am learning my new physical boundaries and I am starting to feel like the old healthy, fit “Cathy”.  I have learned swinging a golf club or a tennis racquet is a no. Running is a no. Gardening/weeding is a no. Biking is a maybe. Activities that involve standing (such as a cocktail party, or visiting a museum) are a no. Yoga is a maybe (last disk herniation was from doing the triangle pose! Second time that pose has gotten me into trouble. So, no more triangle poses).  The activities that are working for me are walking, fishing, light swimming, kayaking, core and strength exercises, stretching and I am trying to throw in a little biking and a little pickleball. Sounds like a pretty good new norm!

Through trial and error, I am also learning what treatments work to allow me to be as active as possible (with manageable pain levels). The routine I am working to establish is monthly ART (active release technique) and deep tissue massages coupled with core stabilization, strength training and stretching. I am reserving back injections for the occasions when my disks become intolerable.  I think I am close to reaching this new norm.

Note: I mentioned with “manageable pain levels” above because I lived with pain for years prior to my surgery and feel that living with a pain level of 1-3 (on a scale of 10 being the highest) is acceptable and reasonable for me. I have watched (still watching) my Mom live with much worse pain for over 25 years from similar back issues.

I also wanted to share a brain dump of all of the treatments I have tried over the past three years:

• Physical Therapy (core stabilization)

• Epidural injections

• Facet joint injections

• TENS unit (electrical stimulation which actually made me feel worse)

• ART

• Chiropractic hip adjustments

• Myofascial Release

• Deep Tissue Massage

• Acupuncture

• Meditation 

• Wearing a lumbar back support (for flairs or pickleball)

Learning my new norm is helping me to have a strong, healthy, happy life.

I hope others have been able to find a menu of treatments that work for their back/leg pain. If so, please share by responding to this blog.

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