Growing Pains

Last weekend I was in a lot of pain and it wasn't from exercising.  I've had a head cold that ended in a full body ache that had me take to my bed for a couple of days.  I'm over the cold now and it has taken until today for my body to really stop hurting - my weekly massage with the wonderful Dip helped.  Hurting so much gave me plenty of time to reflect on the state of my body and how I have not really been taking care of myself for a very long time.  This journey will help me to change that. 

 

This is one of my "before" photos and I think it highlights my less than perfect posture.  For years I have been living with a shoulder and arm injury that I deal with but has never healed properly.  I don't remember what it feels like to have a pain/ache free right arm and shoulder.  I get treatment for it when it is really bad and when I can afford it but do nothing to fix it consistently and regularly do things I know will aggravate it.  I'm a little self destructive.  This results in the rest of my body compensating and I get tired and sore and disheartened.  All that stops today!

 

I have decided that I will never be able to learn and master belly dance arm movements if I don't fix my right arm and shoulder.  So I am committed to finding out all I can and working towards being pain free. 

 

I have borrowed a fantastic book from the library that has clear illustrations of the muscles, etc.  I need to know the underlying structure of my arm so I can work out what is happening and how to fix it.  The book is called:

Ashwell, K.  (2010).  The human body identification manual: your body and how it works.  South Yarra: Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN: 9781420256444 

 

Please don't think I am doing this without consulting medical advice - over the years I have seen a myriad of professionals so I do know what is wrong and ways that help to fix it.  I have always wanted someone else to fix it - this time I am going to do the hard yards to fix it myself with the assistance of professionals as needed.

 

I have a range of stretches I am meant to at least 3 times everyday and you can guess how many times I have done them.  I have to be vigilant and actually do them.  I am focusing on my posture to elongate my spine and hunch my shoulders less.  I am also using a gym ball to sit on so that I have to engage my core rather than just slumping in a chair.

 

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks for reading