My back has been complaining more than usual. Correction: I’ve been “more aware” of my back’s complains this week. It may be complaining just as much but how I’ve reacted has been different.
The first reason for the acute pain may be that I’ve been denying myself the use of ibuprofen. Instead, I’ve been reaching for topical arnica. Honestly, it (arnica that is) doesn’t seem to do much to alleviate the discomfort. But I’ve been on this no-NSAID kick for a couple weeks now. It’s only this week that seems to be the issue.
The bigger change this week is that I have backed off from my daily yoga routine. It’s not been on purpose. Well, not completely. There’s been a bit of competing activities requiring me to miss out on my routine: sprained thumbs from gaga ball at camp requiring doctor’s visits, cavities to be filling (now that school is out), backpacks to be loaded, and more. Additionally, I’ve been entertaining the idea that I need to rest my back for the demand of playing pack mule for 6 days. Then I think about how my trial runs carrying a fully pack have left me feeling strong and healthier than 8 hours sitting at my desk has.
And what do I get for my yoga abstinence?
PAIN!
Back pain so intense that I has me skipping multiples of vinyasas, jump thru attempts, and retreating into child’s pose — during the ONLY yoga I’ve managed to do since Saturday!
NO GOOD!
So I let myself have 600 mg of ibuprofen, took a long hot bath, and got a good night’s sleep. Upon waking, I meditated on the my approach and remembered that moving (any moving) during my work week has always been the answer to my ailing back. Maybe it has been my approach that has been misaligned — rather than my back. Although the addition of ashtanga has challenged me to be more aware of body’s alignment during practice, my daily yoga seems to be the one thing that has helped me — so long as I stay tuned in to my body’s response.
I came out of my meditation, did a wee bit of yoga, and made tentative plans for a bit more later in the day. So far, I feel good.