Well, wouldn’t you know it. I get back from a lovely holiday quite chuffed that I had actually lost a bit of weight whilst stuffing myself full of gorgeous tapas every day. And then, as there are no yoga classes this month, I started up a new gym routine which included some yoga stretching, abs & arms, and then 40 minutes on The Bike. I was feeling really good about “taking my life back” after finishing chemo, and about getting healthy & fit again. Then I had to go to the hospital yesterday to get my port flushed out and while I was there everything went for a burton…
It started with an awful bus ride out there. I usually prefer to walk or take the rental bikes, but it was far too hot (40º) and I didn’t want to pay extra for a taxi. And so I sat all the way to the hospital in a very awkward position as the guy beside me was even bigger than me and I was trying to avoid getting too “up close and personal” with him. When I got to the hospital I immediately felt nauseous but forced myself to go to into the chemo room and wait. But first I went to use the toilet. And goddam those public toilets! Because while I was “hovering” over the toilet seat my back suddenly went TWANG!!! and I got that all-too-familar painful electric jolt feeling that comes from lower back nerve damage.
Luckily, after my last bad back episode, I was sent a surprise gift by my friend Linda … a copy of Treat Your Own Back, which I had been planning to buy for ages. So as soon as I got home from the hospital I lay down on my stomach on the bed and let things “settle” for a bit, and then I very carefully started doing these cobra variations. And I’ve been doing this every couple of hours since.
What can I say, Johnny? You were so right about the cobra exercises. It’s like they send the pain to a different place and then things slowly start balancing out. My back still hurts but I’m not having to hold onto the walls for support like before. And while I might not get back to the gym this week, I should at least be able to travel the two hours to Zahara by car on Friday (something I don’t think I’d be able to do at the moment). Meanwhile I’ll be getting out for daily walks and continuing with the stretches.
What a bugger, eh?
casa azahar 
Sounds like your iliopsoas took you for a ride. Long muscle on the front of your spinal column, crosses to inside of your thighbone. Hip flexor, so it reciprocates with the rearmost fibers of the gluteus minimus butt muscle that had you going awhile back. They do tend to conspire.
I once edited & typed a stupefying 500 page manuscript (pre computers) and was compelled to do the Cobra and a couple of torque stretches every couple hours.
Sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you (just lean back comfortably on your hands) and squeezing something solid between your ankles, at least as big as a basketball, helps too. Nothing fancy, isometric contraction, steady but not all-out squeeze. You can sometimes feel things re-seating in the sacral region when you do this.
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Ouch, poor you. I, too, regularly do cobra variations and downward dog to keep my lower back from pinching nastily when I least expect it. I find that – the more I run, the tighter my hamstrings get and the more my back hurts, so the yoga counter-balances the running. 🙂
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Ouch, ouch, ouch.
Having been prone to back problems myself, I can sympathise. What works for me now is to ensure that the musculature supporting that area stays nice and strong. I laid off going to the gym for several weeks recently and have been getting twinges again.
It must be difficult to keep your abs strong when you’ve had so much surgery :hug:
I now keep a packet of disinfectant wipes in my handbag – so the toilet hover manoeuvre is no longer necessary.
One of the dirtiest seats was in my local doctors’ surgery! Yuck.
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Back is slightly better today but still hurts. The most annoying thing is not being able to go to the gym for the rest of the week. Yesterday I did 15 kms on The Bike on “hilly terrain” and came home with my t-shirt soaked to the waist. And I can feel my scars this morning from all the abdominal crunches I did. I was really looking forward to getting into this routine before going to Zahara. Damn, damn, damn.
I’m afraid disinfectant wipes wouldn’t be enough for me, Teuchter. Public toilets just gross me out too much. And yes, some of the worst ones I’ve seen have been at the hospital.
Something as big as a basketball, eh? Will Sunny do?
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Hopefully your back feels better soon. I wish all public restrooms came with ‘seat napkins’. Not the cheap-rip-before-u-sit kind, either. I cant stand to hover, but public washrooms are disgusting. People have said they just pile rolls of bathroom tissue on the seat. But when u gotta go, u dont always have time to decorate the throne.
I’m glad to read your beach vacation is a go! Sun,sand,silence!!!What else does a girl need. Dont worry about the im thing, I’ll be around the comp. Your in luck that I’m unemployed.
Wishing your back gets better soon. That reminds me, I have an appointment with the chiropracter this afternoon.
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I ALWAYS hover, dkl. And I’ve got the well-developed thigh muscles to prove it.
It’s usually not a problem. But I think the bus ride to the hospital with me sitting in an uncomfortably twisted position was what set me up for a fall.
Feeling a bit better today. Went for a long, gentle walk for a couple of hours this morning – basically running errands and going to the supermarket. And although it hurt-hurt-hurt every step of the way, I know it’s better to keep moving than just sit or lie around.
Also went to see Agustín this morning. This beach house is sounding more fabulous by the minute. And a bonus! Agustín’s very good friends G & P (who I have met) happen to live next door to him in Zahara and are going to be there while I’m there. So I can stop worrying about what I might do in an emergency.
But I am very glad to know you will be just an IM away if I get lonely.
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Wow, just took a two-hour nap lying on my stomach. I hadn’t planned to fall asleep that way as I never sleep on my stomach, but I was going to do a bit of cobra and then … well, I guess those two glasses of lunchtime “muscle relaxants” kicked in and I was out like a light.
And you know what … my back is feeling MUCH better as a result.
Amazing.
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Good that your back is feeling better, and I’m so pleased you found the book useful. Gym can wait.
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I think it was those muscle relaxants that did the trick az! Glad to hear you’re on the mend – you’re a very brave girl – have a star *
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Oooh, a star! Thanks Puddock. 🙂
Gym is gonna have to wait, Linda, and yes, the book has been extremely useful.
Today the back pain is now more annoying than PAINFUL. This is the tricky time … must be careful to keep doing the cobras and not do anything stupid. Like this morning when I lugged a full laundry basket down from the roof. Although even sneezing at this stage can be dangerous.
Off for nap now …
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Oof. I’m just getting caught up here. I’m sorry to hear about the bad back. I’m glad you’re doing better now. Good thing to know about those cobra exercises! Keep at them.
And, for the record, I am also a hoverer.
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A tip for you, alejna. Make sure you always carry those little packets of kleenex with you while you’re in Spain as quite often you won’t find any paper in the toilets, esp in bars. Best to use the facilities at hotels, dept stores like Corte Inglés or chain restaurants (McDonald’s, Starbucks) as they tend to have the cleanest toilets.
Back is well enough now for the 2-hour car ride to Zahara. 🙂
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Been away again myself – good to know it works for people apart from me!
I suppose it can’t help everyone, but for those that is does, it is like magic.
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Well I thought I was on my way to a speedy recovery and then managed to throw my poor back out again yesterday by reaching down to put something on the floor (instead of deep knee bending). Fuck.
Staying active though. Walked half hour into village but not sure about getting back! Well, am going to have lunch here so perhaps a glass or two of muscle relaxant will help make the homeward journey bearable.
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Muscle relaxant – always good.
As well as those Cobra stretches, I have also been making a point of doing dorsal raises to try to strengthen the lower back – my theory being that the stretches mainly mobilise it. Very gently at first of course.
I need to practise what I preach – after putting suitcases in and out of cars, and not making the time to stretch properly whilst away, I am on thin ice with my back as well.
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