Do you ever know that you REALLY need a massage but for whatever reason don’t get one? I’m usually pretty good about listening to my body and getting preventative care but with a 4 month old it’s easy to find any excuse to put myself last.
A couple weeks ago I had finally booked a slot in Kiwani’s schedule at Glow. All the hunching over while breastfeeding, constant picking up of baby, (baby-hereafter referred to as the 15 lb. sack o’ potatoes or,  S.O.P.), had really done in my back and neck. Problems that had been under control prior to the arrival of the S.O.P. with a magical combination of pilates, chiro, acu, and massage, were rearing their ugly heads.
Boy was I looking forward to this. The day before the “big day” of my massage, I realized I had double booked myself. Damn, had to cancel. Well ladies and gents it’s never a good idea to cancel a massage when you REALLY need a massage. The very next morning, the morning of what was previously the “big day” that I was going to get a massage, I reached into a cupboard and BAM!!!, stuck. Is there some crazy house gnome living in my cupboard? A poltergiest with an issue? Was the cupboard door really, really heavy?
Let me answer the last question first. The cupboard door was chest high and feather light. I DIDN’T EVEN BEND OVER!! “ Oh God WHY?- or Universe, or Whatever.” As far as the involvement of gnomes, poltergeists etc., I can’t say. I will say that I’m glad my husband happened to find me standing there, frozen and hanging onto the cupboard. What if the S.O.P. had needed me? Would I be stuck there all day? Crisis averted. Oh wait, my back is still out…nevermind.
Skip forward to today. It’s been a couple weeks. There is a mere hint of my spastic back remaining. That day I iced, took Calcium and Magnesium, stretched, did plenty of walking, and tried to pick up the S.O.P. as little as possible. Two Tylenol (left over from very painful breastfeeding) rounded out my treatment plan. Since then I’ve had two chiropractic adjustments and recommitted to Pilates 3 times a week.
The funny thing is I’ve recently had NUMEROUS patients throw their back out and say the same thing. “I knew I REALLY needed to get a massage, but I didn’t.” Now just like me, they are facing weeks of recovery and multiple treatments that all could have been prevented.
Let this be a warning to you people. Listen, before it’s too late, before you have to wonder if you TOO, have been the target of gnomes or sneaky poltergeists. Get a massage. Here’s a nice link that tells you all the reasons why you should. http://www.massagetherapy.com/learnmore/benefits.php