Kialla's Goju Ryu Genku-Kai karate club instructor and Shepparton Private Hospital operating theatre technician Greg Olver, 60, inured his back when bending to pick something up in early July.
“I'd just started karate training again after the first lockdown when it happened, but I thought it would get better,” Mr Olver said.
However, over the next few days the pain down the left side of his lower body got worse until he could not move his leg without help.
“COVID was in the back of my mind and I didn't want to have surgery in Melbourne during the stage four lockdown,” he said.
“Being on restrictions in Shepparton, I wasn’t exercising for the first time in years. Like a lot of people, I put on a bit of weight and wasn’t as healthy as I should have been. I think this contributed to the injury,” Mr Olver said.
Because his nerve damage was classed as a category one injury, surgery was finally performed on his back at St Vincent's Private in Melbourne on August 14.
Mr Olver is now undergoing weekly rehabilitation sessions and his looking forward to getting back to his karate club.
But he said he should have acted earlier.
“If I had it done earlier, I would be much further down the road to recovery,” he said.
“My advice is, if you need surgery, go and get it done,” he said.
Shepparton Private Hospital allied health manager Mutian Zhang said he had seen many patients who had put off seeing a specialist during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“We are now seeing people in rehabilitation who hurt their back, like Greg, shoulder or knee and were nervous to get the help they needed to fix their injury,” Mr Zhang said.
“We know people are anxious about COVID-19, but we take every precaution to protect our patients and we hate to think anyone is sitting at home in pain, and potentially making injuries worse,” he said.
Goulburn Valley Health’s Clinical Operations executive director Donna Sherringham said the hospital's emergency department had experienced a noticeable drop in presentations compared to the same time last year.
“There is concern that people in our community with serious health issues and chronic illnesses are avoiding seeking medical attention due to COVID-19-related fears,” Ms Sherringham said.
She said the hospital had a brand new emergency department ready to provide the highest level of care for anyone across the Goulburn Valley.
“We strongly encourage everyone to visit the Emergency Department if their condition is in need of immediate attention, or explore and take advantage of the tele-health options available locally through their GP,” she said.
Ms Sherringham said subject to further Victorian Government advice, GV Health was aiming to resume 100 per cent of its usual elective surgery from November 23.