Check-Up!

Hello hello!

I'm just checking in since I haven't posted in a while.

I went to my doctor yesterday for the first time since January - it was pretty scary because we were waiting to see if my spine curvature had stabilized. It was at 31 degrees in January and when I went yesterday...it was still 31! Which was good news, considering I could have been told I needed surgery if it was worse.

I'm not happy with a 31 degree curve, but that's what I've been given. My doctor said that while it's not bad enough to need surgery, it's bad enough to have a lot of backache, well...for the rest of my life.

That's not easy to hear. Honesty, it would have been easier to hear that I need surgery, so that I could feel scared and victimized and cry. But that's not the strong solution, is it? This just means that I need to step up my work to strengthen my spine...because this is the one I've been given, and the only one I'll ever get.

I have a set of stretches I do that are good for my back (and approved by my doctor), so I'll share them here.

1) Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold your leg just under your knee and pull your leg up to your chest, with it still bent. Count to 10, then switch to the other leg.

2) Go back to the bent knees, feet flat on the floor position. Stretch one leg straight up and point your toe, holding the back of your thigh with your hands. Do NOT over strain your leg - if you can't go very high, don't worry about it. Count to 10 and then switch to the other leg.

3) Go back to the starting position. Place your arms straight by your side, palms on the ground. Then clench your abs so that your lower back naturally presses evenly against the ground. Hold for 10.

4) Do crunches - however many you can without hurting yourself. Start small and work up.

What NOT to do:
Don't do anything that arches your back a lot, like the cobra position.

Another tip is for sleeping - I always struggle with pain when I try to fall asleep. Sleep on your side and put a small pillow in between your knees. This levels out your pelvis and makes your back straighter. It also provides a lot of relief!

I hope this helps! (Check with your doctor about what's right for your back.)

As always, feel free to comment below or email me at mcbxq43@aol.com!