Will I be able to workout again?
 

Working out is what I love...I've been doing it right after turning 15 (19 now, I was 18 when assault happened). I stopped working outaltogether because I was told not to until I am symptom free. When I asked my neurologist, he said to ease myself into it and see how my body feels. It's been 4 months since the injury, so it is definitely post concussion syndrome. My workouts are heavy lifting, 5 to 10 reps. I tried working out a couple times but I didn't feel good. So I took some time off, and bought a membership 5 days ago. I hit the gym everyday since. I felt nauseous, and have a feeling like I have lack of sleep/no energy. Very fatigued. I pushed myself through it.

So my question is:

1) I feel like this injury may be permanent, if I haven't healed in 4 months....

2) Even though I feel nauseous, I want to workout anyways. If I do this, will this set me back with my head? Or is it just an issue of extra pain? I know doctors recommend no exercise due to risk of a head impact, but lifting weights is pretty safe. However... I am exercising at 100% capacity for 5-10 reps (lifting heavy). What effect will this kind of exercise have on PCS and recovery?

Working Out, Oh boy....
 

Hi there,

I would caution you to proceed with more caution about working out. I am no doctor, but frankly, I think you are doing too much. Your symptoms are telling you something, so you should listen to your body.

Here is a suggestion. Can you do something like some nice power walking, or.... back off of the weights you lift and put less on-- so you can try and keep your muscles, but not build them?

I know for me, it was important not to do too much heart throbbing, head pounding kinds of work outs. I am still not sure if I can do that.

Others may weigh in here with more precise info.

Take care of your brain though. You only have one and the dox don't really know for sure how it heals.

Sincerley,

poetrymom

Hi,

I posted a similar question a few days ago, and I got some great advice for answers. If you want to go back and look at my thread, feel free. The main idea, though, was that it's important to start slow and work your way back in. As far as how much weight is okay, that will be up to your body. My advice is to start very small... say, start with just the bar on most things and every time you get through a workout and rest day without increased symptoms, add five more pounds. I can imagine that's quite a difference from where you are now, but you'll get back to the heavier weights before you know it and in the meantime your body has a chance to adjust again.

I'm no doctor either, but it seems to me that, if you find the point that your body can handle for now, you should be able to build back up to what you think of as 100% capacity. I know how you feel... my workouts are very important to me too. But your body needs rest if it's going to keep improving. You may or may not backslide in your healing because of the workouts, but at the very least I am almost certain you will slow your healing down and be miserable that much longer for every time you push too hard.

Oh, and weight lifting is safe for the most part (in terms of risk of hitting your head), but do be careful when bench pressing or doing anything else where you lift weights over your head. I dropped a bar on my head once while bench pressing... it wasn't fun.

Bottom line: please listen to your body. If you are experiencing any kind of symptoms that are made worse when you lift weights, go at a lower weight the next time.

After my concussion in boxing, I had to return to lifting in the following time frame

1) 2 weeks into PCS: swimming (light)
2) one month into PCS: normal swimming
3) two months into PCS: stationary biking
3) three months into PCS: normal biking outside
4) three months into PCS: suffered a setback because i was at a loud place for too long
5) four months into PCS: swimming only
6) five months into PCS: stationary biking
7) now it is November, seven months into PCS: I can do weightlifting. Trying to work it up to running :)

It is a slow process, be patient so you don't suffer setbacks. Don't go all out because your testosterone drives you to do so. (That's how I suffered my concussion lol)

John's timeline is meaningless for Porsche. It is his experience that worked in his case. Your results will be different.

The successful Buffalo Protocol does not start exercising until all concussion symptoms have abated. Then, the workouts are to a prescribed effort / pulse level. The patient/client works out until a head ache or other symptoms manifests. The threshold pulse rate is recorded. Then, the next exercise period, the pulse limit is set at 80 % or so of the symptoms threshold.

Keep in mind that an exercise facility may also create a risk of a head impact.

