I gained some notoriety years ago when I ran a full marathon without realizing that the pain radiating from my hip was a fracture. I had a lot of other issues that day, starting with an OD of Motrin that led to mild kidney failure. So the confusion with pain was perhaps understandable, if not quite comprehendable to people who have a low tolerance for physical discomfort.
I mention this because despite saying privately and publicly that I'll never be that foolish as to run while obviously injured, I've gone and done it again.
Friday night an on-again, off-again tightening in my lower back turned into full-fledged muscle spasms that stretching and a hot shower helped reduce but not eliminate. I had a fitful night of sleep and by 3 a.m. was pulling up medical web sites and self-diagnosing a muscle strain. I kept up the icing and ibuprofen and realized it hurt less to move than sit or stand still. So I met my running group as planned at 6:30 a.m. Saturday and enjoyed chatting for miles as we went 'round the lake and following it up with breakfast. Then I did several hours' worth of shopping.
By 5 p.m., back home, I couldn't get comfortable no matter what I did. I barely slept (again) and had a lot of trouble even getting out of bed several hours later. I actually cried.
Fast forward to now, where I'm home and feeling happy again, thanks to Big Pharma. Whoever invented those Lidocaine patches and Robaxin - I love you. I have a bulging disc and sections of muscle inflamed to the size of golfballs. Low-impact exercise only for the time being.
Here's where I would offer words of wisdom from experience, but I think we all know what my words are worth now.
8 comments:
Oh Anne...I'm so sorry that happened to you. I don't know what it is about runners...maybe it's because we often run with a certain amount of discomfort, that we think that we can just run through anything, and that any old pain is just no-big-deal. I don't know, but lord knows, I'm guilty of running when I shouldn't. You know that.
Take it easy and rest up. When you're ready, I did go to a really good massage therapist on Friday. Let me know if you need a name. She's on Mission Gorge. You'd like her.
So sorry to hear this, hope you get better soon!
Oh thanks for remembering us and your visit to our blog!
And thanks for your injury sharing.
Wishing you healing and restoration and, of course return to favorite activities.
Blessings.
Oh man, I'm so sorry to hear this! What a drag. But you know, I find it also hard to know when a ache will clear up with movement and activity vs when it is one you need to rest from. I don't know if I'll ever quite get it right.
Oh no! I'm so sorry - that bites, but I hope the pain will get more manageable soon. Runners are definitely crazy when it comes to ignoring things. Thankfully, I'm friends with my orthopoedist so I can drop by periodically and ask him to x-ray things just in case :)
Ouch! I am so sorry about your pain. Hope it gets better soon!
Feel better. The running group is missing you.
I am very sorry, I hope you feel better soon.
Take care and don't give up.
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