My lower back is often tighter than I realize. My massage therapist kindly reminds me to keep walking, lifting and stretching. It usually keeps things decent.
My last physiotherapy appointment I asked Emily if we could assess my right hip. It was very painful after swimming last week.
Emily asked me a bunch of questions then set about assessing my hip and back. I stood on one leg, then the other. I did side bends. She then had my lay on my back and put my leg in various positions asking me to press or pull.
“Ok. Now I want you on your stomach and just go into a baby cobra as relaxed as possible.”
The pain went away. Yet another moment of “what I go in for is not the issue”. Translated pain is the name of my game.
So I’m on a tummy time routine with hourly baby cobra. It’s definitely working.
No more hip pain but WOW is my lower back screaming day and night.
It’s frustrating as I continue to chase one petty injury after another.
Looking back there have been many things to irritate my lower back.
My fall in December , walking in snowy conditions, less strength and cycling and, oh yes, shoveling a shit tonne of snow the past month.
It’s the injury of desk jockeys, those of us with extremely sedentary jobs.
“But Natalie!” you exclaim, “you are a very active person!”
Not farmer active. Not contractor active. I’m active around an 8 hour day of sitting. So I’m using the standing option as much as possible. I change up where I’m meeting. I use stretch brakes. Walking commutes.
While I am frustrated at always being in physiotherapy for something I’m grateful I can access expert care.
It’s tempting, laying here writing to just stop doing everything. But I know it will only make the pain and my quality of life much worse. So. Baby cobra and being kind to my back it is.
