So, apparently, in my old age, I’m starting to break down. A couple of months ago, the toe-next-to-the-big-toe on my right foot started feeling odd after long walks, or after a spin session, or after running… You get the drift. It wasn’t all the time, but once in awhile I’d get this odd tingling in that toe. After awhile, the tingling became a dull ache. I also started getting weird pains in my right knee – and not really pains, I just couldn’t lock my knee like I usually do without feeling like it might break. And my right hip started feeling wacky; I’ve always had times when it feels like it needs to pop, and I usually can get it there, but this time, no matter how to contorted my leg, it wouldn’t pop. In true Z fashion, I kept working out, but I finally decided to go to the doctor when the toe wouldn’t stop bugging me. Doctor told me to try a physical therapist. Physical therapist found issues with my lower back, in addition to the knee and foot issues. For awhile, I was starting to just do the elliptical for a workout, but my doctor had said healing might go better if I laid off for awhile from the workouts. So, though I’d cut back quite a bit, I figured I’d actually try to do what the doctor recommended and lay off for a bit.
Meantime, I had a flight to Atlanta and then girls’ camp for church. Both were enjoyable, but sleeping in a long house for camp didn’t help the right side issues. My pad wasn’t really thick enough to mask the fact I was sleeping on a wood shelf, which made sleeping…interesting. At any rate, I felt active, but it was going on two weeks without a workout. I did one workout before going to camp, but my knee kept me from feeling comfy doing squats or lunges, and though I was kickboxing, I ended up just shuffling a bit on the ground and punching as much as I could. I felt like a total mess.
It’s now been a week back from camping, and I still haven’t worked out. Rich and I finally went on a 3-mile walk a couple of days ago, but my knee started aching on the last hill back. For those of you who know me, you know how much of an exercise junky I am. This is like torture for me! I was loving my running and the long walks Rich and I were taking, and to think that my knee was bothering me just after a 3 mile walk is really painful. I got a massage yesterday that felt great – except I realized afterwards that I couldn’t bend forwards! At that point, I just wondered – what on earth is going on, really? Why am I suddenly feeling like I’m 90?! I want to run, cycle, kickbox, jump!
I keep thinking of all of those articles I’ve read about people becoming huge pilates and yoga fans after having injuries that kept them from doing their high-impact workouts and how they all got flatter tummies than they’ve ever had and better muscle toning… But I just can’t bring myself to do the pilates and yoga! If I’m not drenched in sweat after working out, I haven’t worked out in my book. I have no problem adding it to a workout regimen, but I can’t grasp the concept of that being my WHOLE workout regimen. On the other hand, considering I can’t do my other workouts without worrying about getting seriously injured, I might get a lot of benefit from the stretching and toning that could come from the low-impact stuff.
Interestingly enough, I actually have been so busy for the past two weeks (camping included) that I haven’t given too much through to my limited exercise ability. It’s been odd not to really be going completely crazy because I can’t do all my zany workouts. I expected to be handling this much worse!