I have to admit that I really needed to dig deep inside to find my motivation today and then push myself to follow through. Not to whine (too much) but I swear that everything hurts more the day after a mishap. I woke up this morning earlier than I needed to because I ached. I took it easy for a little while this morning, debating whether I should go to Tai Chi class. I walked the dogs and, at first, my muscles said, “No, No, No, No, No.”
I pushed myself to walk a little more and gradually my body loosened up. I came home and enjoyed my breakfast smoothie and hot tea and decided to go to class. On my bike.
I’m glad that I did. Sure, some of the moves challenged muscles that were sore, but the repetition slowly warmed and stretched things out and I ended up feeling much stronger than when we began. Strong enough to set out on the bike after class and do some errands. I stopped and bought the fresh cut flowers that I’d promised myself — white hydrangeas — and then cycled over to Office Depot for some envelopes that I needed before heading home. Maybe I didn’t attack the route flat out or rack up as much distance as I did all this week, but I still totaled up 5 miles plus the hour long Tai Chi class. Not bad, considering the aches and soreness.
Came home and took it easy for a few hours which included taking a short nap. Then I drove up for the real treat of the day, the massage. Have I mentioned before that the massage therapist is amazing? My shoulders and arms took the worst of the fall yesterday and she worked on them a lot. She identified a couple of muscles I’ve never heard of, but I could feel the benefits when she got the ones under my scapula to loosen up. When she finished I had better range of motion with less stiffness and pain.
I felt so much better that after a quick bit of grocery shopping I came home and took the dogs out for a long walk. They needed the mental stimulation and we all needed the exercise. I was at only about 6200 steps on my FitBit. The long walk boosted me to more than 9000 steps and I knew I could make up the rest tonight.
Tonight, I still have the residual soreness from the impact and bruising, but it’s so much less than it would have been if I still had the locked up muscles too. Hurrah for the healing touch.
I think it’s a positive sign that I looked for ways to take care of myself after yesterday’s tumble that didn’t involve binge eating. Had I not pushed through, I could easily have sat home, totally focused on the soreness and fallen into the old bad habit of feeding my pain. It feels great to have chosen a different, more beneficial and less destructive, set of behaviors.
Weighty Matters 
Awesome! It is so difficult to move much following an injury, which just makes us stiffen up even more. And getting back on the bike? I’d have been very anxious, so congrats on that too!
Yesterday I danced while I cleaned and was sore afterward and this morning. A hot shower helped with that. Then I was on my feet for much of the day; I was wearing boots a friend gave me that she didn’t need anymore and my feet are barely sore at all! Okay, I just spent 2 hours at hydrotherapy with that friend (about as good as massage, but warmer), but even before that my feet were barely sort, just tired. So 1) the boots work very well, and 2) even though I completely wore myself out during my 2 1/2 hours of cleaning and dancing (pretty energetic dancing), I recovered well. Which is more motivation to continue exercising.
Way to go, Skye! I think dancing while cleaning gives you double the benefit. You exercise and make a chore more fun.
Hydrotherapy sounds wonderful too!