Tim Benjamin injury

Members Area In the News
1

Athletics: Benjamin suffers back problemMay 29 2007

South Wales Echo

INJURY-PRONE Tim Benjamin has pulled out of tonight’s Artur Takac Memorial international meeting in Belgrade after being admitted to hospital in Cardiff with a back problem.

Benjamin, who was the 2005 European 400m number one until restricted by injury problems, suffered a complication on Friday after an injection into his back to relax his hamstrings.

Just over two years ago it was feared he might have suffered a stroke when he was hospitalised after similar treatment for back and groin problems, and then a knee injury forced him to miss last year’s Commonwealth Games.

“The treatment which athletes have only once a year is usually straightforward,” said Benjamin’s coach Colin Jackson, the former world 110m hurdles record holder.

“But it seems his spinal cord was nicked by the needle and fluids began to escape.

Story continues

ADVERTISEMENT

“Once the fluids stop leaking he should be okay. It could stop today and he could back training immediately – we just have to wait until it does.

“It’s a pity because Tim is really in fantastic shape and I wanted him to run here to prove something to himself.

“He did a really great session last Thursday and with Friday being a rest day, he went for treatment at the hospital.

“We then planned another big session on Saturday until the problem arose and obviously he now needs bed rest to aid his recovery.

“We’re disappointed he cannot run in Belgrade, but when he knows he is ready to compete, we’ll really see him go for it.”

2

What is this treatment that athletes have once a year? Is anyone familiar with this injection?

Thanks

3

I don’t know the name of the injection, but it would obviously stop the nervous system signals reaching the hamstring. Perhaps it depletes the neurotransmitters? I’m not sure…

4

sounds like the magnesium injections that are often used in Europe. Sounds like an uncommon problem but one that could be serious

5

Have you any experience with the magnesium injections charlie? do they work?

Would oral magnesium consumption have any similar effects?

Thanks

6

No personal experience with it but I know it’s done in Germany and they claim success.

7

According to this site they’re used for pregnancy spasms. Must be uncommon in male athletes! :smiley:

In all seriousness though, that’s intresting stuff. I kinda want to try one just to see what it feels like…

8

it was an epidural tim had.

9

Thanks Maris,

I wonder how something that is given to block pain can help athletic performance?

10

Me too. And besides, wouldn’t that increase the risk of injuries?

11

I think it’s partly done to relax the muscles, i.e. take them further away from spasm. I admit, I don’t know too much about it. I spoke to Tim about it, as I took him to the hospital on Friday night! People get cortizone injections fairly regualarly though, which is done to block pain also. I believe that training for elite sport isn’t always healthy. Health and sport are often seen as synonymous, I’m not convinced that’s the case!

12

Uhhh if you’ve trained seriously for sport you know it isn’t healthy!

13

My point exactly

14

Athletics: Welsh ace’s hopes in lap of the godsJun 17 2007

by Peter Shuttleworth, Wales On Sunday

TIM BENJAMIN has gone from ballerina to Incredible Hulk as he bids to be an Olympic super-hero.

The Welsh athletics ace has been transformed by new coach Colin Jackson as the hurdling legend has ditched the 21st century sports science approach to go back to the ‘old school’.

Britain’s top 400m runner continues to be dogged by injuries but Jacko’s intense weights programme is geared to help prevent niggles – as well as unleash Benjamin’s power over the one-lap distance.

His season starts properly on Saturday as Benjamin competes for Great Britain against Europe’s best at the European Cup in Munich – and the 25-year-old star wants to put all his injury nightmares behind him and give British athletics fans finally something to shout about before next year’s Beijing Olympics.

The World Championship finalist said: “Colin has taken me back to basics; he’s very much an old school coach.

“The gym has become my second home as I’ve been doing strength work by the ton. It has been damn hard work but Colin insists my core strength must be strong so I’m stable when running.

“There’s none of that sports science interference or the latest 21st century training fad. I haven’t had people telling me I won’t be able to run fast unless I can balance on one leg with my hands on head.

“Previously I’d go to the gym, spend an hour trying to balance on the stability board and go home and not even break sweat.

“I sometimes felt I achieved nothing. All I wanted to do was lift some steel.

“Colin’s view is you can’t look like a ballerina coming up the home straight. The sports science routines made you run that way.

“Colin thought if I looked like a ballerina, then I wouldn’t be fighting hard enough.

