ouch ouch ouch fuck

[lolaraincoat]

My back hurts like a bastard. This is the worst it's been since 2002. I think I hyperextended it in pilates class on Sunday afternoon. Pilates, which is supposed to make my back strong. Middle age sucks.

On the other hand, I have a physio appointment tomorrow morning first thing, and meanwhile I can just take some codiene, and lie the hell down. My apologies to anyone who was hoping to do anything computerish or desky with me today. You can always call, though.

Comments

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

Heh. Until this most recent flare-up, the worst back pain I ever experienced was the result of Pilates. I think it was mostly due to inadequate warm-up, but I have never gone back. Yoga is really the best for me. I think I need a Cat-Cow icon, in fact.

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

I think I need an ouch ouch ouch icon. Hmmm.

See, the thing is, I can hurt myself doing damn near anything. I have injured or re-injured joints while running, using the elliptical trainer, practicing goju karate, practicing shotokan karate, practicing two other styles of karate, playing aikido, riding horses, x-country skiing, and -- yes -- doing yoga. The 2002 back injury, which led to my actually missing work for two whole weeks (and physical therapy 3x/week for six months) was a result of back hyperextension in a yoga class. Swimming and sex, although they haven't damaged any joints or muscles, have led to annoying infections. The only physical activities that have done me no harm at all so far when engaged in regularly are walking and tai chi, and they're boring.

The lesson I draw from all this is that I should just do whatever the hell I want and keep the physiotherapist's number handy. If I were rich I would just keep a physiotherapist on retainer.

[winterthunder.livejournal.com]

Owie! Have you ever been to a chiropractor?

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I saw a chiropractor for a while the first time I injured my back (either from karate or running; I was doing a lot of both at the time) in 1989. Meh. I prefer physical therapy, because it's more about helping me patch myself up and doesn't make me the passive consumer of health care, but YMMV.

Hey, Dale Spender, Spend a Little Time With Me

[executrix.livejournal.com]

By coincidence, I had my very first-ever Pilates class yesterday, although it hasn't been 24 hours yet so I don't know what bits are going to hurt. The teacher's attitude was, "You're all bothering me, and Dana, you're stupid," so I daresay I did not give a particularly accurate account of the exercises I was seeing for the first time.

In ballet class, the teacher always goes slow for the beginners, so I lose out at that end too. Cf. Spender pointing out the tendency of elementary schools to give extra attention to boys' poor reading and language skills (because they need help, the poor dears) and extra attention to boys' generally better math and science (because what's the point of coaching the girls if the boys are better at it than they are?)

Re: Hey, Dale Spender, Spend a Little Time With Me

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pilates classes can be bad that way. One thing that good martial arts dojos do is build in coaching from advanced students for less advanced ones in every class, so that everyone gets to go as slowly as they need to. Pilates, not so much -- at least not the classes at my gym.

On the other hand I think if you've already done enough ballet you'd not have too much trouble with the pilates exercises -- it's a lot of pelvic floor/obliques/hip flexor work which should be pretty familiar by now, right?

My injury was my own damn fault, I should add, since I was thinking "hey! I bet I can do this spine-flexy move way farther than that guy next to me!" which is not as wise an approach as telling oneself "hey, stop this flex as soon as it hurts even a little, because you know what happens when you hyperextend your back, dumbass."

Re: Hey, Dale Spender, Spend a Little Time With Me

[executrix.livejournal.com]

I was OK with a lot of the exercises, although, big v-things, not genius. And if I knew what I was supposed to be doing I bet I coudl do a lot of it.

BTW, it is supposed to be over freezing ALL DAY today so I assume you have taken back your filthy Canadian air. You can KEEP it.

[mincot.livejournal.com]

(((((((You))))0 That is long distance so it doesn't strain the back further.

Be careful with Pilates; you really do need good warm ups to avoid agony.

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

Eh, my own stupid fault really -- see my reply to Executrix, above. But thank you for the hug!

And nice cat icon, too, btw. One of the workers at our vet's office claims that ginger tabbies are always more social and playful than other cats, and that's certainly true of our cat Quick.

[mincot.livejournal.com]

This one's the eponymous Mincot, and she is VERY shy .... except with me, and there she lives up to the ginger tabby reputation.

[laughingrat.livejournal.com]

:(

I hope your back gets better very soon.

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm sure it will. And if not sooner, then later.

[stillwell.livejournal.com]

Damn, I'm so sorry! I'm fantasizing about having my license already and sneaking you over the border to treat you in NY state (which makes me the A-Team of acupuncture - which starts with the letter A!)

I really hope you fele better soon *

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

Oh man, that would be so great ... get that license soon!

[telurian.livejournal.com]

Ditto Stillwell...so sorry you're hurting so much! I hope you recover soon!

Personally, I don't fully trust "New Agey" type activities.

I have friends who have practiced yoga for years and swear by it. However, I tried Yoga some years back but it was too strenuous for me and the positions just didn't suit my body's abilities.

Can someone tell me who "invented or originated" Pilates?

So, I googled and came up with these sites:

http://www.nowrapilates.com.au/pilates.html
http://originhealth.co.uk/pilates_based_conditioning
http://www.pastornet.net.au/response/articles/121.htm (interesting take though from a "Christian" vantage point)

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

oooh, cool links, thanks!

The last time I had a bad time with my back, the physiotherapist taught me a whole bunch of pilates-based exercises, and it worked, so I figured, it can't be any worse for me than karate, right? Which probably it isn't -- I mean, as you've seen, I can injure myself while cooking, or doing damn near anything else. So it's not pilates, it's me. Alas.