Anyone here train with disabilities?

[Lee Salado]

I was born with CP (spastic diplegia) which has done a number on my hips and ankles over the years. I used to walk on my tippy toes with my feet pointing near behind me. Surgery, casts, braces and physical therapy have taken care of a lot of the issues when I was younger, but far from a complete fix. My feet still like to point directly sideways (takes a constant mental effort to keep them forward, I still tend to walk on my toes. I have to remind myself when walking that its "heel-toe heel-toe heel toe". And my hips have a tendency to dislocate and cause pain.

But you know what has helped the most?

Bodybuilding.

I train my legs as hard as I can (I know my limitations and train accordingly), and this has made ALL the difference in the world. Building a mind-muscle connection, stretching, and building strength have worked absolute WONDERS for my overall comfort/well being day to day.

So I am curious.....

Anyone else train with disabilities?

OR

How has bodybuilding positively impacted your life?

 

[splash2009]

I have active ulcerative colitis. Couldn't really keep weight on for most of my childhood because of it. Through medications and training I've managed to put on about 80lbs since I graduated high school 15 years ago.

I keep it well managed, but sometimes I'll have a flair up and it's pretty much all consuming. There really isn't much eating or lifting I can do during these times.

I've found that AAS's are my best friend in times like these when I need to get back on my feet. I have blood work done every month because of the immuno suppressants I am taking and I've always had great blood work while on...

 

[Lee Salado]

I have active ulcerative colitis. Couldn't really keep weight on for most of my childhood because of it. Through medications and training I've managed to put on about 80lbs since I graduated high school 15 years ago.

I keep it well managed, but sometimes I'll have a flair up and it's pretty much all consuming. There really isn't much eating or lifting I can do during these times.

I've found that AAS's are my best friend in times like these when I need to get back on my feet. I have blood work done every month because of the immuno suppressants I am taking and I've always had great blood work while on...

80lbs is a helluva lot of weight! I always love to hear how training helps with various peoples various problems.

 

[The Wolf]

Well I have fibromyalgia and sometimes it really does feel like a dissability, but most of the time I ride through it.

 

[ConanX]

At my old gym, there was a young guy who would come in with a cane and he would limp to the dumb bell section. I'd always see him throwing around some pretty decent weights. He stayed away from a lot of equipment but did things like seated barbell curls, barbell presses, etc. He was there just about everytime I was there so he was very consistant and he looked great (at least his upper body did from what I could see). I saw him doing this for over a year.

 

[jm425]

I don't know if you would consider this a disability, but I'm a liver transplant patient. I am more susceptible to getting sick more easily because of the immunosuppresants I'm on.

 

[Lee Salado]

Jm425, how do you feel bodybuilding affects your condition? Positively?

 

[dabeast75]

BBIMS -- BodyBuilding Is My Savior

saw a dude in a gym whose left arm was totally disfigured and about 7 inches shorter than his right arm. It was also much smaller. His right arm actually looked pretty decent. Made me think. If his other arm looked the same this dude would be pretty decent and buff. Saw him bench pressing he had to hold his disfigured arm completely different in order to compensate/balance the weight properly.

I personally used to have a condition that caused my lungs to constantly collapse. There was no real reason for it. Then i started pumping iron not long after that and built up my muscles and my chest and since then its been no problem. never happened again since. cured a physical condition because of bodybuilding. also, i had an overactive thyroid (i think at least, since i couldnt not gain a single ounce of weight since i was 15 regardless of what or how much i ate). I was maybe 115 lbs at 5'6. Most girls were bigger than me. I was practically a two-dimensional stick. Then i started bodybuilding and never looked back. gained over 70 lbs since then and about 6 inches on my arms.

 

[jm425]

Jm425, how do you feel bodybuilding affects your condition? Positively?

I feel as though bbing is a very positive aspect of life right now. I believe that my condition would be worse and that I would be in more pain and feel shitty if I were fat couch potato. It's funny you ask. I went to my doc the other day and he told me that if it weren't for bbing, my health and condition would be worse. The only problems I face now are high bp which I have had for years(on my dad's side currently being treated with medication), and fatigue, which is a side effect from the immunosuppresants I take. Besides that, I feel great.

 

[Smith70592]

I have cystic fibrosis...

Weight training has helps me keep a healthy weight and muscle and feel amazing. I played alot of sports growing up football, baseball ect.. I stop working out after high school for about 5 years. My CF got worse over that time. I started running and working out again and I began to feel like a normal person. I figured out that a huge part of staying well with Cystic Fibrosis is eating a large amount of calories and protein. Calories are essential for keeping on a healthy weight and protein is essential for fighting the infection in your lungs. Without tons of protein, your body will not be able to create the white bloods cells in order to fight off the invading bacteria.

 

[BigChef]

It doesnt matter what disability we have, we can be anything we want.

Here is the youtube video of a blind Bodybuilder..

YouTube - Superstar Blind Bodybuilder GREG RANDO


I am 80% deaf and speak well and Professional Chef and go to Gym.

 

[thebrick]

I don't know if you would consider this a disability, but I'm a liver transplant patient. I am more susceptible to getting sick more easily because of the immunosuppresants I'm on.

That's some very serious stuff you have been through JM… and will continue to deal with the rest of your life. You really have my respect.

 

[jm425]

That's some very serious stuff you have been through JM… and will continue to deal with the rest of your life. You really have my respect.

Thanks TB.

 

[richie34]

amazing what people manage to deal with i dont consider myself hard done by compared to some but sometimes struggle with staying positive, i have crohns disease ,nerve problems in my jaw which training kind of makes worse pain wise and a thyroid problem but after reading what some guys and girls put up with feel pretty lucky,as far as bodybuilding goes itws saved my life in a way as others have said we are lucky to train at all realy (be alive) i used to look at life as though my glass was half empty but adversity has given me a new perspective and now my glass is always full(well most of the time lol) rich.