Australian man with chronic pain breaks world record for number of pushups done in 1 hour
Daniel Scali taking a break while doing pushups for Guinness. (Guinness World Records)
Looks like Australians have the secret recipe when it comes to doing a record-breaking number of pushups in an hour.
Daniel Scali of Australia just beat the previous world record for most pushups done in one hour with 3,182. Scali’s record beat the previous one which belonged to another Australian, Jarrad Young, by 100 pushups, according to the Guinness World Records website.
What’s more, Scali suffers from an incurable chronic pain condition known as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), Guinness said.
"It’s the brain sending wrong messages to my arm, which is the affected area. So anything like soft touch, movements, wind or water will cause me pain," Scali told Guinness.
Scali was diagnosed with CRPS when he was just 12 and the simple pleasure of playing outside with friends was a rare treat due to his condition.
But this did not deter Scali from focusing on his physical health. He delved into the world of fitness and exercise and soon channeled his pain to push himself.
"I had to learn to alter my life to deal with the pain and overcome the mental challenges. This was not easy when you live with a constant ache," Scali said.
Scali hopes to bring as much awareness to CRPS as possible with his world records — that’s right, plural. Scali also holds the 2021 world record for the longest time in an abdominal plank in the male category.
Daniel Scali taking a break while doing pushups for Guinness. (Guinness World Records)
Scali held the plank for a grueling 9 hours, 30 minutes, 1 second, according to Guinness. He beat out the previous record, which was held by George Hood of the United States, by one whole hour.
"If you put your mind to it and your heart to it, you see it through," Scali said.
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What is CRPS
Complex regional pain syndrome is a form of chronic pain that is usually concentrated to the arms and legs, according to the Mayo Clinic.
CRPS usually develops after a significant injury, surgery, stroke or heart attack.
Symptoms can include:
- Continuous burning or throbbing pain, usually in the arm, leg, hand or foot
- Sensitivity to touch or cold
- Swelling of the painful area
- Changes in skin temperature — alternating between sweaty and cold
- Changes in skin color, ranging from white and blotchy to red or blue
- Changes in skin texture, which may become tender, thin or shiny in the affected area
- Changes in hair and nail growth
- Joint stiffness, swelling and damage
- Muscle spasms, tremors and weakness (atrophy)
- Decreased ability to move the affected body part
CRPS is considered a rare disease and it's estimated that some form of CRPS is developed in 5.46 persons out of every 100,000 per year, according to the Rare Diseases website.
This story was reported out of Los Angeles.