Hi all,

I hate this to be one of my first posts here....but i am struggling after what for me is a bad diagnosis.....

I have been running for about 5 years now, done nearly 10 half marathons and many 10kms. Got my times down steadily to just sub 39min 10km and 1:38min 21kms as PB's

i am 32 yo and male Used to be 220lbs 5 years ago, now 165lbs, lost 55lbs. Been having niggly neck pain and intermittant severe pain but resolves in couple of days with antiinflams and pain relief.

Decided finally to get a couple of opinions. Visited well reccommended chiro and osteo. Both had a look at my xrays and agree that it looks as if I have been in numerous high speed car smashes with severe whiplash injuries. C2-T3 all have very thin cartilidge left posteriorly and is not even close to the correct shape.

This has caused a pelvic tilt which has started to wear my hip joint leaving minor bone spurs especially on the right side.

They both recommended that if I did not have treatment fairly soon to remedy the basic shape of my spine I would be looking at a potential hip replacement in the next 15-20 years and irreversable vertebral damage .

Treatment recommended by both invovles cessation of excercise for a period, manipulation to realign things and get the hips working straight and then slow introduction back to excercise.

It is the cessation of running and riding that almost has me in tears! I have worked so hard to get here, and I feel like I will not be able to bring myself to get back to where i am after such a long break....I feel guilty too as I know many people have far worse than this but i live to run and ride by myself, with my friends and my wife....and thats how I interact with nature and de-stress.

Not seeking medical advice I have had 3 opinions. moreso psychological advice, positive experiences or strategies to let me get back, I am just so dissappointed.

Has anyone else had any of these issues and had treatment?

On the up side the chiro said I would be feeling so good in 6-9 months I would wonder what hit me. He said he is surprised I am even functioning. he suggested that the runnign, while damaging my hip, had in fact reduced any cervical pain through a number of well known mechanisms.

Thanks for reading.
Russell