Trigger Points, Pain, Good News & Bad News

@ 64, having done no exercise for at least a year I got the bright idea to get active and hit the floor doing push ups. I didn't do as many as I thought I should be able to do before I was giving out so I squeezed out a few more. I didn't feel bad then but when I awoke in the morning I was in serious discomfort in the area between the inner edge of the scapula and my spine.

When it was still bad after a couple of weeks, and some therapeutic massage, I began to fear I had lung cancer. No I didn't go to the doctor. No health insurance and I figured if it was that I'd know soon enough. Stayed plenty worried over it though. I wouldn't say I'm a hypochondriac but I'll do till one comes along.

Using Tiger Balm and motrin helped but two months gone and it is only slightly better. Add to that I began having pain deep within my left calf. I know enough massage technique to strip the muscles down to relieve it but that didn't help much. So I diagnosed it as phlebitis and figured between that and the suspected lung I'm on my way out. Now the good news .....

I had googled "scapula pain" and 'shoulder pain' and gotten results that made me think it might be my serratus posterior but wasn't sure. Still thought it was the "big one." Then last night I googled "burning pain scapula." I came up with this website and found my exact symptoms ...... including the referred pain in the calf from the middle trapezius muscle.

Trapezius Trigger Points Are Like Opinions, Everyone Has One | TriggerPointTherapist.com

So the bad news is it is still tore up. I'm still on the motrin and now I'm laying a tennis ball between my back and the wall and working the trigger point. Slow improvement. At least the stress of thinking I'm dieing soon is gone. I imagine at my age it takes longer for muscle/tendon stuff to heal.

Anyone have workout injuries like this that took a long time to heal ?

You could also have shifted one of the ribs posteriorly at the joint with the spine. The tennis ball can correct that as well, but so could a good massage therapist or chiropractor or an osteopath. PM coming.

Jimmy,64 here also,you do not just jump into excersize after a yr of doing nothing, you know better.
With the help of nobody but my wife, I have moved 11,000 lbs of my shop 150 miles north over the past couple mos.Was I sore the next day (s) you betcha.
I have cut and taken 5 truck loads of tree and yard debris to the dump in the past two weeks,was I sore the next day,yep.Have double dug my wifes winter garden,about 12x20,dug post holes to make a boarder set in concrete,not so sore the next day,a no advil day:)) ease into it young fella,we may be used, but we ain't used up:))

Having just received my medicare card in the mail a week ago I can say with complete assurance it takes very little these days to do pretty substantial damage to your body. Once that happens recovery can take a very long time and sometimes if you're unlucky recovery is incomplete.

As Rod Serling would say, Tonight's cautionary tale for the over the hill gang from the Twilight Zone.

All the best Jimmy. May you feel much better soon.

I'd move from Motrin to generic Ibuprofen, the same thing and considerably less expensive. I do 2400 mg per day, every day.

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Originally Posted by ace

I'd move from Motrin to generic Ibuprofen, the same thing and considerably less expensive. I do 2400 mg per day, every day.

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I dunno if it is exactly the same ? I am under the impression that the 'name brand' stuff may have a more effective formula, but I may be wrong ... I also have liver problems. Had I known I was going to live this long I would have took better care of myself.

In my younger days, when I was engaged in steel erection, I took motrin, naproxen and all of that stuff a lot. I think that hurt my liver more than the booze ..... but I could be wrong. Anyway, I don't take much when I do take it because of that.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I dunno if it is exactly the same ? I am under the impression that the 'name brand' stuff may have a more effective formula, but I may be wrong ... I also have liver problems. Had I known I was going to live this long I would have took better care of myself.

In my younger days, when I was engaged in steel erection, I took motrin, naproxen and all of that stuff a lot. I think that hurt my liver more than the booze ..... but I could be wrong. Anyway, I don't take much when I do take it because of that.

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I'm only 60, but for several years I've struggled with a "pinched nerve" between my right scapula and the spine, ending up at the physical therapist types a couple times. The truth is that recently I've had just as good luck at a chiropractor, the last attack almost put me out of work, but luck or the chiropractic treatment kept me behind the wheel.

I was going to make a crack about steel erections and my admiration for such things, but after all, you are a senior moderator.

Had to try it, delete me if you need to.

Jimmy --
Hip pointer and torn pec count?

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Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

Jimmy --
Hip pointer and torn pec count?

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I dunno what 'hip pointer' is but it doesn't sound good. How long did it take for a young guy like you to heal ?

A deep pelvic bruise with attendant swelling, causing lack of range of motion and your pants to fit too tight. Also makes any leg movement from the hip extremely painful. Did it when I was 30, and it took more than half the season to heal.

