Physical Therapy...blah

I am back in physical therapy. My SI issues have re-emerged and it makes standing and sitting (mostly sitting) uncomfortable. The good news is that I don't have shooting pain that causes problems sleeping like I did last time I struggled with this. The bad news is that it is still uncomfortable and does impede my ability to exercise somewhat.

I have insurance that covers most (80%) of the therapy. I like the physical therapists I go to, and am confident they will be able to "fix" me. I am grateful to be able to live in a place with advanced medical care, and to have a job that is not physical so that I can rehab this better and lie on the floor to work when I need to.

The other day I was walking through Walmart and there was a girl who was between the size I am now and the size I was when I started -- probably about the size I was the first time I had these back/SI issues a bit more than a year ago. She was bent over and stocking shelves. I know nothing about this girl, but if I had to guess her healthcare is either crappy or nonexistent, and she's probably not getting paid that much. I thought to myself, "What if that were me and I could not only not afford to go to PT, but I probably also could not afford to take time off work to get better? What if I worked a job that made my condition worse?" It was a reminder to be grateful for what I have, even when my back hurts and it feels like life is a challenge. Things can always be worse, and there is a lot to be grateful for.

Back Problems

The week prior to Thanksgiving, things were insanely hectic at work. There was a bunch I wanted to get accomplished prior to the break. That meant staying later than I usually would a few days, which meant skipping the yoga class I usually go to on Monday.

Mistake.

Thursday, as I was starting out on the 5K, my back started to hurt a bit and my glutes were tight. By the end of the "race" (which I in no way treated as such, owing to the back issues), I was really really in bad shape.

I figured it would be no big deal. I stopped to get some tennis balls (which are amazing for getting knots out after having muscle spasms) and thought I would do my stretching exercises from my PT.

Unfortunately, the problem has not gone away easily. It's been more than a week now. My back still hurts, although I am managing the pain much better than I ever have in the past. I do a lot of stretching and yoga. Although I am not 100% better, I am getting there and am optimistic I will be ok again soon. In the meantime I will be doing a lot of stretching and yoga, and stopping exercise when it doesn't feel right. Also, I have found that using a foam roller and rolling over it with my whole body, stomach facing up will usually help my back pop back into place. Who knew that, in addition to all of the other great things that foam rollers are, that they are a cheap faux chiropractor?

Lesson learned, though: yoga 2-3/week is imperative for me if I want to stay mobile. These activities need to be prioritized in my schedule, and not crowded out when I'm "too busy". In fact, I am too busy NOT to do yoga, as I cannot afford to be sidelined for several days or even weeks with debilitating back pain -- even if that means leaving work a couple days at 4:30 and working some more from home.