Fit To Ride
Awareness of the outside world. Avoided the news yesterday. So much agita; nothing changes.
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I knew my back was tight. I said so back in 2012.
All that dropping and rolling would be good fall protection. However, all that d&r is based on the ability to do a backwards somersault. I don’t roll. I am too stiff and tight through the back. Instead of curving into a ball and rolling over my shoulder onto my feet, I slam flat on my back and lie there like a distressed turtle. [Crosstraining]
Do I do anything about it?
Of course not.
Sure, I exercised. Walking. Biking. Swimming. Dance Class.
Did I address a known weakness?
Pffft.
Well, unless you count writing “Stretch” on my to-do list.
If my body were a horse, I would never have treated it this way.
I have now spent the last week and a half with an annoyingly painful lower back.
How did I get here? First day, I rode for over an hour & a half when we did our regular Saturday Virtual Tevis ride. Next day, I rode at Falcon Hill for an undocumented length of time but probably over an hour. Walking both days, light trotting the second day. By the evening of the second day I was having trouble moving. No radical overwork, just a long time in the saddle. [Logistics, Attitude]
At least, I think that’s what it was from.
It was not a tweak. I’ve done that. Years ago, I was bending over to lift a heavy cat while trying to keep my white pants off the muddy ground. Even as I reached, I could tell the position was ergonomically awkward. My back went sproing.
This time, my back muscles simply tightened up like a rope that had been pulled so taut the knots will no longer come undone.
The generalized anxiety that is 2020 certainly did not ease any underlying tension.
I did not see a doctor. I mean, other than the one I see every day. Medically, there weren’t enough symptoms to diagnose. They would have told me to rest and given me drugs. I’m a cheap drunk. I react strongly to medications. The universe does not need to see me on muscle relaxers.
So I waited. Heat. Ibuprophen. Linament patches. Started very slight movements as recommended by debandtoby. [Logistics comment]
What I could do: drive, lift heavy objects, anything as long as my spine was straight.
What I could not do: duck my head, get out of bed gracefully, anything that required the slightest curve in my spine either sideways or forward. You be surprise how often one ducks one’s head in the course of a day.
Checked out a new Tai Chi class last week (open air, socially distant, masks on 5 of 6). Was very careful about the moves I made. Felt fine, even good at the time. By the weekend, everything was worse. Could have been from the drive to class, or something unrelated. Either way, am trying not to do anything stupid this week.
Went for a ride on Sunday. That seemed to go well. Hair of the dog?
Once this is over, I will stretch, and stretch, and stretch more. Whether it’s on my to-do list or not.
BTW, Rodney is fine after all that riding. His back gets regular attention.
Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott
