Old Age Creeping Up?

For some time now I've been experiencing lower back pain which started around the time we spent rather large amount of money on a lovely new Super King Sized Bed (6' wide)  We (I) spent ages jumping up and down on various sorts of bed before finally telling He-Who-Must-Be-Ignored that This is the bed for us!  (please be aware that HWMBI did have chance to give his input but he chose not too and just stood around looking bemused as I bounced around on various beds) I think maybe he's a little shy.   Now, not too long after the bed arrived I began to experience lower back pain.   Not good.  I sort of convinced myself that our rather expensive new bed wasn't suitable for my back and was the cause of all my troubles.

I chose to ignore that fact that at around this time I'd started to run!

I tried to convince myself that the pain was probably Old Age Creeping Up!

It wasn't until we were in Egypt that the horrible truth dawned on me!  I was in the gym twice a day, running/walking 5k most mornings and evenings and the pain in my back just got worse and worse. 

Well, unless my lovely Super King Sized Bed has perfected the technique of Distance Tampering then something else was to blame for the increasing pain in my lower back!

Since arriving home I've (mainly) resisted the urge to run and have confined myself to walking my dogs in the morning and doing a little bit of walking on my treadmill.   My back pain has eased a little but is still there. 

I mentioned my troubles to the lovely Nichole (at Newland Chiropractic Clinic) when I went there last night.  She rolled her eyes in the way only she can, when I tell her of my injuries and exploits.  A quick "stand straight with your feet together and close your eyes" test revealed that I was leaning forward and to the right (that's my balance - not my political orientation which may or may not be the same!) 

A quick examination on the couch revealed that one bunch of the muscles on my lower right side was in a bit of a bad way which has had a knock on effect of making my right leg a whole INCH SHORTER than the left.  No wonder I was  having trouble - this is like running on a permanent camber!

At this point she did suggest that maybe I should Stop Running and try something else instead (was she thinking knitting, painting, watching tv, something like that?)   My little face must have been a picture.  And not a pretty picture!  Watching a 50 year old woman with her bottom lip out looking like she's going to burst into tears is not a good sight to behold!

Nichole relented and with a sigh she set to work on fixing me.

Again!



I love having chiropractic treatments! For a mere £32 I get yanked around. This bit is pulled, this bit is pushed, this bit of yanked, that bit prodded and this bit manipulated - and just for a change, last night she stabbed me in the back in four places!  

Ok, ok, maybe not proper stabbed! 
 "Have I ever tried acupuncture on you...?" she asked in an all too casual manner....

Well, the answer to that is Yes!  She did acupuncture on my shoulder about 18 months ago, and  I really didn't like it.  If anyone tells you it's painless DO NOT BELIEVE THEM   Well, I'm exaggerating a little I suppose. It's not exactly painful - but it's unpleasant.  My little face must have dropped because Nichole did look a little sympathetic at this point, but I put on a brave face and agreed that she could stab me if she thought it would be beneficial, which of course she did!

Once she had me pinned down on the couch she suggested that with the right work from her, and with my co-operation with the exercises she was going to give me to strengthen my core muscles I would probably be fit to run again by the spring

SPRING?????? 

I've just signed up for Race For Life woman!

I WANT TO BE RUNNING NOW!
I NEED TO BE RUNNING NOW!

Top and bottom of it is, I need to work on my core muscles so it's probably a good idea to work on that before I get back to running properly again.  

So, I skulked out of the clinic, my purse £32 lighter, my heart about a ton heavier, weighed down with a fist full of leaflets showing the the exercises I need to be doing and instructions to buy myself a 55cm gym ball to do these exercises on - and an appointment to return for further chiropractic torture in one weeks time!

Happy days. 

NOT!