Aeternum Fortis: Here's to Connor Dawes and fixing an 18-month backinjury once and for all

I wrote early this year about pain, what it means to me and how I’ve learnt to take it seriously. It brings me a lot of pain and frustration to say that it has been a year since I left rowing to improve my injuries, and I still often feel like I haven’t gone anywhere.

I could bore you with the convoluted, verbalized confusion I try to spindle out to doctors and therapists about my past injuries. None are bad enough to have surgery or severely remove me from a fulfilling life. So to make things clear and present-focused, here’s what I’m working with, and what I want to fix permanently:

1.     Back injuries: specifically a disc bulge between L4/L5 vertebrae…very very common, with pain symptoms depending on how much the bulging disc hits nerves nearby. I also am missing a disc in L5/S1, which puts more pressure on the already bulging L4/L5.

At the moment this means I completely avoid rowing, ergos or running. I can do low-intensity swims, watt bike, cycling and walking. I can do most weights exercises other than those that load up the lower back area. I have learnt over the past 12 months to prioritise strength over cardio when returning from injury.

2.     Shin Splints: a minor injury but a massive pest! These will come up with any running at all or a long bout of walking. I have had these since I was 16, I gave up a while ago on trying to fix them but I have decided to take up the challenge again. Many rowers enjoy running as cross training or as a substitute when they need to reduce volume on the water.

3.     Motivation: I’ve found it hard to believe that I could truly overcome these injuries to be a 100% functional rower and athlete again. With 18 months under my belt of dealing with a bad back, it’s easy to categorise yourself as someone whose body just can’t take rowing.

At Connor’s Run today I was so moved by Connor Dawes’ attitude to his illness, and what I took from his story as very fierce positivity right to the end. This has really pushed me to believe that with the right work and attitude, I can fix myself up and row again.

I would love to hear people’s opinions on what has worked for them, or what they know works for lumbar disc bulges and shin splints. Currently I do weights 2-3 times a week, which is a combination of core and resistance exercises. I either walk-run or bike or swim once a day. I have done this inconsistently for a few months, I do think for the sake of motivation, that I should practice some discipline and put in the effort to do it daily, ideally in the morning. I initially thought with shin splints that rest was the key, though I’m finding out now though that calf stretches and strength exercises are also essential – something to add to a daily warm up and warm down I think.

Aeternum Fortis, and thanks Connor for the push. Looking forward to the first time I can take the scull out for a light row.

For more information on Connor Dawes and the RCD fund, http://rcdfund.org/