My back has been hurting lately.
I feel like an 85-year-old even typing that sentence, but it’s true.
It started on our recent trip to Ireland. I chalked it up to be scrunched into two different airplane seats for hours at a time, spending a lot of time riding in the car (through beautiful Irish country side, but still), and transitioning from one unfamiliar mattress and pillow to another in the B&Bs where we stayed. But we got home and it was literally keeping me up at night some nights because I just couldn’t get comfortable.
So I emailed my mom to ask for some back stretches, and she reminded me that everything is connected. You know, the hip bone’s connected to the back bone” and all that jazz. I’ve been trying to stretch out my hips and hamstrings as well as my back and it seems to be helping some, but the dull ache sort of comes and goes.
And then I read this post that an acquaintance wrote. He’s been dealing with a debilitating back injury for over two years, and it all started with some innocuous enough lower back pain.
Here’s what he writes:
Take care of yourself before it’s a requirement. I’m not saying this injury wouldn’t have happened regardless, but I have a feeling that if I’d gotten my body to a state of true functionality, strength, and mobility in the past, I wouldn’t be dealing with this issue right now. If it had happened anyway, a more healthy body would’ve likely allowed for a quicker recovery. Since late high school and through college, I worked out routinely and ate fairly healthy (I at least knew how I should be eating, even if I didn’t always follow my own knowledge). However, I never truly dedicated myself 100% to getting my body to a functional state of operation. It’s so much easier, cheaper, and enjoyable to take preventative measures for your health than it is to deal with injuries, sickness, and dysfunction. It’s worth your time and effort to eat healthy, exercise, mind your posture, maintain flexibility and mobility, and visit the chiropractor & massage therapist before it’s a requirement! Not taking care of my body to my fullest ability and extent is my largest regret in the past—going forward will be a different story. Take care of your body!
His injury is no joke y’all! I think I’ve really been sitting too much lately. I haven’t been eating as well, I haven’t been exercising as much, and I really feel like I can tell my hips get tighter throughout the day as I sit at my desk at work, sit on the couch at home, etc. etc. I need to for real dedicate to some stretching.
I will say, I’ve read some articles suggesting that stress can play into muscle pain, too, and there has been a lot going on in my life lately, so I’m sure that’s part of it. But I still know there are some physical things I can do to start ameliorating the problem. Hopefully I’ll feel more comfortable, sleep better, and have a healthy back for the long haul!
Have you dealt with any unexpected physical issues? How do you deal with out-of-your-norm aches and pains?
