Favorite team:South Carolina 
Location:Florida
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Number of Posts:950
Registered on:9/15/2019
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I just saw they had beef shanks for $5.99/lb. I bought a bunch and have been making some Osso Buco.
Damn Yeti, you described that perfectly. I have allergies, but very manageable. I take zyrtec every day, not really for my allergies, but to stop the sneezing. It's ridiculous that one errant sneeze can wreck my week/month.

Jason, you can do this. It just takes persistence.
Sleeping on your back might seem like the right move, but one of the actions of those QLs (bilaterally) is extension. So sleeping on your back allows that QL to tighten up overnight. Try to find a position where that QL is on a little stretch, like the position I described on how I sleep to keep it from tightening up.

Hope this helps
quote:

The QL tightness is the worst part of it


I hear you brother. When mine spasms I will do I some standing QL stretches in the shower, child's pose with a lean in the opposite direction, and I'll sleep (try to sleep at least) in a position where that QL is on stretch. Sidelying on the side of the tight QL, bring up opposite knee to 90 degrees, and try to push your foot (tight QL side) as far from you as possible.

quote:

Did you get an MRI to confirm that it was only a lumbar strain and not a disc injury?


There's a lot going on with my back. Multiple herniations, multiple bulges, and the lumbar strain. The herniations and bulges aren't too hard to keep in control. The strain is the worst part. The mind remembers your injuries. So the moment it senses that instability, it goes right back to guarding like the injury just happened. That's why you need to gradually progress with extension exercises. You need to retrain your brain/body to get stronger, but also to get the confidence back that it won't go back to guarding.

I also like doing a lot of suitcase carries. Your QLs are going to be some of the primary muscles that your body uses to guard. Pain from QL tightness sucks. Most unilateral back pain (90%+) is going to be QL tightness.
Lumbar Strains are a pain to deal with. I also have a back injury and suffer from the same thing. It can be anything that throws it out. Last week I was mopping my kitchen floor and it decided to go out on me. My back injury is one of the main reasons why I got into physical therapy.

Here's something I posted a couple of weeks ago. Someone posted about reverse hypers and back injuries and I added this;

quote:

Someone suggested Reverse Hypers and got a couple of downvotes. I just want to expand on that topic a little bit.

Reverse Hypers are a fantastic exercise to rehab a lumbar strain. It isn't a good exercise to start out with. Lumbar strains are an absolute pain. I would suggest you start doing simple exercises like supermans, planks, and static holds against gravity that engage those lumbar muscles. When those become easy and don't cause you pain anymore start doing exercises like hyperextensions and unsupported rows. Again, start light and increase in intensity when that pain goes away. When that pain is gone, then start on those Reverse Hypers. RH is a fantastic exercise, but it should be used mid/late rehab and is excellent for maintaining a healthy low back.

ETA: And of course, this is on top of any other exercises/stretching that can help, i.e. stretching hamstrings, hip flexors, etc...


There's going to be a million people telling you a million things. What I have found that works best is a gradual increase in back extension work. Something like I laid out in that quoted paragraph. You are going to want to start slow and work up slowly. It's a process.

I hope this helps

re: Teen supplements & creatine use

Posted by PrezCock on 5/31/26 at 2:39 pm to
I agree. Powdered creatine is the way to go, creapure is best. Like I said in my original post. As why anyone would go the gummy route, it's on them. Perhaps they hate the grittiness of creatine monohydrate, or the acidic taste of creatine HCl and prefer the gummies. As long as your getting 5-10 grams a day, on average, the manner in which a person consumes it is their own preference.
quote:

it is worth noting just how bad the gummies actually are in quality


I wholeheartedly agree with you, and that is why these discussions are important.
I completely understand your point. And what I'm about to say isn't meant to be argumentative. But creatine works by saturation, which takes time. So getting inconsistent creatine intake with gummies isn't terrible. If a bag of creatine gummies has 100 grams of creatine in it, the inconsistency is going to be with each individual gummy, not the aggregate which is what really matters. I'm not saying it's the best route, and if you look at my entire comment that you quoted you would see that I prefer, and suggested, a powdered form of creatine monohydrate.

This is what you just wrote;

quote:

When you can just take the powder straight, there isn’t much of a point to going the gummy route, it is just wasting money.


This is what I wrote in my first comment;

quote:

Nothing wrong with Creatine Gummies, but I think they are a waste of money. Creatine Monohydrate powder is good. Creapure is preferred.


What's the difference? Please explain how I'm "kind of missing the point though"?

re: Teen supplements & creatine use

Posted by PrezCock on 5/21/26 at 5:45 pm to
quote:

Except for not having actual creatine in them.


I completely understand that some are garbage, but some do have creatine in them.

re: Teen supplements & creatine use

Posted by PrezCock on 5/21/26 at 1:35 pm to
quote:

When's the best time to take it? Pre-workout hydration?


There really is no best time. Creatine works by saturating your muscles cells with creatine. This provides your phospho-creatine energy system access to more energy. Saturation usually takes a week or so. This is why a bunch of the time you will see a "loading" phase with creatine. "Loading" isn't really needed, it just brings that saturation phase down a few days.

One caveat, I believe people with diabetes need to time their creatine intake, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

re: Teen supplements & creatine use

Posted by PrezCock on 5/21/26 at 12:51 pm to
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in the world. It is absolutely safe. Give him 5-10grams a day. The biggest issues people face with creatine supplementation is GI issues. But it'll be more like indigestion/diarrhea. Most likely he won't have those issues.

