Lesson Learned: Holistic Recovery Plan

On my road to recovery, I have mentioned that I am fascinated with all that I am learning about the body and healing. I am used to being in the mindset of "go, go, go" and "burn, burn, burn" that I sometimes leave my body behind. Now that I am in this state of awareness of my body (and believe me, the nagging back pain won't let me think otherwise) I am learning about two different approaches when it comes to healing.


I am now two weeks to the day post injury. I am better in the sense I can move around and am not wincing in pain every time I sneeze or bend forward. I was not better in the sense that my anti-inflammatory pills were making me extremely drowsy and my butt was getting so tight that it was it basically in my shoulder. This is because my physical therapist told me not to do yoga. Oh yeah, I did swim and do the elliptical last week which I think only made matters worse because I could not stretch afterward.


My massage therapist is encouraging me to do yoga, however, and her point is that what caused my injury was not the typical reason a person slips disc. I am not overweight and I am not out of shape. But, I am EXTREMELY inflexible. And this is because partly of my genes but mainly because I have not honored this ever so important practice and have worked it into my regimen. Additionally, I am encouraging bad habits because I keep doing cardio activities that just reinforce the injury and what caused it.


Anyway, her point was why in the world did my physical therapist have me do strengthening exercises  and encourage cardio when I am already strong and that is not the reason why I got hurt in the first place. And why in the world am I still getting tighter? 


It seems, my physical therapist prescribed me a recovery plan that was fit for an overweight and out of shape man.  My massage therapist asked if my physical therapist even touched my body. It turns out she hadn't and as a result there was no way she could have known how tight my glutes and hamstrings are thus not really understanding what caused the injury.


So, today I am embarking on a new recovery program. First off, I am ditching the anti-inflammatory pills, which were making my life miserable. I am now taking flaxseed oil which has anti-inflammatory powers. I am going to do gentle yoga every day until my back pain is gone. And I will walk or swim as long as I don't feel pain but will not push in either discipline.


We will see in a couple weeks how I feel by taking this holistic approach to recovery. I guess, if I am writing about being on the bike and getting back on the marathon training horn in a couple weeks, we know it worked.


I will vow to keep stretching and make yoga a part of my life even after I recover. :-)


ps-will write about how I am managing my diet in this less active time. it's hard!