Carlsbad Cyclist Low Back Pain Gone
Carlsbad Cyclist Low Back Pain Gone, Life Restored
My name is Gerald and I am a 58 year old guy who is about 6 feet 6 inches tall. I played both high school and college basketball. One day about 36 years ago, I went up for a rebound during a game and hurt my back. For the next ten years I tried to keep playing ball, running, jumping, etc., but I would suffer extremely painful acute back spasms and miss 1-2 weeks of work every year due to the pain and loss of mobility. Finally, in 1980 I gave up all running and jumping and decided to concentrate on cycling and hiking, two sports that have less pounding on the frame. Since 1980 I have cycled about 135,000 miles and been on many backpacking trips in the Sierras. However, in the last year or two the stiffness in my back every morning was getting worse. I was spending about 2 hours every morning using heat, ice, exercises, etc to get to the point where I could stand up straight and not walk around looking like a Cro-Magnon man, all hunched over.
I had been seen by several MD physicians. They prescribed muscle relaxants, wet heat, rest, ice, traction, and physical therapy. My diagnosis was “degenerated discs”, and luckily did not involve the need for surgery. I basically gave up on the idea that physicians could help me, because that was my experience. The last time I saw a doctor for my back was about 1984.
With my back getting worse in the mornings, I was ready to try chiropractic. I have worked my whole life as a medical professional, and didn’t really know anything about chiropractic. Dr. Michals ad in the newspaper got me in his office. Dr. Michals agreed that my problem was related to the degenerated discs, but told me he could over time return me to a better, less painful, more mobile life. I decided to give him my trust and cooperation, and that decision has been a good one for me.
I have been feeling probably 90% better for several months now. Morning back stiffness is gone 5 minutes after I get out of bed, if it’s there at all. I have only had about 2-3 days where I felt a back spasm at all, and they were minor and did not last more than a few seconds. I truly feel that I had allowed myself to get all out of whack over the years, and I was trapped in Subluxation City(it’s a BAD part of town). I thank and credit Dr. Michals for my improvement.
Now my wife Wanda is a patient too. This summer we have hiked and biked all over the place. Backpacking in the Sierras, the Grand and Bryce Canyons…..all without pain or getting stooped over.
I have expanded my awareness of chiropractic care, and do believe it is very helpful in many types of conditions. Previously I relied upon (and spent my career in) traditional medicine entirely, and now realize that was a mistake on my part.
