Oh my god! My back hurts so much. It’s ridiculous to think that as a 50 something year old bloke I’ve still got the recovery and healing powers of a 20 year old. But that’s exactly what I thought. Or didn’t think. That’s probably the problem. I didn’t think.
Having spent the last 6 or 7 months NOT exercising I threw myself back into running and the gym in January. New year, new me. That’s what they say isn’t it? 2022 wasn’t a good year from an exercise point of view. I managed to contract Covid multiple times with long recovery times for each, and then the nursery where our little boy goes burnt down during the summer. So the weeks of not exercising turned into months, and then 2022 rolled over into 2023. Got to sort this old man out!
Before being out of practice, I was regularly running 5k in about 28 minutes, and could manage 15km in 90 minutes. Nothing to brag about but it the fittest (and lightest) I’d ever been. I was really happy with it. When I started running again a couple of weeks ago, I was so frustrated that I couldn’t even manage 1.5km without having to stop. I pushed myself harder and really overdid things. I think the final straw was the rowing machine at the gym! Bloody gyms…. I hate them. Why do I keep signing up for a gym membership?
I saw a sports therapist yesterday who gave a decent massage to my lower back and talked about caring for myself. He thinks things should start to improve over the next few days to a week. Fingers crossed!
So here I am, not exercising, not able to walk, not able to sit, not even able to put my socks and shoes on! I feel very foolish and a bit of a burden to my wife who’s now babysitting a little boy and a bloke who really should know better.
Hopefully I’ll be making videos soon and listening to music with you all. Music is the best medicine and you are all my music therapists! I’ll see you in the clinic soon!
Jim’s Adventures In Music 
We’re all the same. Think we’re as we were at 21
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Ouch.
Been there; done that.
I haven’t even done my twice daily 3 miles a day walk (typically took me about an hour each time) since lockdown. Oh, I’ve tried doing 1 mile on occasion, and even that tires me out and I don’t stick with it. I really need to get back into the routine of walking.
As a former chiropractic assistant, my at home advice is to alternate wet heat, i.e., a hot shower with an ice pack. Take a warm shower, focusing on the sore areas, for about 20 minutes. Then apply a flour sack towel wrapped ice pack to the area for another 20 minutes. Do very gentle stretches after for about 5 minutes, working up to about 20 minutes each time.
Then repeat the cycle as often as possible throughout the day for several days, but no more than once an hour.
If prescribed pain killers or muscle relaxants, do take them as needed, but keep in mind they may fool you in to thinking you’re doing better than you are, and may cause you to overdo. Try to wean yourself off them as much as possible. My recommendation is to use them short term at bedtime to relax your back so you can sleep. But, try not to take any longer than a week, if possible.
Feel well soon, Jim. We’ll send healing energy your way and be here when you return.
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How’s your back now Jim? I’m a fellow sufferer (just getting over an operation on my ‘massive bulging discs’ 🙄). Running did for me in the first place. I used to run marathons and half marathons in the 80s, till shin-splints struck. The op to cure them was a huge balls-up (ending up with 6 ops and a cocked-up skin graft) so over the years i’ve out of whack, getting worse until i couldn’t move. So you can’t be too careful (especially if you’re a drummer). Mind you sitting in front of a mic and computers most days doesn’t help 🙄
Anyway, take it easy 👍
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Hey Mick, it’s getting better, albeit slowly! Sciatica is kicking in now… sigh 😔!!
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Sciatica is bloody terrible. Thankfully my op seems to have fixed it for now. Having problems with a numb foot so i’ve just been fitted with a brace. Not quite Forrest Gump thankfully, but my running days are long over ☹️
Anyway, glad you’re improving…and naturally I’ll sign off with a “You must hear this!” suggestion.
Garden Shed by England. Came out in ‘76 just as the music papers began to rave about Punk, so it never had a chance, but it’s Mellotron-tastic! Well worth a listen. Naturally they broke up straight after 🙄👍
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