First things first, I do not have, nor have I had Covid. Second, I am sorry for anyone who has been negatively affected by it. When saying Covid is one of the best things to ever happen to me, I am referring to the time it has afforded me.
Just yesterday in the gym, I remarked to Jess that I never thought my body could feel as good as it does presently. That's not to say it's perfect, but it sure has come quite a way.
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Not that long ago just laying on my back would cause me great pain. When grocery shopping on Saturday mornings my back would be throbbing while pushing the cart up and down the aisles. At work, my back and shoulders would ache while carrying a crate weighing less than 20 lbs. I try to remember this pain because all too often people end up right back where they started without constant vigilance.
So what does Covid have to do with all of this? Two years ago when the world shut down I was forced to start working from home. It was then that I promised myself I'd devote that extra hour of what was commute time to getting my body well.
I immediately booked two months of pt sessions. After my initial visit, I asked for homework. In addition, I incorporated more walking, light stretching, foam rolling, heat, ice, etc. Paramount to all of the work being done, I made sure not to push myself into any point of pain.
That last point is important. With spending close to four decades of hard training, treading lightly was never my strong point. What I have learned however is, where I have been able to bust through training plateaus using brute force, injuries and mobility issues require far greater finesse.
Feeling good does not happen by accident. Nor may you ever feel completely pain-free again. However, with work, you can and will feel better. It takes patience and effort.
If you are in pain, don’t give up. Again, I cannot believe how much better I feel. I am constantly amazed at how even little things that would cause pain such as bending and reaching feel completely normal now.
Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.
