C6,C7 Cervical Spine Issues & Boxing

Discussion in 'Boxing Training' started by dreadlockno1, Dec 24, 2018.



  1. dreadlockno1

    dreadlockno1 Member Full Member

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    Feb 28, 2012
    Hi All,

    Short Quick Question:

    Just wanted to see if anyone else has any experience in cervical spine issues and boxing. I want to know If anyone has had work done on the spine; vertebra and discs around c6,c7 and has still managed to box afterwards. Haven’t boxed in almost a couple of years and I miss it.

    I have had issues at c6/c7 and might need an operation. I have had an MRI and I believe it’s just a disc protrusion, but I am slightly unclear of exactly what’s wrong, I read my MRI report and now believe there could be something funny happening with the bone. To be honest I left my last consultation confused. I am seeing the surgeon on 3rd Jan to talk about options.

    I want to talk about options with the notion of returning to intense sports again; boxing and waterskiing.

    Long winded look at symptoms:


    So, looking back on my issues retrospectively, I have had symptoms of issues for 8+ years (can’t exactly say when they started). This specific symptom was what felt like a muscle knot/sharp pain which would dig in behind my shoulder blade. Thought this was a pulled muscle behind my shoulder blade. I also used to get what felt like tennis elbow. Both symptoms I put down to localized issues in those areas. They appeared when doing intense sports (water-skiing/wakeboarding)

    2/3 years ago, I started to lose a bit of feeling and get numbness in my middle & pointing finger I thought that’s a bit funny but didn’t really think much of it…..

    A year and a half ago I was sparring. I got caught with a straight right and I had immediate, crippling pain in my right arm....like someone had set my arm on fire. It also felt like he had put everything into the shot and it was a real cracker. Speaking with the sparring partner after he said he didn’t hit me that hard…….it was unfortunate for him as shortly after, when I got my bearings returned the favour with a hard hard left hook (right arm still unusable until after the round).

    I have always been able to take a relatively hard whack so it concerned me this hurt so much.

    It happened again at a slightly later date, so I stopped sparring and went to get it looked at (NHS). The GP at this point was less than helpful. I think he had no sympathy, I think his perspective was…this guy is coming in telling me he’s getting punched in the face and it hurts. Because of this and a busy work schedule I just took time off all sports and didn’t pursue any more medical advice.

    Fast forward to 2018 symptoms have died down but the loss of sensation in the fingers/hand remained. I started water-skiing quite intensely again, I had gotten unfit due to the lack of sports and wanted to change this. This stopped when all symptoms became crippling; shoulder blade, tennis elbow, loss of feeling in parts of arm and loads of pain. At this point It might sound silly but I still hadn’t associated all of those symptoms as one problem as a whole.

    I started pursing proper medical treatment (NHS still) at this point (august 2018) as It was stopping me from doing loads of activity. After a few consultations it then become obvious the shoulder blade pain, tennis elbow, numb finger, arm setting on fire were all the same issue…Then confirmed with MRI. After physio and the MRI it has cumulated into them confiming there is something wrong and a surgeon appointment on the 3rd.

    Thanks all and have a Great Christmas & New year
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2022
  2. captain hook

    captain hook Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Dec 11, 2011
    I wish you good luck with the surgery.

    I don't have issues like you, but water skiing sounds very intense. Maybe you should do only swimming or similar sports with great medical effect and less impact on your spine.
     
  3. dreadlockno1

    dreadlockno1 Member Full Member

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    73
    Feb 28, 2012
    Thanks for the well wishing.

    Yes I could do less intense stuff......but....Its a sport I have been doing for 25 years and I would be pretty unhappy if I had to stop.

    I do need to look at different actvitites that will keep me fit and be thereputic...swimming sounds ideal.

    Cheers
     
    captain hook likes this.