Monday, December 22, 2008

Who's smarter? My Brain or my Back?

Woke up this morning with some back soreness, nothing unusual for the last 2 1/2 weeks, but it always makes me wonder, why do I train so hard? Well, one reason is that if I were a couch potatoe, my back would be worse.

As I'm standing and brushing my teeth I get the dreaded middle low back "twinge from hell". This is a twinge that actually predates my piriformis spasm of 2 1/2 weeks ago. I've had this intermittently for some time. It lasts less than a second, but has an almost indescribeable feeling, like, if it lasted for even a few seconds, I'd be flat on my back without even an opportunity to prevent myself from going down. It's arguably the worst pain I've ever experienced, but for less than a second, I can live with it.

Now, as I'm a doctor, I have to analyze the situation. There is no pain down my leg, no numbness, no weakness. Check that. It shouldn't be my disc (I have a herniated lumbar disc). Hopefully, it's just a rogue muscle. I felt the same twinge two or three times during my treadmill workout yesterday, each time when I mistakenly landed on my heel. I ignored it during the treadmill run. That said, if I get the twinge while standing and brushing my teeth or on a 111 minute treadmill workout, if I'm going to have it, I'd rather it happened on the treadmill!

In reflection, I spent the morning after my workout helping to clean up the house prior to having a discussion group about our health care system at my house in the afternoon (for change.gov) and went to a family friends for a Hanukkah party last night and didn't get home until after 10pm. What I missed out on was a 30-60 minute nap that would have solidified a great workout in the morning. I really find these days that such a nap really helps me. Otherwise, I really am dragging by the afternoon/evening and the next day I'm not as fresh.

So, only time will tell if my brain really won yesterday or if my back is going to win this "battle":)

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