Hi Y’all,
How is your summer going? Traveling anywhere fun and exciting? Playing your favorite outdoor sports??
I hope you’re on the beach and not the bench?
Playing sports is securely on the back burner for me. I’m benched.
It’s been over three months since I’ve played pickleball...traveled a bit here and there, but that's all.
Not playing pickleball has been a big bummer. I miss pickleball friends.
Have you heard pickleball's prevalent nickname?
Cripple ball!
Totally apropos!
For the past three months I have truly been crippled...in relation to pickleball.
--Come to find out: I’ve been living life for the past year by relying solely on the forearm. My upper arm, shoulders and back have been on extended vacay, unbeknownst to me. Until, whammo...pain.
What started out as tennis elbow in the right arm, eventually contributed to a radial nerve injury in the left arm.
I want to avoid giving a verbose description of what happened to avoid boring you to death and losing you.
In short: Both of my arms have been really ****** up due to racquet sports and heavy lifting.
Really ****** up! I mean really...
The worst part of the whole ordeal is that injuries involving nerves and inflammation, like the ones I have, take a looong time to heal. A bloody long time.
One must heed patience!
Being a patient patient is crucial to recovery.
Patience is the hardest part.
Are you a patient patient?
Me, no can do.
I have thrown so much at both of my arms trying to heal them (cortisone, physical therapy, occupational therapy, supplements, orthopedic surgeon evaluations, rest, zumba, stretching, prayer…), it’s a miracle they haven’t fallen off my body in search of a more patient patient to live on.
A couple weeks ago, I tried something new: The Egoscue Method. Have you heard of Egoscue?
Egoscue emphasizes musculoskeletal balance and symmetry of your body by using exercises and stretches.
I’m attending one-on-one sessions with an Atlanta Egoscue professional 1x week inconjunction with physical therapy strength-training.
So far, I’m blown away by how quickly my body is realigning itself after giving Egoscue a try. Homework exercises take approximately 20 minutes a day.
Knock on wood, but I haven’t experienced radial nerve pain for a while. Tightness in other areas (neck, jaw, calves, back, shoulders) is also diminishing.
Granted, I haven’t returned to pickleball (not cripple ball!) but as of now, I’m relatively optimistic that doing so isn’t far away.
If you suffer from chronic pain or an acute injury, check out The Egoscue Method. The only thing you have to lose is a couple bucks.
Thank you for reading!
Love, Shelley
Have mercy on me, Lord, because I'm frail. Heal me, Lord, because my bones are shaking in terror!
— Psalm 6:2
