Costochondritis: NOW how do I workout?!

NoraKate · 10-17-04, 08:54 PM

Costochondritis
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/5058-1.asp

anyone else ever have this?

how did you modify your workouts?

sigh
ow

Sophie · 10-17-04, 09:06 PM

Yes - I had my first bout several years ago, and then recently last winter. It lasted several months - from November till March, I think, but wasn't severe the entire time.

I definately did have to modify. I "lost" several poses - couldn't push up into wheel, for instance, because my shoulderblade would freeze up. I backed off a bit on pranayama and some poses because it really irritated the joints most affected. The annoying part was that it was kind of unpredictable. I couldn't quite tell if a particular practice or workout was going to affect it until the next day.

I found I tended to approach it the way I would any other minor injury - to be much more conservative about intensity and range of motion, and work just inside the edge.

Hmmm, I'm looking through my log book right now. I did still stay fairly active, but as I said, monitored the intensity of my effort quite a bit to stay out of - well, mostly - the pain zone.

I did quite a bit of restorative yoga, as well, now that I look at my notes...

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this. I consider myself fortunate that mine was just at "nuisance level" and not disabling. I hope it won't last long for you.

ETA: I notice I still did a lot of power yoga during this period. Actually, in hindsight, I now ask myself if it would have gone away sooner if I had dropped it entirely for a while. I really don't know. For me it can still irritated by viral infections - like the colds and flus my kids bring home... :rolleyes: and just this week I found myself wondering if another bout was coming on.

gimmat · 10-17-04, 09:37 PM

Two years ago, I really pushed myself into doing full push-ups on the toes, and came down with this condition. I thought it was my breast when I woke up in pain one morning, but after an emergency visit to my ob/gyn for an exam, I was given anti-inflammatories, and instructions to avoid heavy weights for the upper body for a while.

After the pain had subsided, maybe 2-3 weeks, I was able to do SOME of the stuff I'd been doing before, but not push-ups or anything resembling push-ups without some irritation. I stuck with very little upper body work, and low weights for what I did do. My pain was in a place that allowed some range of motion, and I found flyes were OK, but chest presses were not. I could do planks some, and after several months, I was totally fine--I was gradually adding in workouts that included heavier weights, push-ups, etc. I do occasionally get twinges when I have overdone it (can anyone say P90X?), but on the whole, I think my chest muscles are stronger and I am smarter...

NoraKate · 10-17-04, 10:28 PM

bleh!
I just caved and bought P90X a few weeks ago!!!!
ahhhhhhhh!!!!

wheel pose = BAD at the moment
push ups = ok

huh

guess I should do that all aerobics rotation I was considering

Should I leave the kickboxing out?

GymRatt · 10-18-04, 05:56 AM

I had this last year, and posted about it (if I spelled "costo" correctly, it might turn up on the search function.)

If memory serves, this condition is one of the reasons I discovered HiRep/LowWeight workouts like Slim Series. The didn't aggravate the problem, but I was able to keep up my fitness level.

Heavy upper body work was out for weeks...

Feel better soon!

KickDancer · 10-18-04, 12:53 PM

Hi NoraKate,

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about this!

I don't have any suggestions for what to do or not to do, but I wanted to send you my well-wishes for a speedy recovery.

ATB,
KickDancer

bzar · 10-18-04, 01:54 PM

i had this condition sometime last year after doing Cory Everson's Get Hard Arms & Shoulders. it got me really scared and i scheduled an appt w/ my doctor. in the meantime, i came here and gymratt - bless her heart really helped me out. i was afraid of not being able to breathe. i could breathe, but i couldn't always get a big breath on demand, if you know what i mean.

http://69.93.245.62/forum/showthread...t=breathe+cory

my doctor gave me ibuprofen (mega doses) and it helped, plus i tried to rest it and not worry about it. i told her i worked out regularly, and she said after the inflammation, i should be back to normal. it took me about 1-2 weeks before everything was completely normal. ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that aids in the healing process, so try not to be afraid of taking it unless you have been told not to.