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Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

...pelvic ....pants to fit too tight.

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Certainly seems like there is some bragging rights available in all of that. Combine your post with key words stimpy pointed out earlier from Jimmy's posts and we could have a skit!

Heck im 31 and I cant even cough with out throwing something out anymore. My therapists say its from all the football and rugby. My latest injury which is still current came about while training for a hunt at 8000 feet. I ended up over training and developing bursitis in the hip and IT band syndrome from my hip to my knee. It is honestly one of the most painful events I have had to endure and thats counting the crushed disks in my neck and back. I am finally on the mend almost 2 months later but it has taken lots of stretching and trigger point injections and guided steriod injections.

I hope you heal fast!

Try a Lacrose ball, they work better b/c they don't give when you put weight on them. Some may try to sell you a "pain ball", but they are the same thing just twice as much. Also, you can try what's called myofascial release. Basically when these sheets of tissue that cover muscles to help support them get inflammed then swell putting pressure on nerves that innervate: bone, muscle, and smooth muscle ie internal organs, that's usually why the pain radiates and is hard to pinpoint most times. What you need is someone to get UNDER your shoulder blade. Lay on your bed with your arm hanging off or lying beside you w/ your fingers towards your toes. Have them take one hand and cup their fingers under the edge of your scapula and basically roll the portion closest to your spine up and back towards your ribs. Once that's done have them take their middle and ring finger, as straight as possible and press straight down firmly, hold until the tissue starts to feel like it's giving and keep pressing down harder for about 30-45 seconds. Then slowly take the pressure off. Sometimes it will almost feel like a slightly cool rush over the muscle. It takes multiple treatments, and using it w/ the pain ball/lacrose ball it will eventually get better; this is an overuse injury and you need to lay off the push ups for about a week or two, and ease back into it gradually. Hope that helps, if you need anything else just PM me, I'll be glad to help.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I dunno if it is exactly the same ? I am under the impression that the 'name brand' stuff may have a more effective formula, but I may be wrong ... I also have liver problems. Had I known I was going to live this long I would have took better care of myself.

In my younger days, when I was engaged in steel erection, I took motrin, naproxen and all of that stuff a lot. I think that hurt my liver more than the booze ..... but I could be wrong. Anyway, I don't take much when I do take it because of that.

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Motrin and Advil - What is the Difference Between Motrin and Advil

My plan is to keep active. I go to the dojo twice a week, and sometimes train a bit on my off days as well.
Staying in shape is a lot easier than getting into shape, esp when you get older.

Next time when you start working out, do so with a coach. Or just build up really slowly. Start with 5 times 1 pushup. Wait 1 or 2 days, then do 4 times 1 and one time 2. Repeat as needed, and add 1 push up when you feel ready. I know people starting to run have the same problem. The majority of people who start running after a long period of inactivity exert themselves way too much in the beginning, and then injure themselves.

Build up slowly and take care.

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Originally Posted by Bruno

My plan is to keep active. I go to the dojo twice a week, and sometimes train a bit on my off days as well.
Staying in shape is a lot easier than getting into shape, esp when you get older.

Next time when you start working out, do so with a coach. Or just build up really slowly. Start with 5 times 1 pushup. Wait 1 or 2 days, then do 4 times 1 and one time 2. Repeat as needed, and add 1 push up when you feel ready. I know people starting to run have the same problem. The majority of people who start running after a long period of inactivity exert themselves way too much in the beginning, and then injure themselves.

Build up slowly and take care.

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Amen, to that! But the larger issue is that "pushing harder when it hurts" is yet another part of the "AD" behavior that we see so frequently, here on SRP. Perhaps "collecting cures" -- even from well-informed lay people -- is just MOTS (More Of The Same)? Health insurance? No. Brushes and razors and stones? Oh my!! As someone I used to know was fond of saying, "Ya can't take it with ya." (translation: sell a couple or three razors, and use the money to see a friggin' doctor... then, reread Bruno's excellent post). Just my $0.02 -- YMMV.

Unfortunately, I see that day in and day out. People get bit w/ the fitness bug, go balls to the wall, and get hurt, or stay so sore they just give up all together. Talking w/ a local exercise physiologist (that's what I do for a living), NOT a personal trainer at a gym. Most of those guys took an online course. Hell for $300 I could make all of you a certified "personal trainer." Most of those people don't know their ass from a hole in the wall, or their elbow. They know what some other trainer told them, or they read in the online test book, which covers about 5% of the knowledge base that goes into prescribing the CORRECT exercise program for someone. When you talk to someone, ask what college they got their B.S. from, if they didn't, walk away...hell run (just don't pull a hammy! :p). Just my professional advice.