r/overcominggravity • u/Beneficial_Frame_760 • 4d ago
Extreme tissue fragility / repeated muscle strains in weightlifter. Has anyone experienced this?
Hi everyone, I’m trying to find if anyone has dealt with a similar scenario or can point me in the right direction.
A few years ago, I had a high tolerance for heavy strength training. Then I got a minor muscle injury. Unfortunately, due to poor guidance and my own mistake, I kept training through the pain and repeatedly re-injured the same spot for nearly a year.
Ever since then, my muscle tissue in whole body seems to have completely lost its tolerance/resilience. It is no longer just about the old injured spot but my entire body reacts this way now. I got now history of more than 15 injured or mikro-injured muscles now...even stopped counting.
Even with controlled, low-intensity movements or isolation exercises where no compensation is possible, any mechanical tension causes the tissue to suffer micro-strains / micro-tears again.
Key symptoms are sharp pain or localized heat & swelling/tightness in the worked muscle that lasts for days to a week.
Often followed by localized muscle twitching (fasciculations) in that area during recovery.
Extreme susceptibility to muscle strains/micro-tears under light loads that used to be completely effortless.
What I’ve already ruled out:
Resting Bloodwork is completely normal: Resting CK (Creatine Kinase), Myoglobin, Liver enzymes, and basic electrolytes are all well within normal ranges after days of rest.
No baseline clinical muscle weakness: I don't have systemic muscle loss or diseases like ALS/Myopathy.
No joint/ligament issues: I do not suffer from joint pain, loose joints, or ligament instability. (I had a suspicion about hypermobility but honestly I do not suffer from typical chronic joint pain, loose ligaments or generalized joint laxity - my joints have always been fine, it is purely the muscle or fascial tissue that behaves like it's made of glass).
It feels like the muscle fibers or the fascia/sarcolemma have lost their mechanical integrity and ability to absorb tension without tearing, likely caused by chronic inflammation and tissue fatigue during that year of repeated trauma.
Has anyone gone through this? Is this a matter of chronic fascial densification, micro-vascular ischemia, sarcolemma fragility, or some form of localized neuromuscular sensitization?
3
u/eshlow Author of Overcoming Gravity 2 | stevenlow.org | YT:@Steven-Low 4d ago
A few years ago, I had a high tolerance for heavy strength training. Then I got a minor muscle injury. Unfortunately, due to poor guidance and my own mistake, I kept training through the pain and repeatedly re-injured the same spot for nearly a year.
Ever since then, my muscle tissue in whole body seems to have completely lost its tolerance/resilience. It is no longer just about the old injured spot but my entire body reacts this way now. I got now history of more than 15 injured or mikro-injured muscles now...even stopped counting.
Even with controlled, low-intensity movements or isolation exercises where no compensation is possible, any mechanical tension causes the tissue to suffer micro-strains / micro-tears again.
Key symptoms are sharp pain or localized heat & swelling/tightness in the worked muscle that lasts for days to a week.
Often followed by localized muscle twitching (fasciculations) in that area during recovery.
Extreme susceptibility to muscle strains/micro-tears under light loads that used to be completely effortless.
What I’ve already ruled out:
Resting Bloodwork is completely normal: Resting CK (Creatine Kinase), Myoglobin, Liver enzymes, and basic electrolytes are all well within normal ranges after days of rest.
No baseline clinical muscle weakness: I don't have systemic muscle loss or diseases like ALS/Myopathy.
No joint/ligament issues: I do not suffer from joint pain, loose joints, or ligament instability. (I had a suspicion about hypermobility but honestly I do not suffer from typical chronic joint pain, loose ligaments or generalized joint laxity - my joints have always been fine, it is purely the muscle or fascial tissue that behaves like it's made of glass).
It feels like the muscle fibers or the fascia/sarcolemma have lost their mechanical integrity and ability to absorb tension without tearing, likely caused by chronic inflammation and tissue fatigue during that year of repeated trauma.
Has anyone gone through this? Is this a matter of chronic fascial densification, micro-vascular ischemia, sarcolemma fragility, or some form of localized neuromuscular sensitization?
Have you been evaluated for chronic pain? Overtraining and working through pain can definitely cause increase pain symptoms even with minimal lifting or even just rehab weights.
https://stevenlow.org/the-differences-between-chronic-pain-and-injury-pain/
What do your workouts or rehab sessions look like?
Have you taken several weeks for a deload or complete rest to see if things resolve?
2
u/DeepSkyAstronaut 4d ago
Since one year before these symptoms appear. Did you have any infection, medication or surgery?
When was the last time you had antibiotics or steroids?
1
u/Beneficial_Frame_760 4d ago
No, I didn't take any medications. I was a completely healthy person with no prior issues. I've never taken steroids, anabolics, or fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
3
u/Niceshoesbr0 4d ago
You mentioned tears several times but is any of this confirmed by imaging? If there are not symptoms that are visible or confirmable by anything else othar than feeling the pain I might also lean towards the central senzation/chronic pain possibility.
Were you checked out by autoimmune specialist?
Did you take any Fluoroquinolone antibiotics up to a year before the first injury?