I have a really weird neck injury that's been plaguing me for 2 months. It's driving me crazy because it seems to occur anytime I do any physical activity at all. I wanted to see if any guys have personal or indirect experience with overcoming something like this.
I've done BJJ for a few years and every now and then I ended up with a slightly stiff neck after an intense practice/roll session, where one side has slightly reduced flexibility/mobility vs the other side. I would take a few days off, and go to a yoga session or two, and then I'd be back to 100% / equal flexibility on both sides.
This past april, right as I was getting ready for a set of tournaments (and a month away from blue belt), I went to a practice where I didn't even roll live, but I was doing side control/submission drill that got a bit neck crankish. Didn't feel anything at practice, but the next morning I woke up not being able to move my neck to the left at all, and fairly intense aching pain from the upper trap up to the back of my head on the left side. Not on the spine at all - seemed really focused in the muscle, and very localized (didn't seem connected to other parts of my body like a nerve/spinal injury).
I went cold turkey on all physical activity, iced it. After a few days it felt better where the pain mostly subsided, but still greatly reduced flexibility. I started going to yoga. Went to 3 yoga sessions, seemed to be coming along. Then the 4th yoga session or so, I don't know what the hell happened but the OPPOSITE (right) side got totally fucked up in the same way. I don't remember doing any positions/moves out of the ordinary either. Out of nowhere, just intense, throbbing pain on the right side of my neck.
I immediately left and went home and got back to icing it, etc. But that scared the shit out of me because I've been using yoga for years as a recovery tool and it had always been highly effective. So to get injured from yoga, was just something I wasn't expecting at all....
After that, I've been going to a physical therapist recommended by my BJJ instructor, past 8 weeks or so. I go for 3 or 4 weeks without doing any activity just focusing on the PT, and foam rolling every day. I make progress, pain goes away, and my neck flexibility gets restored nearly 100%.
The PTs tell me I should start trying going to the gym to do lifts that are not weight bearing on my neck or engaging that muscle - leg press, lat pulldowns, etc and doing slow, controlled lifts, not going 100%, etc. I do a few workouts - it feels great to finally get some exercise in as I was starting to go nuts, muscles atrophying, etc. I'm smart about it -taking time for recovery, slow controlled motion, etc. Then 5th or 6th workout BOOM, pain starts up again, this time back on LEFT side. Not quite as intense as prior times but definitely aches during the day. I wasn't doing anything that put weight on my neck just leg press, lat pulldowns, leg extensions, seated calf raise, etc.
Now I'm completely at wits end - basically any kind of physical activity, even slow/controlled lifts that don't use my neck, or even fucking yoga, and I get injured?
I'm 31 and certainly didn't see myself doing BJJ forever, though I see plenty of older guys in my gym that are killing it, and I was a month away from blue belt, but right now returning to BJJ isn't even my concern anymore I just want to be able to get back to the point where I can at least lift some weights again so my muscles don't atrophy. Because right now it seems like I basically can't do any physical activity.
It will break my heart to retire from BJJ a inch away from a hard-earned blue belt, and I will get over that eventually, but it's going to break my fucking soul to turn into skinny-fat because I can't even lift.
The PTs are nice enough and happy to take my money, but it seems like there is something going on that is beyond their pay grade. Does anybody have experience with other types of docs/medical professions that might be able to help?
TL;DR I've had a neck injury for 2+ months that happens when I do any kind of physical activity at all. It heals up but when I start going back to doing lifts like leg press or lat pulldown that shouldn't engage the the neck, I get re-injured. It happens on one side or the other where I have reduced mobility and throbbing/aching pain that is present when I'm not doing anything. Been going to Physical Therapists but they don't seem to know what's going on, looking for alternative medical professions/advice because I'm at wits end. Any ideas appreciated.
I've done BJJ for a few years and every now and then I ended up with a slightly stiff neck after an intense practice/roll session, where one side has slightly reduced flexibility/mobility vs the other side. I would take a few days off, and go to a yoga session or two, and then I'd be back to 100% / equal flexibility on both sides.
This past april, right as I was getting ready for a set of tournaments (and a month away from blue belt), I went to a practice where I didn't even roll live, but I was doing side control/submission drill that got a bit neck crankish. Didn't feel anything at practice, but the next morning I woke up not being able to move my neck to the left at all, and fairly intense aching pain from the upper trap up to the back of my head on the left side. Not on the spine at all - seemed really focused in the muscle, and very localized (didn't seem connected to other parts of my body like a nerve/spinal injury).
I went cold turkey on all physical activity, iced it. After a few days it felt better where the pain mostly subsided, but still greatly reduced flexibility. I started going to yoga. Went to 3 yoga sessions, seemed to be coming along. Then the 4th yoga session or so, I don't know what the hell happened but the OPPOSITE (right) side got totally fucked up in the same way. I don't remember doing any positions/moves out of the ordinary either. Out of nowhere, just intense, throbbing pain on the right side of my neck.
I immediately left and went home and got back to icing it, etc. But that scared the shit out of me because I've been using yoga for years as a recovery tool and it had always been highly effective. So to get injured from yoga, was just something I wasn't expecting at all....
After that, I've been going to a physical therapist recommended by my BJJ instructor, past 8 weeks or so. I go for 3 or 4 weeks without doing any activity just focusing on the PT, and foam rolling every day. I make progress, pain goes away, and my neck flexibility gets restored nearly 100%.
The PTs tell me I should start trying going to the gym to do lifts that are not weight bearing on my neck or engaging that muscle - leg press, lat pulldowns, etc and doing slow, controlled lifts, not going 100%, etc. I do a few workouts - it feels great to finally get some exercise in as I was starting to go nuts, muscles atrophying, etc. I'm smart about it -taking time for recovery, slow controlled motion, etc. Then 5th or 6th workout BOOM, pain starts up again, this time back on LEFT side. Not quite as intense as prior times but definitely aches during the day. I wasn't doing anything that put weight on my neck just leg press, lat pulldowns, leg extensions, seated calf raise, etc.
Now I'm completely at wits end - basically any kind of physical activity, even slow/controlled lifts that don't use my neck, or even fucking yoga, and I get injured?
I'm 31 and certainly didn't see myself doing BJJ forever, though I see plenty of older guys in my gym that are killing it, and I was a month away from blue belt, but right now returning to BJJ isn't even my concern anymore I just want to be able to get back to the point where I can at least lift some weights again so my muscles don't atrophy. Because right now it seems like I basically can't do any physical activity.
It will break my heart to retire from BJJ a inch away from a hard-earned blue belt, and I will get over that eventually, but it's going to break my fucking soul to turn into skinny-fat because I can't even lift.
The PTs are nice enough and happy to take my money, but it seems like there is something going on that is beyond their pay grade. Does anybody have experience with other types of docs/medical professions that might be able to help?
TL;DR I've had a neck injury for 2+ months that happens when I do any kind of physical activity at all. It heals up but when I start going back to doing lifts like leg press or lat pulldown that shouldn't engage the the neck, I get re-injured. It happens on one side or the other where I have reduced mobility and throbbing/aching pain that is present when I'm not doing anything. Been going to Physical Therapists but they don't seem to know what's going on, looking for alternative medical professions/advice because I'm at wits end. Any ideas appreciated.