| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
SarnoSoldier
16 Posts |
 Posted - 01/19/2005 : 16:29:56
|
| Do you think it is a good idea to shovel snow when you are still in a little pain. I am nervous that if it brings pain after shoveling, it will slow down my recovery process. |
|
|
Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2005 : 20:52:50
|
I agree with Alex. Shovel away, just don't overdo it. Its good exercise provided you are not in a "rush", and if you have a lot to do, shovel in sections. If the snow is very heavy/slushy/ice use a long handled shovel with a smaller blade (like a flat steel shovel, spadelike but with a flat end).
I tend to clear the driveway right away, then do side and back steps/deck maybe the next day. As long as its not going to rain (or slushy then later get cold), sometime you can space out the work.
The key here is to just shovel within your means, and stop all that run-around logic in your head trying to decide if this is a good or bad activity. Its just an activity so get on with it, no big deal.
Fear less, more Sarno.
Take care, -Stryder |
Edited by - Stryder on 01/19/2005 21:01:37 |
 |
|
|
SarnoSoldier
16 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 06:14:16
|
| Stryder that does not help me because if you are saying things like "take it easy" then you are going against what Sarno says. I thought that you should not have to moderate any activity since there is nothing to fear? |
|
|
|
Michele
249 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 07:59:56
|
I'm still fairly new to Sarno, but I believe what he said was to start activities as soon after severe pain has subsided. Right now you are conditioned to think that shoveling snow will bring on the pain. Start slow, don't set a time limit, and good luck! Do you want to do my driveway next?  |
|
|
|
Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 08:28:16
|
I remember shoveling snow back when I still had pretty bad back symptoms. I had fun with it. I put a lot of anger into the shoveling, as if I was saying take that! to my unconscious mind for giving me the symptoms.
I remember actually feeling physically better when it was over.
Funny thing is, a few weeks later I was shoveling a much lighter load of snow, just a couple inches (versus the foot I was shoveling weeks before). After this I developed worse back pain. I kept reminding myself that if I was able to shovel a foot of snow without increasing the pain, then the new pain could not possibly be due to the shoveling. It was TMS, for sure. |
|
|
|
tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 10:51:26
|
SS,
You said Sarno diagrees with your orthopedist, when did you see Sarno? In the back of his book he outlines how to return to activity. Michele is correct. I think Stryder gave you some excellent advice on snow shoveling technique, I would thank him for it. Your bio doesn't say much about you it would be helpful to have more background. What state do you live in? What's your occupation? |
|
|
|
SarnoSoldier
16 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 11:09:03
|
| I am from NJ. I work in a typical office job. Very dull, tedious, valueless, but I am young and making good money. I have had TMS since the very end of college. We are thinking of having kids soon. This is bothering me, but I have had TMS way before a lot of the stresses in my life. I have many sleep panic attacks right around the time of REM sleep. Every night like clockwork. I feel that if I had never been to the doctor, I would never worry about my back like I do. Before I got an MRI, my XRays looked perfect and most doctors have even told me my pain was not from the disk herniation. Unfortunately, that is what sticks out every time I wake up. That handicapped way of life is what I am stuck in. I do a lot of physical activities, but not the most strenous things. It is not a fun way to live life. It was inevitable because if I never got a structural diagnosis, I would always worry about it and question the pain, but because I did get a structural diagnosis, I now worry even more. I wish I found Sarno before the structural diagnosis was given. I have never seen him because he will only see people in or around NYC. I think that is very wrong because I would take 2 weeks vacation to make sure I could attend his meetings. |
|
|
|
Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 11:21:13
|
| I believe that Dr. Sarno will see people from NJ, provided you are willing to commute to NYC twice (once for the initial consultation, once for the lecture) and possibly a weekly visit to a psychotherapist if it comes to that. |
|
|
|
2scoops
USA
386 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 11:22:00
|
| Well, I live in Ohio and right before Christmas, we had received 18 inches of snow. I shoveled the front, the back and also had to dig my car out which took me a long time. I shoveled for about 6 hours that day. I shoveled about an hour and a half to two hours at a time. The main reason I quit shoveling, was not because of the pain, it was the cold weather. But it did not make my back hurt worse, it actually gave me a little more confidence. Then the next day, Christmas, we met at my grandma's for the holiday, well nobody could park because her driveway was a mess. So I shoveled that for about an hour and a half. The hardest thing was hearing other people say take that shovel away from Matt ,he shouldn't be shoveling with his "bad back". Not only do you condition yourself, but you condition other's with your pain, and they are not as receptive. Well then larer that day, my aunt called us and said her car was stuck, so then me and my dad went over there to dig her our and that took about an hour. All that shoveling did not increase my back pain. My back pain, only got worse when I sat, which makes no sense that an injury could be responsible when I sat. So I say shovel away, and get thaqt body back in shape. |
|
|
|
Kajsa
Denmark
144 Posts |
Posted - 01/21/2005 : 05:58:59
|
Sarnosoldier!
You are young.
Do not underestimate the pressure of having a job that you think is boring and have no value, even though you make good money.
As I journale and think over my life (I am 43 yeras old) - staying at a job that does not "fit me" (though it is a "good job") is one of my biggest trigger for
TMS. It very easy that you just "stay on", because you need the money and need to support a family.
And the people around you perhaps think that you are doing great.
Do not wait to long before you change that.
Doing things that you deep down think lacks value creates A LOT OF ANGER.
I have been pretty good at hiding my anger -and I can tell you all a
secret (hope there are no danish people at this board...)
I was chosen to be "The librarian of the year!" in Denmark. I got a nice prize and a lot of attention because I did such a "good job".
And all the time I was deeply discontent and wanted to do something else !
Isnīt that a "comic tragedy" ?
Talk about being good at hiding your real emotions....
Kajsa |
|
|
|
Baseball65
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - 01/21/2005 : 18:36:14
|
Hi SS.
Your story and concerns are very,very similar to a gentleman who just left our forum.It's strange how alike we really all are.
He left the forum the same day you joined,however You can peruse his posts,and perhaps they may be illuminating.
He had an astonishingly similar set of living circumstances and questions to the ones you have posted.For a moment,I almost thought you were the same person!!
He went by the names, TMSpain,Diskpain,and Mrosenthal
If you browse our member search and check his posts,they may answer a lot of your questions.Keep in mind as you read them,that he eventually decided to have back surgery,even though he was well read in Sarno's works.None the less,it's probably worth a look.
Hope you're well
-out
Baseball65 |
Edited by - Baseball65 on 01/21/2005 18:38:29 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Snow