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10-17-04, 08:54 PM
NoraKate VF Supporter Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: pittsburgh	Costochondritis: NOW how do I workout?! Costochondritis http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/5058-1.asp anyone else ever have this? how did you modify your workouts? sigh ow

10-17-04, 09:06 PM
Sophie Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Alberta	yep Yes - I had my first bout several years ago, and then recently last winter. It lasted several months - from November till March, I think, but wasn't severe the entire time. I definately did have to modify. I "lost" several poses - couldn't push up into wheel, for instance, because my shoulderblade would freeze up. I backed off a bit on pranayama and some poses because it really irritated the joints most affected. The annoying part was that it was kind of unpredictable. I couldn't quite tell if a particular practice or workout was going to affect it until the next day. I found I tended to approach it the way I would any other minor injury - to be much more conservative about intensity and range of motion, and work just inside the edge. Hmmm, I'm looking through my log book right now. I did still stay fairly active, but as I said, monitored the intensity of my effort quite a bit to stay out of - well, mostly - the pain zone. I did quite a bit of restorative yoga, as well, now that I look at my notes... I'm sorry you're having to deal with this. I consider myself fortunate that mine was just at "nuisance level" and not disabling. I hope it won't last long for you. ETA: I notice I still did a lot of power yoga during this period. Actually, in hindsight, I now ask myself if it would have gone away sooner if I had dropped it entirely for a while. I really don't know. For me it can still irritated by viral infections - like the colds and flus my kids bring home... :rolleyes: and just this week I found myself wondering if another bout was coming on. __________________ Sophie be as relaxed as you can be, as you do what you gotta do. ~erich schiffman

10-17-04, 09:37 PM
gimmat VF Supporter Join Date: Apr 2002	Two years ago, I really pushed myself into doing full push-ups on the toes, and came down with this condition. I thought it was my breast when I woke up in pain one morning, but after an emergency visit to my ob/gyn for an exam, I was given anti-inflammatories, and instructions to avoid heavy weights for the upper body for a while. After the pain had subsided, maybe 2-3 weeks, I was able to do SOME of the stuff I'd been doing before, but not push-ups or anything resembling push-ups without some irritation. I stuck with very little upper body work, and low weights for what I did do. My pain was in a place that allowed some range of motion, and I found flyes were OK, but chest presses were not. I could do planks some, and after several months, I was totally fine--I was gradually adding in workouts that included heavier weights, push-ups, etc. I do occasionally get twinges when I have overdone it (can anyone say P90X?), but on the whole, I think my chest muscles are stronger and I am smarter...

10-17-04, 10:28 PM
NoraKate VF Supporter Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: pittsburgh	kickboxing? bleh! I just caved and bought P90X a few weeks ago!!!! ahhhhhhhh!!!! wheel pose = BAD at the moment push ups = ok huh guess I should do that all aerobics rotation I was considering Should I leave the kickboxing out?

10-18-04, 05:56 AM
GymRatt VF Supporter Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: In Search of DDR	I had this last year, and posted about it (if I spelled "costo" correctly, it might turn up on the search function.) If memory serves, this condition is one of the reasons I discovered HiRep/LowWeight workouts like Slim Series. The didn't aggravate the problem, but I was able to keep up my fitness level. Heavy upper body work was out for weeks... Feel better soon! __________________ ~GymRatt~ *CURRENT ROTATION * GymRatt's TaeBo PLUS: AM/PM Bikini Bootcamp! (For fat loss and FUN - Click here! )

10-18-04, 12:53 PM
KickDancer Join Date: Feb 2004	Hi NoraKate, Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about this! I don't have any suggestions for what to do or not to do, but I wanted to send you my well-wishes for a speedy recovery. ATB, KickDancer

10-18-04, 01:54 PM
bzar Exchange Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: PalmTreeVille	i had this condition sometime last year after doing Cory Everson's Get Hard Arms & Shoulders. it got me really scared and i scheduled an appt w/ my doctor. in the meantime, i came here and gymratt - bless her heart really helped me out. i was afraid of not being able to breathe. i could breathe, but i couldn't always get a big breath on demand, if you know what i mean. http://69.93.245.62/forum/showthread...t=breathe+cory my doctor gave me ibuprofen (mega doses) and it helped, plus i tried to rest it and not worry about it. i told her i worked out regularly, and she said after the inflammation, i should be back to normal. it took me about 1-2 weeks before everything was completely normal. ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that aids in the healing process, so try not to be afraid of taking it unless you have been told not to.