Pooja Punjabi – Badminton Player with a Slipped Disc

Pooja’s back pain due to a slipped disc, was keeping her from her happy place, the badminton court. Extended periods of rest, medication, and physiotherapy helped but the pain kept coming back.

Background

Pooja Punjabi is a mother, wife, and a medal winning badminton player. When she met me, all these aspects of life had been negatively impacted by a slipped disc. She was in a lot of physical pain, and her mobility and normal functioning were all impaired. Emotionally as well, this was a time of turmoil and uncertainty.

Very importantly for Pooja, the pain was keeping her from her happy place, the badminton court. She had tried extended periods of rest, doctors, medication, and physiotherapy, but the pain kept coming back.

Along with the pain, Pooja was living with the nagging fear that she would never be able to return to her normal life or to playing badminton. She wondered at the time whether she would ever be able to return to the court, her Happy Place. All she wanted to do is to go back to playing badminton, and to living her happy, active life.

Instead she found that she was fearful of just normal activities, never knowing what would trigger the pain. Moving a certain way, travelling, playing with her kids…anything could trigger the pain. She found that she was frequently in tears, and this had to have been distressing for her husband and kids as well. All of this was taking a huge toll not just on her physical but also her mental well-being.

When Pooja came to me sometime after COVID in 2022, she was dealing with problems on physical as well as emotional levels. Her circumstances were such that she was desperately looking for a holistic and sustainable solution.

Diagnosis

During COVID times, Pooja had suffered a slipped disc, which is the protrusion of a spinal disc, when there is a rupture between the spinal bones. She got treatment for her condition, and the doctors, meds, and physio did help – up to the point. The pain always seemed to come back and she was never very sure what could trigger it. She became afraid of just doing normal routine things. And then of course there was the problem that this competitive badminton player was unable to play the sport she was so good at!

The slipped disc itself was in control but there was significant weakness in the area because of the bulging disc. It had become oversensitive and anything could trigger the pain it seemed – even moving in a certain way or sitting or sleeping in a certain position. The compressed nerves in the area were causing radiating pain down the back, buttocks, and legs.

Pooja was unable to live her regular life, unable to play badminton and was nagged by apprehension about the future. The problem is that fear and mental stress contribute to muscle tension. This muscle tension further compresses the nerves and tightens in the body, further exacerbating the situation.

Prognosis

What happens in cases like these is the body becomes used to inaction, and gradually this negatively impacts range of motion and overall mobility. There is stiffness and soreness in the muscles. So, the pain causes inaction leading to stiffness and reduced mobility. Then any action can cause pain, making it a vicious cycle.

It is important to understand the difference between resistance and pain, as I explained to Pooja. I explained to her the process by which we could help her body heal itself and restore mobility. There is a method to the madness – a proper, technical process that has to be followed to bring about lasting results.

The way I work is to understand the underlying cause, the origin of the pain. Every treatment plan is tailored to each person’s needs and particular set of circumstances. In Pooja’s case, her spine was very young and healthy. Her MRI showed this. The only problem was that her spine was not open; it was very stiff, which is why the vertebrae ending up in a disc bulge. The treatment needed to include more of opening and lengthening of the spine.

As I explained to Pooja, there can be initial pain and tiredness when we first start treatment. It is important to work through that initial discomfort. This is just a sign that the body is getting used to the process, and is slowly regaining its strength. I did encounter resistance at first, but some amount of hand-holding and the right kind of guided, timely support helped Pooja improve steadily and surely.

In such cases, discipline and consistency are vital. Luckily for Pooja, she was up to the task and she committed fully to her healing process.

Treatment

My first session with Pooja consisted of calming and basic stretches. At this time, the movements were still restricted. I was careful that the movements were precise and measured to ensure that already weakened muscles were not stressed or injured in any way.

Over the course of our sessions we worked together to help Pooja regain her range of motion and to become pain free. It was a gradual process.

A big part of the treatment consisted of confidence building. Pooja had lost confidence in herself and her body. So we worked to relax the muscles, the body, the mind. It is vital to not only calm down the body but also the mind. This requires a certain change in mindset. One has to develop faith in the process and commit to making the effort. One has to decide to do all that is necessary to become pain-free – dedication and sticking to the plan!

Over the course of 7-8 sessions, we worked our way up to some high intensity action: HIIT for the arms, legs, and back, and other therapeutic modalities. We worked to increase Pooja’s strength so that she could once again run around the badminton court, and make the jumps and swing her arms as required on the court.

Result

I am delighted to report that Pooja is back to her normal, happy, healthy, active life. She is fully recovered and pain free. She is back to badminton, to dancing, and playing around with her family. She is back to her Happy Place. She had come to me in 2022 and today she can confidently say that she didn’t let pain defeat her!

 

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My Thoughts

I must mention that Pooja did her part in her healing journey. She was committed and disciplined, and she stuck to the plan. She did her part in making sure that she would become pain free. She reposed her faith in me. The determination and effort on the part of the patient is vital if the treatment is to be successful.

For me, as a yoga therapist and counsellor, there is no greater satisfaction than to see a person heal, recover, and become pain-free. It was a special delight to see Pooja back on the badminton court – back to her own special Happy Place!