“You can get carried away by these training fads or you can concentrate on doing the basics right – and that’s bulk up and be strong.

“Colin wants me to get strong, get fit and get fast. The strength work will hopefully help keep my injuries at bay and allow me to train more.”

One-lap wonder Benjamin left GB coach Tony Lester and the bright lights of London to join former world 110m record-holder Jackson’s training camp back in Cardiff with fellow Welsh athletics ace Rhys Williams last autumn.

Jackson admitted he was ‘shocked’ by their basic fitness levels and even called his legendary mentor Malcolm Arnold in horror, explaining that neither could complete a mammoth session of sit-ups or pull-ups.

Benjamin admitted: “Colin has spent most of the time body sculpting me so I’ve been doing bench-presses, sit-ups and single-leg squats all of the time. My upper body now feels strong.”

Benjamin proved he is one of Britain’s few world-class talents when the Cardiff athlete beat Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner in 2005 as he dipped under the magic 45 seconds mark for a 400m runner.

Benjamin was officially ranked No 2 in the world as he narrowly lost to Tyree Washington in the World Athletics Final in Monaco later that year.

But since then injury has ruined his Commonwealth Games and Euro Championship hopes.

Benjamin – preparing for the European Cup and August’s World Championships in Osaka – suffered a second epidural leak in two years last month after a pain-killing injection to cure a nerve problem in his back went wrong.

“The chances of having of having an epidural leak are one in 200 people,” said Benjamin. “I’ve suffered it twice. That typifies my injury curse.

“I’ve had a sinus problem as well but I’m pushing my body to the limit so injuries and illnesses are going to happen. If I couldn’t cope with that, I’d play darts.

“There is a void of athletics superstars in Britain and I want to fill it. I know I can run fast but I have to keep reminding myself I’m only 25 and Roger Black and Kelly Holmes had to wait until their 30s to celebrate glory.

“This is an unforgiving sport and I’m not lucky enough to be one of those guys who doesn’t suffer injuries but I can’t control that. I’ll just keep coming back for more.

“With the 2012 Olympics being in London, winning a medal there is an opportunity I won’t let go without a fight. I might not win an Olympic medal but I’ll die trying.”

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0700sports/1200sportsroundup/tm_headline=athletics--welsh-ace--8217-s-hopes-in-lap-of-the-gods%26method=full%26objectid=19310834%26siteid=50082-name_page.html#story_continue

15

Well lets see if it works! Cos if he runs like a donkey there will be nowhere for his coach to hide since he will be commentating on his races on british TV!

16

I agree. Jackson has put Tim and his own coaching methods under serious scrutiny with all the public criticism of Tony Lester. It’s Hobson’s choice really isn’t it?

Also haven’t noticed any marked improvement in Tim’s physique.

BTW is it me or are CJ’s shirts getting more outlandish by the month? He’ll be wearing pink polka dots by the end of the season.

17

Maybe it’s to distract us from asking too many questions if things go down hill? :smiley:

18

Colin should be flogged in public with a wet fish. if those boys dont run well. The gull of the guy bad mouthing everyone in wide spread new paper articles telling us about the way he trained and what this guys lack. Rhy said in an article while telling us he might not run this season because of a stress frature " THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU YOU TRAIN HARD" he said What a dump sod or better still for world wide audience on CF.com What a dump idiot

Is this from the same guy that did not undetstand what speed endurance was untill he met MJ on tv.

Is this is the same guy that ran 6.47sec for the 60m and had a best of 10.23sec for the 100m. what a disgrace. I posted on here when this boys moved to Colin to say they would not do well. Injury is part of what a coach should be monitoring maybe through the programm or a regenerative program.

I actually think UKA have picked Benjamin over Steel (a shocking and disgraceful decision ) maybe to actuallY protect their investment in Benjamin or Colin from the backlash that might come his way i.e. how can this guy ever criticize anybody else when he cant even get Benjamin to well.

I dont care what you say but from what we have seen so far means Benjamin would not be running any where near what he did with Mr Lester and that my friends is a travesty.

19

:smiley: :smiley: :smiley: This is poetry.

I think Rhys’s problems are long standing and he had to choose a specific time to get over them but I’m not sure if this stress fracture is the same injury I’m thinking of. Certainly, the two are inspired by him at least and they keep making positive comments to the press so we’ll see what happens.