Exercising while you are nauseous will slow your recovery. Weights at max means your are causing muscle breakdown and repair. This floods your blood stream with the byproducts of muscle breakdown. No good for your brain.

Listen to your doctors.

Porsche,

Are you still drinking ? This is not good for recovery.

Hi Porsche,

Please do not exacerbate your symptoms by lifting weights. I experienced the exact same problem and tried to 'push through it'.

Over 2 years later I am regretting my decision to do this. Originally my symptoms were only worsened by weight lifting but now they are chronic and persistent.

I should have listened to my body and rested. I would do anything for a symptom free day now.

I know it is frustrating but use the time you have now for recovery. Lifting weights will only prolong it. I'm not sure but there could also be a 'window of opportunity' for maximal recovery in the early days which you do not want to miss.

Try low-intensity exercise (e.g. walking, stationary cycling) at sub-symptom level and go from there.

Halfnelson

The day before my accident I squatted 470 for 2 reps atg. I tried going back a few times to do very light weights and all it did was make me sick . My physiotherapist says to only do as much exertion and stop before the symptoms start, rather than try to push through . Im 6 months in and I'm seeing very slow improvements . At physio i bike for 10 min and do 2 sets of 10 squats with 2 - 10 lb dumbells .
Your young so hopefully you'll heal up sooner if you take it easy and let it heal .
Sleep lots - walk - don't do anything that causes pressure in your head. If your symptoms come back you've done too much and that will set you back.

4 months is not long for a concussion.

Don't train heavy if you want to recover.

Mark, I no longer drink anymore and don't plan on for a long time. I only did so because I was incredibly angry and sad and decided to "have some fun". :(

You guys say to work at a capacity/weight that does not increase your symptoms. However, my symptoms do not increase. What symptoms should I look for? My main symptoms are cognition...I do not really see a difference in that during exercise. The only thing that increases is head pressure. So, what about going for a run?

I will freeze my membership will my doctor's letter and postpone lifting weights.

This may fall under the "everyone is different" rule, but I have found that heavy cardio gives me a terrible headache nowadays. Being on the elliptical for 30 minutes about sent me into a migraine. I would start with a light jog, and if you tolerate that (no symptoms showing up during or within 24 hours later), then progress to a harder run.

I suggest you stay away from running unless you can learn a very soft gait that does not pound in your head. The way to tell is to take a walk or light run with foam ear plugs in. You can hear the pounding from your foot plants.

Bicycling, stationary or on the road is a decent exercise.

If your efforts cause head pressure, that is a sign to lighten up. The Buffalo Protocol says to keep your pulse 20% below your symptom threshold.

Even though everybody is different, the one issue that hold true is to no do activities that cause symptoms to manifest or get worse. The rest of the body responds to stress and injury by increasing blood flow and other healing mechanisms to the injured and strained muscle or other tissue. The brain does not have this response. It shuts down under stress. Coma is the brain shutting down due to extreme stress. medially induced comas are used to treat severe brain injuries so the brain can rest cognitively and put its efforts on healing or trying to find a balance.

Those of you who thrive on working out may have developed a dependency on adrenaline and the dopamine response. Adrenaline is counter to brain recovery.

PorscheTarbo - as Mark said, breaking down muscle puts extra byproducts in your blood to sort out. One of the things that makes concussion so "interesting" is the flood of biochemicals that get released which are normally not there. Glucose, potassium, etc.... Google "concussion neurometabolic waste" to learn more.

If your symptoms are cognitive, could be that the extra load in your bloodstream is burdening your brain. I'm no doctor, but based on my own experience, this could be a factor.

I started doing intense intervals regularly for about a year, several years after my last TBI, and that was fine for me. Interestingly, after taking some off from the daily exercise, when I went back to it, some of my symptoms returned -- especially the headaches. So, I changed up my routine, and that's been helping.

Generally, it can be a good idea to change up your workouts, anyway. It can keep you from plateauing and keep things interesting.

Good luck. Stay safe.