Progress and Set-backs in the gym

[DisgruntledJimmy]

I know it's a minor thing to complain about but goddamn. 3 years ago, I had torn of one of my rotator cuffs after a work incident. Spent months rehabbing it with those embarrassing elastic bands until it was cleared for strength training. I wasted no time in rebuilding what I had lost and I'm actually proud of the growth in my shoulders since then.

Last April, I fell 25' and managed to completely snap my left heel entirely off my foot. Wound up buying a peg leg that I wore for a handful of months until that was all healed/cleared for weight and let me tell you - that shit was awful. Refused to let my wife see my legs in the light since one leg was atrophied and the other was muscular (I continued training the good leg the entire healing period). I lost most of my mobility in my left leg from my ankle to my hip and I spent countless hours this past year doing all the mundane boring stretches to bring the movements back to near 100%. I will tell you though, my lower body strength today is the best it has ever been. (I try not to think about where I'd be if I never broke the foot in the first place)

Today, I checked out my physique in the gym mirrors and realized my bellybutton was looking kind of fucky. The topside of my bellybutton is beginning to protrude in a way it never has before and according to my google investigation results, I may be dealing with the start of a umbilical hernia. Already scheduled an appointment with my doctor to get his opinion; if I'm right, I'm going to need surgery to fix that issue before it gets worse. Seems like most guys are out of the gym for 3-4 weeks after those surgeries...Hoping like hell I'm wrong though - I really don't want to sit on my ass for an entire month doing fuck all while that heals.

You guys ever have a string of "2 steps forward, 1 step back" kind of luck with the gym? Looking back at my post now, I suppose I could pull out the "silver lining" card and say I learned quite a bit about the importance of mobility work and the foundation it lays for true strength growth...

 

[Powerhousehb]

In 2015 I had to have neck surgery due to a pinched nerve in my left arm. The surgeon replaced 2 discs in my neck with artificial plastic discs. Two leval fusion with a cage. The usual. When I woke up after surgery the pain was gone. I had suffered for 2 years and it was the first time I was prescribed pain pills and I became addicted. I had a solid year of physcial therepy for my neck. After the surgery. It was a long painful road to healing with a lot of pain. The following year I went to rehab for 90 days to get off the pain pills. Today I'm 100% healed and 100% clean. No pot, alchol, pills, benzos, booze. Just gear & cafine! I have very little pain from the surgery. I was out of the gym for 1.5 years. I've had a couple more surgerys since. 2 steps forward 1 step back. As long as you keep moving forward is all that counts as my dad would say.

 

[Batman65]

Wow brother. Sounds like a long journey. I have been diagnosed with a compression in my spinal cord. C6-C7. Pain my right arm. Tingling that is freaking unbelievable in my hand. Doctor has stated in need to have my C6-C7 fused and a replacement disc inserted. Surgery goes through my neck in the throat area. He says no rehab required but it will take 6-9 weeks for the bone to heal. I'm now getting pain into my legs so I am hoping this will be the miracle I'm looking for. Just had shoulder replacement in July 2021. Freaking arthritis eating me alive .