Stretch
I'm walking slowly this morning. On Tuesday I took a barbell class. I love this class - I love the energy of strength building. Granted the most weight I use is only 25 pounds, but the lowest weight I use is 15 pounds, an improvement over a few months ago. On Tuesday I spent 12 minutes on the elliptical and then rushed to class. It takes awhile to set up the equipment, I use a lot of different bars and bells. Then I rushed off to the ladies room. Returning to class which was already warming up, I quickly picked up my 20 pound bar, threw it over my shoulders and began the squat warm up.
And that's when I felt the twang and pull in my lower back.
The rest of the class I moved gingerly, taking care to not strain the lower back. Following class I used the foam roller to work out some of the tight places along my back, glutes, and hamstrings.
But by Tuesday night I was really struggling to move and not have my back spasm. Then Wed. my husband and I had to help move some things out of my mother in laws condo. We've had to move her to an assisted living facility and now have to clean out her place. (It's a sad thing to do...). But even though I moved carefully and lifted almost nothing my back got worse.
I was a massage therapist for nine years. I know what to do. Rest, ice, heat, ice, and advil - for a muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory. This morning my back is slightly stiff, but a better. I just need to continue to move carefully.
I don't think it was the barbell class though that caused this. It's just where it happened. The real cause is a long time coming. A lot of built up tension from my jaw, through my neck, down my back, and into my legs. This is exasperated by not getting massages. I use to get massages every three weeks. But I haven't had one since February. And I haven't been doing as much yoga and stretching as I should. So. Here I am, paying the price for allowing my self to tighten up without stretching.
Churches do this, too, right? Allow themselves to tighten up without stretching? And then one day the church spasms and constricts and hurts. And then wonders why? what happened?
And that's when I felt the twang and pull in my lower back.
The rest of the class I moved gingerly, taking care to not strain the lower back. Following class I used the foam roller to work out some of the tight places along my back, glutes, and hamstrings.
But by Tuesday night I was really struggling to move and not have my back spasm. Then Wed. my husband and I had to help move some things out of my mother in laws condo. We've had to move her to an assisted living facility and now have to clean out her place. (It's a sad thing to do...). But even though I moved carefully and lifted almost nothing my back got worse.
I was a massage therapist for nine years. I know what to do. Rest, ice, heat, ice, and advil - for a muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory. This morning my back is slightly stiff, but a better. I just need to continue to move carefully.
I don't think it was the barbell class though that caused this. It's just where it happened. The real cause is a long time coming. A lot of built up tension from my jaw, through my neck, down my back, and into my legs. This is exasperated by not getting massages. I use to get massages every three weeks. But I haven't had one since February. And I haven't been doing as much yoga and stretching as I should. So. Here I am, paying the price for allowing my self to tighten up without stretching.
Churches do this, too, right? Allow themselves to tighten up without stretching? And then one day the church spasms and constricts and hurts. And then wonders why? what happened?
Comments
Great analogy about the church, and so, so true.
(Although I sometimes wonder about churches being a fountain of wisdom...fantastic metaphor to play with in regards to the church)
Continued healing.
love to you!