Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Exercise 101

It is four weeks into my hip injury and I decided to step in front of the start line. I have a lot of work ahead of me to get back to the intensity that I used to work out with. Three months of CrossFit has made me into a powerful athlete, squatting 75 lbs, dead lifting 135, unassisted pull ups, boy push ups, running and rowing with great lung capacity, not to mention the beautiful sculpting of muscles under my skin, and that was only the beginning, until one day, I pushed myself a little too far during a "snatch" workout.

The first two weeks of my injury were very painful. I could not workout and every step I took pushed me further into weakness. Eventually, I sought help from Amanda, a medical masseuse, and she worked out a fistful of stubborn knots in my gluts and legs. After she loosened me up I was able to walk a few extra blocks around my neighborhood, but still with a pinching and nagging sensation in my right hip. To speed up recovery I upped my intake of fish oils (see note below), V-C, Calcium Magnesium, and Epsom salt baths.

I started loosing my hard earned muscle definition and lung capacity, not to mention my good spirit. I became grouchy and miserable. The fact that I had been unemployed for six months added to my misery. The "feel good" hormones generated through exercise were not readily available to me. My spirit and muscles needed help. After seeing Amanda, I was able to stretched and do basic yoga at home. I became determined to heal my hip and get myself back into the CrossFit box. Something good also was happening because Steve, my temp agency guy, called to give me a job assignment!

In my determination, I slapped on a few Lidocain medical patches, that my mother sent to me and I headed out the door for a hike in the hills. Up until that time I had not taken any pain medication but I was ready to try something that would help me "work through" the pain. And work through it I did! The patches dulled the pinching sensation in my hip even more and since the morning was sunny and beautiful and I had not been out in nature for quite some time, I decided to walk the hills of Hulda Crook for nearly two hours. The fresh air and the surrounding beauty of green and mountains were enough to anaesthetise the pain. Out there in the green hills and open blue sky, I felt alive again. Positively I thought, "It may take a few weeks more but I will get fully better and stronger again!"

"Some pain you can work though. Some pain, you just have to sit out and wait." After weeks of waiting, I have stepped over the start line and begun the long journey to regaining my strength, lung capacity and feel good hormones!


Note: Not all fish oils are created equal. Look for clinical grade 3500mg EPA:DHA, refined to remove mercury and heavy metals. If the label does not claim to have these things, you are simply wasting your money. Costco brand and grocery store store fish oils are not good choices because they don't give you the full benefits or a good fish oil. Fish oils aid in decreasing inflammation and healthy weight maintenance. I order from www.mainenaturalhealth.com The company offers liquid fish oils in vanilla, chocolate, lemon, tangerine and mint. Personally, I love the vanilla, but dislike lemon and tangerine flavor.

PS. I believe that my hip injury was greatly due to not stretching enough after my workouts. And workout after workout, it caught up with me. What an interesting way for my body to give me this information. So don't let this happen to you! It is VITAL for recovery to stretch and take your fish oils!

1 comment:

  1. Very cool, Angie. When I am going to see you back at the gym?

    ReplyDelete