Breaking The Guinness World Records with CRPS
Having broken the Guinness World Record for longest plank ever was already an incredible achievement, though more staggering is the knowledge this was completed whilst living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. In 2021 Daniel Scali broke the former Guinness World Record plank of 8 hours, 15 minutes, 15 seconds by an incredible 9 hours, 30 minutes and a single second.
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a form of persistent pain that usually affects an arm or a leg. CRPS typically develops after an injury, a surgery, a stroke or a heart attack. The pain is out of proportion to the severity of the initial injury.
“When I was 12 years old, I fell off my trampoline causing a severe break in my left arm, and as a result, I live with a condition called CRPS.”
Daniel has not allowed this moment to limit his capabilities or potential, achieving results most would merely dream about. Living with this condition has prompted him to push through the pain barrier for physical excellence and through his training he has built muscle and developed stamina, defining his ability as an elite athlete.
Daniel during one of his high-intensity training sessions
For Daniel, the choice in the exercises he selects is significant. The CRPS is localised to his left arm, meaning that the motions most take for granted (with only slight resistance) are a constant challenge. Completing a plank puts much pressure on the upper body region, as does push ups. Now imagine trying to complete these with CRPS in one arm.
“It’s the brain sending wrong messages to my arm, which is the affected area. So anything like soft touch, movement, wind, water, will cause me pain.”
Exercise was initially his means to increase his resilience to living with persistent pain. This has developed into a passion for fitness and wellness, and has since enlisted the help of a mind coach. One of Daniel’s mindfulness practices is visualisations and he shares his practices with his many Instagram followers.
“A practice which I often use to deal with the pain is visualising a tornado. Might sound strange but within this I imagine the tornado at the front of my head getting bigger and as it does it takes over the parts of my body from the head to the arms to my fingers, through my neck to my back and through my legs to my toes. Within this practice the tornado slowly consumes me, blowing away the pain as it goes.”
Pain does not rule his life or movements however, and on February 26th, 2022 he will be attempting his next challenge. Daniel will be pushing through the pain to accomplish the most push ups completed in an hour, no doubt gaining another Guinness World Record.
“My passion for fitness has become so crucial to the way I deal with the effects of CRPS. Pushing myself to meet and surpass my fitness goals helps me build my mental strength and manage my chronic pain day in and day out, in combination with consistent physio and nerve block treatment.”
Daniel’s specific brand of championing his health can’t be achieved by everyone, but his ability to listen to his body and prioritise what he needs, both mentally and physically, is a significant lesson for us all. Not only does Daniel act as a source of inspiration and hope but he also raises awareness. Awareness for what it means to struggle with a chronic condition, awareness for CRPS and also awareness for our community.
On behalf of our community, we say thank you. Thank you for raising awareness for the future of persistent pain and thank you for being our victor.
If you would like to donate to Daniel Scali’s ‘Most Push Ups Completed in an Hour’ challenge, please follow the link here: https://linktr.ee/daniel_scalii
You can follow his journey here: Daniel Scali
APMA does not offer medical advice through the blog entries. Please speak to your healthcare professional for any information surrounding a condition and/or medication