SPORTS RELATED INJURIES

Sports injuries result from acute trauma or repetitive stress associated with athletic activities. Sports injuries can affect bones or soft tissue (ligaments, muscles, tendons).

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b

PREMA

ACL and meniscus

I

BARBARA

Spinal Injury

b

ELLIE MAY

ACL tear

b

OREN

Meniscus

I

PEDRO

Skeletal misalignment

b

TALAL

Herniated disc

PREMA, 47, INDIA

COMPLETE ACL TEAR AND PARTIALLY TORN MENISCUS

Prema was diagnosed with a complete ACL tear and partially torn meniscus. She saw three orthopedic surgeons in India and consulted a surgeon in the US, athletes who had suffered the same injury, and an alternative body worker. All said that surgery was her only option. Prema’s treatment was for three weeks.

When I was diagnosed with a complete ACL tear, I started to research treatment options. Doctors, bodyworkers and friends were all saying surgery was unavoidable. However, from what I read about the surgery, the new ligament is inserted at a slightly different angle than the original ligament, which would affect the performance of my knee. Statistics also show that the potential for reinjury is high. (As a teenager I was treated allopathically for scoliosis and know firsthand the limitations of looking at and treating just one part of the body without considering the impact on the whole. I was anxious to avoid a similar experience.)

A friend had told me about the Bone and Body Clinic, but I couldn’t imagine how the two torn ends of the ligament could be rejoined without going inside. Nonetheless, a few weeks before surgery, I gave the clinic a call. They had me email my films, which they looked at on their holiday, and their response was, “Don’t have surgery. The ligament is only twisted.” I had found my doctor.

When I came to the clinic all my expectations were surpassed. Even before I arrived I was put at ease by Miranda’s confident guidance, overflowing kindness and generosity. My knee was realigned within minutes of my arrival. I was intrigued before I came by the traditional techniques and martial arts influence, but how rare and wonderful to meet a master — of any art, but here – one whose practice and skill is so deep and integrated that trust was immediate/implicit.

The process with my knee was still intense, but with a well-designed sequence of treatments and rehabilitation I was soon ready to go (though I was so fascinated by the treatment system I stayed on). Miranda’s energetic “stretch” classes helped get my ligament and muscles back in shape to support my realigned knee. She and Ringo and their team pushed me to do what I thought was not possible. Another gift. I found myself wondering why the whole world wasn’t at their door. (It is hard work.) But nowhere have I seen such skillful, holistic treatment, such a combination of strength and gentleness, discipline and kindness. What a different world it would be if everyone could receive treatment like this – and if everyone gave of themselves like the team at BBC.

I still wonder why Ringo could see a twisted ligament on an emailed x-ray/MRI and four surgeons saw a complete tear. But, a year after my treatment I hardly remember the injury happened. My knee is stable, I can run again, and I have a new and better understanding of how to keep all my joints strong and injury free. Much gratitude and respect for Ringo, Miranda and family and the healing traditions of Manipur.

BARBARA, 50, AUSTRIA

Spinal Injury

Barbara is a serious yoga practitioner who fell on her spine from headstand. She came seeking treatment for lumbar, shoulder, and knee pain. Her doctors had told her that some of her lumbar vertebra were almost prolapsed and she was worried for her future. Upon initial consultation she learned than much of her pain stemmed from a longterm imbalance in her hip. She is now moving in a more balanced way and her pain has decreased significantly.

Pedro, 34, Portugal

Spinal injury and skeletal misalignment

Pedro came to the Bone and Body Clinic one year ago for multiple issues. He returned to further the process that he started last year. Pedro is a yoga practitioner.

I have attended the clinic two times, for 9 weeks of treatment. I feel that my spine is much better, especially in my neck where I had the most difficulties – restricted movement and continual cracking. I no longer have any pain and I feel stronger in my back. I was also taking Manipuri medication for seven months that was made specially by the clinic for my stomach condition and the symptoms that I had have almost disappeared completely.

I will continue to do the exercise sequence whenever I can because I truly feel that they work on the full spectrum of the physical body. Whenever possible I plan to go back to the clinic to improve my physical health.

