As I mentioned in the previous blog my over training started the summer of entering the 6th grade.
Extremely intense track and field sessions for the triple jump-hop-skip-jump- started to damage the developing end plates of my femoral heads that articulate in the hip joint.
Proper form coupled with recovery and rest were not emphasized back in the day. ‘No pain-no gain and more is better’ was embedded in the coaching mantra.
Ultimately, from the initial left hip injury a whole series of structural compensations began to take place in all of my movement patterns, though I wasn’t aware of it at the time.
Little did I realize everything is connected and nothing works independently in the human body.
Through the years I began to experience increased lumbar pain and dysfunction, more frequent left hip pain, and the beginning of pain in my right hip.
Ultimately this led to two left hip replacements – the second one was a revision to rebuild my hip with cadaver bone. Out of necessity four years later my right hip was replaced because there was very little cartilage left.
Due to years of structural compensations in the hips and pelvis my lumbar spine bore increased stress and loads, and lost the ability to function as a unit with my hips.
Ultimately after multiple back injuries and further degeneration, I was faced with lumbar spinal stenosis and had a laminectomy at L-3-4-5 and a laminotomy at L-5-S-1.
Throughout this journey I discovered various holistic modalities to reduce the compensations, dysfunction and pain.
The time finally came when I realized, I was my own worst enemy and had the epiphany that changed my life personally and professionally.
Next blog I will share a number of the methods that have been instrumental for my recovery and healing, as well as forming the foundations for creating, implementing and coaching – “Holistic Injury Free Athletic Training”