Food is going to be the biggest thing you can do for him. Make sure he gets enough protein. 1 gram per pound of bodyweight he wants to be/play at. Food you eat/chew gets better absorption than food you drink (protein shakes).

After practice/strength training he will be depleted of glycogen. If you are giving him a protein shake after make sure there is some kind of carbohydrate added to it or given to him on the side. I usually add a couple teaspoons of honey to my shakes.

Nothing wrong with Creatine Gummies, but I think they are a waste of money. Creatine Monohydrate powder is good. Creapure is preferred.

Hope this helps
quote:

Do you take it continuously or do you take it in a cycle?


I know this question wasn't directed to me, but I can answer it for you. So HGH works best the longer that you are on it. But one of the problems with elevated HGH is insulin sensitivity. It should be cycled. The cycle depends on the person. Most normal people, something like 5 or 6 months on and 1 month off should be enough to counteract any insulin sensitivity issues. If you have a somewhat higher fasting blood glucose level than normal but not in danger or type 2 diabetes, then you should cycle more often, 4 months on 1 off, or something like that. Also, monitor your blood sugar if you feel like you may be on the cusp of a higher fasting blood glucose level.
quote:

I get mine local at a shop here in South LA. They don’t ship to my knowledge


Thanks for the reply. The search continues lol
quote:

I thought aerosols were bad for the ozone layer?


It was the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that were in the aerosols that were bad for the ozone layer. I think they stopped putting CFCs into aerosols in the 80's.
Yeah, I like the stuff as well. I'm 47 and it is definitely effective. Where do you get yours from? I used to get mine from Peptide Sciences but they are not in the market anymore. I tried some other place but it was garbage. Still looking for a reputable company. Especially one that I don't have to worry about customs.
I'll break it down for you because you are getting a lot of misinformation, from all boards.

MK-677 is a growth hormone secretagogue, not a SARM. What it does is it tells the body to produce more HGH. It does this by acting as ghrelin (a hormone that makes you hungry). Unlike SARMs and other "Steroids" it does not stop the body from making Testosterone or HGH. So there is really no need for a post cycle therapy to restore the body's natural production after a cycle. The biggest problem is that it increases insulin sensitivity and will need to be cycled. Something like 5 months on and 1 month on is enough to counteract those effects.

MK-677 has been widely tested and used in multiple populations. It has been shown to increase muscle mass in the elderly population without changing any other factors. It is also prescribed to children who may have growth hormone insufficiency to help them grow.

Would I let your kid take it? That's not my call, and it really shouldn't be his, he's too young to really educate himself on these things. My suggestion is that you or your doctor do the research for him. There may be some good reasons for him to take it. The main reason for me would be if he was undersized for his age. At his age he is still growing and his growth plates haven't cemented in, meaning if he was on the shorter side it can help him get a little taller.

These are just the facts. As others have said, his body is producing the best mix to grow naturally at his age.

If you want links to scientific studies just let me know.

I hope this helps.

ETA: Links to some studies

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10272984/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4205082/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5632578/
Someone suggested Reverse Hypers and got a couple of downvotes. I just want to expand on that topic a little bit.

Reverse Hypers are a fantastic exercise to rehab a lumbar strain. It isn't a good exercise to start out with. Lumbar strains are an absolute pain. I would suggest you start doing simple exercises like supermans, planks, and static holds against gravity that engage those lumbar muscles. When those become easy and don't cause you pain anymore start doing exercises like hyperextensions and unsupported rows. Again, start light and increase in intensity when that pain goes away. When that pain is gone, then start on those Reverse Hypers. RH is a fantastic exercise, but it should be used mid/late rehab and is excellent for maintaining a healthy low back.

Hope this helps

ETA: And of course, this is on top of any other exercises/stretching that can help, i.e. stretching hamstrings, hipflexors, etc...
quote:

This is not remotely true, and terrible advice.


I'm a PT. And having 0 extension and 90 flexion is the goal for day 3 after surgery.

Maybe what you went through was different from the normal. But what you responded to my statement is false. The goal for immediate post surgical TKA range of motion by the end of day 3 is 0 extension (which is full extension) and 90 flexion. Now, those numbers don't always happen, but be assured, that is the goal for every patient.
quote:


My out patient PT started 12 days after surgery. My in home started 2 days after surgery.


That's much better than the 12 days without. But by day 3 you should have been at 0 extension and 90 flexion. Even starting 2 days post surgery is still doing you a disservice. TKA is a terrible, terrible recovery as you well know. It should have started ASAP after surgery to give you the best outcome. Sorry that your are going through this. Do the MUA (manipulation under anesthesia), I'm sure it'll suck but it'll put you back on the right track.

Good luck
quote:

He's only heroic because he isn't allowed to be selfish.


I don't think you understand what heroes are made of. Real heroes aren't patrolling the streets looking to accomplish "heroic deeds". Real heroes are put into positions by happenstance where they are forced to either act or die (or let others get killed). I'm not a hero myself, but I've served with plenty of them. And the biggest difference between them and myself is that they were put in an extraordinary position where they weren't allowed to be selfish. 99% of "heroes" are only heroic because they aren't allowed to be selfish.