OREN, 43, ISRAEL

TORN MENISCUS

Oren has been an athlete since he was a boy. But repeated knee injuries made sports painful for him . His knee problems forced him to run in a way that created misalignment in his spine and hips. Oren came to BBC for three seasons.

During my tenure as a school principal, I became increasingly unable to run, which is the sport I love most. All my life I have been an athlete. I was a professional runner until the age of 16. I had many injuries in the knees. In the left knee I had to have meniscus surgery. I saw that as I got older, I couldn’t run because my knees were too sore. Then I had another injury on the right meniscus. It was really bad. I couldn’t walk properly. I couldn’t turn my body to the left because every time I turned to the left I had severe pain. That was the stage that I came to India to meet Ringo.

When I met Ringo, he scanned my body and he found the three injuries that I suffered from that didn’t allow me to run. Surprisingly, Ringo told me that the easiest injury to correct was the knee which I found hard to believe because it was so painful. The lower back was not as painful as the knee. I started to practice.

Overall I did three seasons with Ringo and Miranda. I remember it was a long process. The first period of the stretching that I did I mostly felt pain. I was very frustrated. I couldn’t tell if there was any improvement. I remember I needed to have a lot of conversation with Miranda and a lot of hugs and support to know that I was on the right path. But I never gave up. I kept on doing the stretching every day even after the season was over because I said if that is the path you want to follow, you have to go all the way. Every season I came back to Miranda and Ringo and showed them my achievements, and they gave me more difficult stretching to make my body stronger.

I can tell you now that after two years of being in the process at Bone and Body I have started to run and work out the way I did it when I was young. I am running 50 kilometers a month and I don’t have any pain in the knee. It is like a totally new knee. Also the pain in the lower back and the upper back and left knee has also gone.

You have to be disciplined if you want to achieve some goals in the clinic. Ringo is like a human MRI. He can tell you exactly where the problem is and he can show you the way, but you have to work really hard. And it takes time to build the body again after many years that it was built wrong. So thank you Ringo and thank you, thank you, thank you Miranda for supporting me and believing in me and giving me so much love and care until I healed myself.

ELLIE MAY, 18, UK

SUSPECTED COMPLETE ACL TEAR

Ellie May has been training in kickboxing since the age of six. She was a hopeful entrant to the Great Britain Olympic Kickboxing team when the injury to her right knee occurred. The specialists that she saw in the UK could not confirm if her ACL injury was a partial or complete tear. They wanted to open up the knee for further exploration. When she came to the Clinic, Ellie had not been able to resume any training for an entire year, bringing an end to her Olympic dreams for 2020. Ellie May’s treatment was for three months.

WHAT DID ELLIE MAY SAY?

I cannot believe that all the specialists in the UK could not offer me any solution or even agree on my diagnosis. I was told to stop training and rest to see if the knee pain subsided. After one year of not training, I began to fear that I would never again be able to go back to kickboxing. My grandfather, who had been successfully treated by Ringo, asked him for his opinion. Ringo said I should come to India and to definitely not undergo surgery. He said he would try his best to get me back into shape to kickbox again. After the initial four weeks of treatment, I started to kick once again. I am now running and training with no knee weakness or pain. I have a new and better understanding of the importance of correct stretching techniques. As a sports person, it is crucial to be able to use the whole body in alignment to ensure our performance is the best it can be and, more importantly, to protect ourselves from future injury. I am forever in your debt.

TALAL, 38, KUWAIT

HERNIATED DISCS IN THE LUMBAR SPINE

Warming up for a weightlifting tournament, Talal felt something move in his lower back. On further examination, he was diagnosed with multiple disc herniations in the lower spine. Talal had tried many types of treatment but still lived day-to-day with pain and discomfort and was unable to play sports or do the activities he wanted to do. Talal undertook five weeks of treatment.

WHAT DID TALAL SAY?

I am doing very well: my back has found a significant state of wellbeing. I am feeling so good. In fact, my body feels like it did in my twenties! There are no words I can write that accurately express how grateful I am. May God bless you.