Sometimes I know when to take a break…
Sometimes I know when to take a break. Other times, I’m forced to take one. Two weeks ago, I popped a rib head and needed an emergency chiropractor appointment. I had this injury once before a few years ago, and was expecting a simple readjustment. Well, this time is was not one rib head, but four.
So while we’re at it, why not treat the chronic lower back that I have from a previous motor vehicle accident? This pain has been getting progressively worse over the last couple of years and it’s probably something I should have gone back to the doctor for much sooner than this (for those of you who know the spine, you can tell by the severity of my hyper-lordosis). But, here we are! For the last two weeks and the next couple of weeks, I have been and will be receiving fairly intensive treatment but I can say that the issues with my rib heads has resolved itself, which is amazing because the pain was pretty debilitating.
I’ve been itching to ride and of course I’m annoyed that my back is acting this way during PRIME RIDING SEASON, but this is another learning opportunity, right? It wasn’t so obvious to me that I have been over-extending myself - I’ve kind of being going through the motions, trying to keep up with everything going on in life. I guess in just “going through the motions,” I wasn’t taking the time to reflect and assess, to gauge how I’ve been feeling and what I’ve been thinking.
Honestly, I still haven’t taken the time. Since the injury, I have still been doing what I need to do each day to just get by and fulfill whatever expectations there are of me. I know that the injury has dampened my mood a bit and not being able to ride my bike hasn’t really helped on that front.
Yesterday, I was finally able to get a ride in for the first time in two weeks! It was a short one. Originally, I had ambitious plans to attend the Girls Bike NYC ride to River Road in New Jersey but I had second thoughts when I realized that I wasn’t sure how my back would hold up. Getting back from Jersey with my bicycle would have been a pain so I played it safe, rather than pushing myself, and logged a short, four mile ride to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in the Park Slope/Gowanus area. It was a million degrees out but worth it.
My back was pain-free for the ride, which was a relief. I’m still trying to take it slow getting back in the saddle but in the meantime, I’ve got these kittens to entertain me:
