I can fix my car before my class. I’ve done it before. All I need to do is lift up on the left rear quarter panel and pop it right back into the frame, good as new. Not exactly! Within seconds, my lower back was in spasm as I tried to repeat the maneuver but with majorly reduced strength.
A no-go, I gathered my gear and limped off telling myself, “it’s muscular, just muscular”, to teach my Senior Shape Up class. Wrong.
Now if this had happened to you, I’d have told you to stop everything. Depending on the severity of the injury to either seek medical attention, go home and ice repeatedly throughout the day or both. More at: July/Aug. 2012, Vol. XI, Issue Seven/Eight – Rest, ice, compress, elevate (R.I.C.E.), Good Pain, Bad Pain, Treat Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
Not me, I soldiered through an hour of resistive work followed by an hour of errands. When I returned home I knew I was in trouble. Yet, it took another three hours, while icing and resting, to do the right thing, cancel my appointments for the following day to really rest, recover. Ah, denial…
Sound familiar? Downtime, even for legitimate reasons doesn’t bode well in today’s society. Especially during cold and flu season, most frequently with those, like myself who contract their services and have no paid sick days. Many keep on going, spreading germs or providing less than stellar care, because they’re just not 100%.
Last year, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Hans Gruenn speak on the immune system and on stress. My over simplified, take-away: the body knows what it needs. It sends not-to-be-ignored messages. Heed them.
Semi-heeding, workaholic that I am, while writing this, I’m resting (on ice)!
