Hips Don't Lie

Since the Spring of last year, I have been following a fairly strict workout schedule and eventually added calorie counting to my regimen in just the past couple of months. The combination of both has worked wonders for me, and I am pleased with the results so far. I still have a little more work to do in order to reach my goal weight, but what has satisfied me even more include my increased energy level, a healthier feeling me, and just an overall feeling of accomplishment.

Six days a week I subject myself to no less than 40 minutes of cardiovascular activity a day, weight training, and then an abdominal routine to top it all off. I purposely diversify the cardio, sticking to running and interval training as my fundamental exercise, but I also take advantage of the spin class offered at the gym and occasionally hop on the elliptical or stationary bike for an extended workout a couple of times a week. The weight training portion of my workout alternates daily: some days I focus on my upper half, while other days I concentrate on the lower body. Too bad abdominal training hasn't become easier yet. Sit-ups, crunches, pilates, and the like have strengthened those muscles, but I am still a long way from ever achieving a six-pack. Not I really want to go that far, but if I ever do, that would be a plus. Perhaps giving up beer might help? I'm not sure I'm ready for that, so I'll just take one step at a time.

In the past couple of weeks, I've moved my running routine from the treadmill to running strictly on the track. The great thing about that is that in doing so, I've improved my pace and found my running stride. However, it appears that the surface change has put a bit of strain on my 30-something year old bod, so this week I find myself having to recover from the aches of muscle soreness and such as if I've started running for the first time. Treadmill running is far easier than outdoor or track running, and as a result of my ambition, I've thrown my back out of kilter. Has that stopped me from continuing to work out every day? Nope. My mind is inherently sadistic, and additionally because of my high tolerance for pain, sometimes what I perceive as only slight pain is really more serious. Consequently, this has been cause for problems for me in the past.

Perhaps the most traumatic injury of my young life happened to me when I was in the 8th grade. At the time, I was a member of the senior volleyball team, and we had just claimed victory over our primary adversary in some middle school league tournament. From what I recall, I was sore from the constant activity of that weekend. My lower back was causing me some discomfort, but it wasn't excruciating enough for me to stop anything I was doing. I figured the pain would eventually dissipate, which it did, but not without freaking me out first.

The Sunday following our tourney, I woke up feeling strangely stiff. I managed to get out of bed and decided to get out of my pajamas and into some regular clothes. As I struggled to bend down to put on socks, I heard and felt a loud snap, then fell to the floor. My vision blurred all of a sudden and a wave of nausea swept over me. The pain in my lower back that followed could only be described as unbearable, and I made a torturous attempt to get back on my feet, but could not do so. My immediate thought was that I was paralyzed.

Eventually my sister entered my bedroom to find me writhing in pain on the floor and immediately summoned my parents for help. I explained to them what had happened and that I could not walk nor stand up for that matter. My dad then called 911, and within several minutes an ambulance showed up. The paramedics had me retell the incident while checking my vitals and whether I had any sensation in my feet and legs. Everyone seemed relieved when I said that I did feel the EMT's tapping on my knees and feet, but still unable to stand, it was clear that I needed to be examined by a doctor. I was carefully transferred on to a gurney and loaded into the ambulance.

That was the only time in my life that I've ever had to ride in an ambulance (knocking on wood). I really don't remember much, except that the EMT who sat with me in the back talked the whole way. Maybe she was trying to keep me awake, just in case there was an undetected injury they did not know of. In any case, I remember how much I wanted to close my eyes and relax. Lying there staring at the ceiling of the ambulance did not relieve the aching in my back, and after the commotion of the morning with that emergency medical team crammed into my bedroom asking me a couple dozen questions, all I wanted was a few moments of peace. At least the ride to the hospital was brief, and luckily, the wait in the ER was short, too.

The physician who examined me was a grouchy, young man. His bedside manner was not his strong point, and my mom gave him grief for his lack of consideration. For some reason I remember his hideous bowl hair cut, but I was indifferent to his attitude as I spent the entirety in the examination room crying in agony. The ultimate diagnosis was a lower lumbar sprain which may have been a result of my carelessness in weight training topped off by the exertion of volleyball practice and tournament. I was sent home after the grumpy doc forced me to my feet for an injection of pain relief, slowly wobbling out of the hospital with a prescription for some potent painkillers in hand. Almost instantly of the shot, the pain finally started to fade out, and I was like David after the dentist that first day of medication.

Sadly, I experienced a similar situation last year after overexerting myself at the gym. There is a reason that trainers say "Moderation is key." I think I missed a couple of days from work, but got a sweet prescription for some heavy analgesics from another ER doc - this time he was a kind, handsome Middle Eastern fellow who chuckled at my joke about feeling like a granny without her walker. That recent experience was less traumatic, but taught me a lesson in listening to the clues from my body. Besides, I'm no longer a spring chicken!

As a result of my experiences, this week's aches shall not be ignored. Despite my current fitness obsession, I don't want to be out of commission for weeks. My hips are feeling out of whack, so at the advice of friends, I'm going to visit the chiropractor to see if a realignment is in order. I wouldn't mind a prescription either for some medication if it's needed, but what is important for me at this point is just to get back on the exercise track. I know I will shortly, but what this body needs is an adequate break from my regular activity, and that's what it's going to get!