Updates

Spondylolisthesis and BJJ Updates:

May 2020 - Leg numbness mostly resolved
It took a really long time but thanks to the advice of a fellow BJJ black belt friend of mine - I stuck it out and didn't do anything rash.  Once physician I spoke to wanted to do some kind of epidural shots right into the bulging discs.  I decided against it after looking at potential problems with this.  I took it easier for several months after the numbness first started and like my old training partner had told me - it slowly healed and went mostly away.  I can't put a number on it but if I had to I'd say it's 95% or more resolved.  I don't feel the numbness at all throughout the day and only on a rare occasion do I feel a slight tingly numb feeling once in a while but it's really small.  And again - that's only if I'm trying to find it.  This is a huge improvement from a year ago when I could feel it constantly.  I'm still teaching and training some.  I keep my rolls medium in intensity and really work to be careful with the movements.  Still weight training smart and doing bike rides for cardio. 

August 2nd, 2019 - Leg numbness
I was teaching BJJ class Friday night and while demonstrating a move I've done many times in the past that requires twisting I hurt myself.  As I was demonstrating the move I felt shooting pain down the outside of my outer thigh.  Almost like I'd been electrocuted.  It was fast felt like I was tearing the muscle in my leg.  Shortly after, I started to get some numbness in the outside section of my right thigh. The following Monday I went to see my Dr. who prescribed another round of steroidal anti-inflammatory.  This helped a little but did not make it go away.

Update - October 1st 2019 - Two months later and I'm still having the numbness but it has decreased significantly overall.  I still have the numbness but it is better.  I've not done any grappling since this happened in hopes of letting it heal.  I had an MRI done and received the overall result that my spondy is basically stable - no significant changes since my last one in 2017 but I do have an annular disc tear. 
MRI Aug 2019 Findings: 
1. Minimal anterolisthesis of L4 over L5 vertebral bodies are stable. 
2. Bilateral facet hypertrophic changes at L3-4 and L4-5 levels are stable. 
3. Small broad-based disc bulge at L3-4 level is again seen. 
4. Tiny focus of T2 prolongation in the posterior aspect of the L3-4 disc consistent with annular tear. 
5. Disc-osteophyte complete at L4-5 level is again seen with moderate bilateral neural foraminal stenosis and mild central canal stenosis. 

July 31st, 2019 - still moving
I'm happy with my progress and overall situation and pain levels as I know it could be worse.  The only significant change that I'm experiencing is that several days a week I will wake up with low back pain right around the area of my spondylolisthesis.  Some mornings are worse then others and some mornings the pain wakes me.  The good news is that once I stretch and get moving the pain subsides.  Maybe it's the way I'm sleeping?  If you want to get in contact with me you can leave a comment on here with your email or you can email me directly at steveshoeman at outlook dot com

January 3rd, 2019 - moving forward
As expected, I've had some ups and downs this year regarding my back but overall I'm happy with where I am in terms of mobility and pain.  It has been about 2 and 1/2 years since my spondy diagnosis and I am moving well with minimal pain.  I am still training BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) and coaching 1 night a week and I'm thankful to still be able to do that.  I made some changes in 2018 that I plan to continue with and keep moving forward.  One was getting a sit/stand desk at my work.  I use it at least once a day during the work week and I've worked hard to make sure I walk around more each day at my job to break up the sitting.  I'm going to keep up my training, coaching, walking and lifting weights at the gym.  Here's to a continued progress in 2019!

September 2018 - maintenance
It's been about 9 months since my last update and I've had a few bumps along the way but overall I'm still doing better then I was at the beginning and that's enough for me.  Life and family have slowed me down in terms of the amount of core work I'm doing now compared to what I was doing the first year after being diagnosed.  Since then, I've moved to more of a maintenance mode for core work.  I had some shoulder issues early in the summer and tried out the Airrosti therapy.  See my blog posts for more info on that if interested.  I'm now doing some kind of core work about once a week - sometimes twice a week.  Continuing with other regular exercise weight lifting, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and using the standing desk at work along with a few walks each week.  I'm happy with my overall progress. 

Friday Jan 19th, 2018 - A new year - update

Other then having some allergies at the start of this year, I'm doing well overall in terms of my back.  I got busy with the month of December and start of the new year but I'm looking to get back on it again.  I'm still coaching BJJ and practicing some and have continued to take it easy and be extra careful when rolling.  I still refrain from doing hard bridging movements which has forced me to get better at other mount escapes.  Looking forward to a great 2018.  If you train BJJ and also have spondylolisthesis please leave a comment.  I've only come across 2 people so far that also train and have the condition.  

Thursday Aug 3rd, 2017 - Over a year - update

It has been over a year since I was first diagnosed and learned about spondylolisthesis.  Since that time, I've had a year of PT and feel that I've made good progress.  My original goal was to be able to get back to teaching and training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and that goal has been met.  I'm not where I was before spondy but I'm happy to be back on the mat.  If any of you out there training BJJ and have spondylolisthesis feel free to leave a comment on here with your email and I'll get back to you.  Hopefully, I'll have another year of training and good health!

Friday April 21st, 2017 - MRI Results: 

I was surprised to get my results the following day as they had told me it would probably be Monday.  Before the MRI all I knew I had was spondylolisthesis Grade 1 at L4/L5. 

After MRI I have been told that I have several more issues. 

1. L3/L4 - Small disc bulge with moderate bilateral facet arthritis. 

2. L4/L5 - Small disc osteophyte complex. 

3. L4/L5 - Moderate to severe facet arthritis. 
4. L4/L5 - Moderate bilateral neural forminal stenosis 

The Dr. is recommending we start with a bilateral facet injection.  I have a formal appointment with him on Tuesday to discuss further.  At this time I'm leaning towards no injections and asking about stretches and new rounds of Physical Therapy. 

For the past 3 days I've been using the prednisone and it feels like its helping.  My leg has not been hurting as much. 

I've been taking it easy since the pain in my leg started 10 days ago and have been taking the prednisone anti-inflammatory pills as prescribed.  I've started back on my home PT core and have increased my stretching much more and more often.  If I walk for a few minutes the pain in my leg comes back.  After 6 days on the anti-inflammatories, extra stretches and core work I was able to walk today for 30 minutes straight without any pain in my leg.  I'm feeling hopeful today.  I really hope to be able to return to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu teaching and training even if it is just at a reduced training pace.  I have my official visit with my Dr. tomorrow to go over the MRI results and talk about options. 

- Update - My leg pain stopped about 2 days before my appointment.  When I met with him, he said we could just wait and not do any injections since I'm having no pain.  I agreed.  Since then I've had no leg pain and I've continued with my daily 30 minute walks, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and my PT/Core work on Mondays and Thursdays.  I'm happy about where I'm at. 

Update - April 2017: 

Setback and recovery in progress.  Earlier this month, I flew on a plane to a Microsoft training class out of state.  While there I sat all day long for 4 days in class and then slept on a hotel bed each night that was obviously not my own.  On top of that, I was studying each night to pass a certification exam and therefore did not do any stretches that week or my core exercises.  Thankfully, I passed my exam and flew back home.  Then next morning I woke up and went about my day and suddenly started having pain in my right leg out the outside part of my shin / side calf area.  It was a dull aching pain that was mostly constant.  I was able to find certain positions that would provide relief.  Made an appointment with my sports physician which was a few days later.  At his office, he listed to my symptoms and about the plane rides, sitting in a class all week, hotel bed etc. and then had me do a few range of motions tests.  I stood and checked my posture, had me reach for my toes, twist side to side slowly and then had me sit on the table.  From there, he tested my quads and hamstrings and my ankles by pressing my feet against him and pulling from my ankles.  I was told that all my movements and strength tests were satisfactory to him so he recommended I get an MRI to see what's going on.  He also prescribed prednisone anti-inflammatory which I have been taking for the past several days. 

Thursday MRI - I arrived at 8:15 am for my MRI.  Got in the machine and they had me lay on my back and placed a large pillow under my knees.  This helped but my back still had some pain and discomfort from having to lay completely still for 30 minutes.  It was very loud and I'm thankful for the ear plugs they provided. 

Update - Jan 24th, 2017:

I had my 6 month follow up with my doctor today.  He took x-rays to check my slip and fracture.  As I expected, my fracture has not healed but I am happy to say that my slip appears to have not increased over the past 6 months.  Still grade 1 - still looks about the same place as my original X-ray 6 months ago.  He only had me do one test.  I laid down on my back and held a one leg bridge while trying to push my other leg straight up against his hand pressing down.  My left leg was weaker then my right. 

Overall, I'm happy that I feel better then I did back in June.  My back still hurts but it's manageable and I'm still training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with some limitations.  I still make sure that I don't bridge/arch very much when rolling and just generally protect my back along with everything else you have to defend in BJJ! 

 

Update - Nov 21st, 2016:

I have kept up with my Physical Therapy as you can see from reading my blog posts and I feel it has been very beneficial.  There have been a few times that I had to force myself to do the exercises that week but I imagine that is normal as things come up and sometimes you have other events on your mind.  Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training has been going well overall.  I am very aware of my back all the time during class.  I think about it during each roll and I make a strong effort to protect myself during each match.  I was advised by my physician not to do deep bridging while on my back which means I can't do a strong bridge to escape mount with out potentially hurting myself.  So I've focused on other mount escapes.  It is tough not being able to grapple as intense as I'd like to but I've used this time to try and slow it down and be more technical.  In the long run, that's probably better anyway in terms of keeping myself safe and staying on the mat.  Once again, I just continue to remind myself that I'm doing better then I was back in June and I'm still on the mat training!  Next update probably sometime in 2017 but I will continue to update the blog posts on my Home PT. 

Update - Aug 16th, 2016:  

Physical Therapy has been going very well.  I'm continuing to increase my sets, repetitions and times each week.  Overall the message I keep in my head is my back feels better then it did.  It doesn't feel great or back to normal but better - and that's a blessing! 

Last week was my first time back on the mat being able to grapple.  It was a single 5 minute round in BJJ sparing with a fellow brown belt that I trust.  We went lite and I was glad to be moving again.

June 13th, 2016:
BJJ brown belt in my 40's with grade 1 Spondylolisthesis L4/L5 and pars fracture. I have 4 fantastic kids ages 10, twin 8 year olds and a 3 year old.  They keep me busy and spondylolisthesis has been no help in regards to them :( 
I'm documenting my journey with Spondylolisthesis because I'm not ready to give up on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I hope this might be helpful to someone else. I love teaching kids and adults Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I hope to be able to continue doing so.  The purpose of this blog is to be a record of my Physical Therapy sessions for me to go back to and for anyone else that might want to learn from my experience.  If you are in a similar situation and want to contact me then leave a comment and I'll get back with you.