Running with a bad back? Surely not!

In the next of our series of guest bloggers, I introduce to you Rob. I have known Rob and his family for over 18 months now, both personally and professionally, and I am pleased to class Rob as one of my dearest friends. Below are his words, which are testament to how exercise has helped him....

Until age 16, I was a normal teenager health-wise; I would regularly be found kicking a football and played cricket for a local team. It was then, whilst playing cricket that I suffered a prolapsed disc (slipped-disc). I didn’t know what was wrong at the time, but experienced an intense pain in my right buttock. For the next five years I was very restricted in my activity levels; on bad days I couldn’t walk more than a few metres without sitting down, due to pain which often passed down the outside of the leg into the ankle. At age 21, after various treatments, I underwent surgery (discectomy) to prevent the disc pushing on the sciatic nerve – which was successful, though I still needed regular sessions with a chiropractor to facilitate good movement in the joints. I started playing cricket again a few years later, though was always conscious of my restrictions in movement.

In 2013 I suffered a severe relapse; MRI scans showed two prolapsed discs (though I’ve since seen that people with no back pain can show signs of disc prolapse when scanned). I could barely walk for many days, and needed a stick for two weeks, just to get about. Fortunately, with the help of intense chiropractic treatment I did improve – albeit slowly. After that I had treatment every 2/3 months or so (from the chiropractor) – up until I started running. It was in September 2014 that I first “dipped my toe” into the wonderful phenomena that is parkrun – having been cajoled for several months by my brother (Simon), and friend (Tim). Having never run before, as preparation I ran on a treadmill – and managed only 90 seconds before having to stop! I can’t admit to really liking running immediately – 17 parkruns completed in the first year shows that it wasn’t my main priority on a Saturday morning! Despite this, I was persuaded by Tim to enter the 2016 Lindley 10k race, and realised I needed to up my game somewhat.

I joined Acre Street Runners in Feb 2016, when I felt to be a “good enough runner” to join a club. How I wish I’d joined 6 months before, when I knew I wanted to join, as I would have been welcomed at the level I was at! Since joining Acre Street I regularly run 3 times per week – sometimes more. Whilst my chiropractor is reluctant to endorse “too much of any one exercise”, he’s commented that my back is in the best condition in the long number of years I’ve been seeing him. I now visit only every 6 months or so, and know that the extra exercise I’ve been doing over the past 18 months has released me from most of the stiffness and discomfort that I had been living with.

Sure, I’ve had a couple of running-related minor muscular twinges, but these have been sorted with the help of Mike Stamp Physio, and resting when appropriate. My overall fitness is massively improved – no more panting when walking uphill, and I’ve lost around 1.5 stones in weight without even trying.

My first parkrun took 32 minutes and was as much walking as running; 2½ years later my best time is 23.23, which illustrates the improvement in stamina and fitness. The feel-good factor should not be underestimated either; those endorphins really do kick in after a run, in addition to the longer term improved feelings of well-being. Looking back, parkrun, and running in general, has been a huge boost for my health – both physically and mentally. I’m fitter and leaner (and probably happier) than I’ve ever been in my adult life and just wish I’d done it sooner. If anyone is in doubt about giving running a try, then don’t be.

If you’d told me two years ago that I’d be an enthusiastic runner, I’d have laughed in your face! There are many excellent starter courses beginning around now, and there are also running clubs that welcome many different abilities. Running won’t be for everyone, but unless you try, you’ll never know?