My ability to tolerate discomfort began back during my ballerina years. Although many scoff at dancers as being prissy, I believe it to be the exact opposite. I mean, standing on your toes kinda sucks! Bloody feet, smashed toenails, and sore ankles were the norm….so we adjusted.
Throughout high school, I continued dancing on a team that required lots of floor work and my knees and hips took a beating. It became normal for me to return home after practice with black and blue swollen knee caps. However, I never truly hurt myself and instead, I just got used to the discomfort.
This pattern continued into the present only I have left my dancing years behind me. Instead, mountain bike spills and ski crashes are more the norm these days and bloody toenails typically come at the end of a long run instead of the end of a performance. However, I’m starting to think that maybe I’ve pushed this whole discomfort thing a bit too far… and it’s finally time to fix that!
Bottom line? I hurt my back y’all! And honestly, I did it in the most mundane way possible.
I took Tally on an easy 4 mile shakeout run/walk on Monday. My muscles were still slightly sore from the Crossfit comp on Saturday, but I knew I needed to force the lactic acid out of my body. We were ambling our way back to the house when Tals saw a bunny. Naturally, because she is Tally and that’s what she does, she darted after the rabbit, taking my arm with me. This is 100% normal and in fact, occurs on a daily basis. However, I wasn’t really paying attention this time and kinda whipped my upper body when she pulled. My lower back twisted and apparently, that was no bueno! It’s been a problem ever since.
Lower back pain is nothing abnormal for me; in fact, I have experienced it to varying degrees for the past 10 years. When I was in grad school and sat at a desk a lot, it would become pretty painful. In order to ease the pain, I would lay down on my hard kitchen floor because something about that position eased the tension. Even more strange? If I don’t exercise at least 3-4 times per week, my backs starts to act up again! How’s that for my body encouraging me to stay active?
I’ve seen multiple massage therapists but have never been to a spinal doc or a chiropractor in my life. Something about the “crack, crack, CRACK” makes me nervous! I’ve visited a handful of sports massage guys that have advised me to go to see someone about my back. In their words, I’ve experienced too many hard-impact accidents (skiing, mountain biking….did I mention mountain biking?!) and have knocked my spine all out of whack. Because I am comfortable being uncomfortable, I’ve tolerated the most severe part of the pain until my body adjusted to its new circumstances. In fact, I have been warned by no less than three sports med guys that at some point, I would “throw my back out” if I didn’t go in and get it looked at. Who knew people still threw their backs out?!
So, surprise! Guess what I’m doing on Monday?!
It’s been five days and it isn’t getting better. I can bend over and touch my toes but it feels like I am stretching some seriously sore muscles in my back. However, when I try to extend and lean backwards, I get stopped after an inch because it HURTS! It almost feels like there is an obstruction; that my vertebrae are smashing into each other or something. I’ve been able to go to Crossfit and run this week, but it’s all been modified. My KB swings have been wicked light and pull-ups were an absolute no-go. Running makes me notice the pain but it isn’t intolerable.
I made an appointment to see a sports med/chiropractic/sports massage/ART therapy guy. I suspect it’s going to take a combo of all of those to get everything to feel better, but I’ll admit I’m kinda nervous!
PS Don’t forget: only a few more days to enter my Oakley sunglasses giveaway!