Recovery? Ain’t nobody got time for that!

“Action expresses priorities.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

I’m in trouble.

In the last month I have completely neglected my recovery routine. I imagine the conversation with my recovery trainer (imaginary bootcamp-ish trainer with the abs of The Commando that I have in my head) would go like this:

Recovery Trainer (RT): “Pool visits?”
Me: “At least twice? Once? I think…”
RT: “Exercise bike riding for 15-20mins?”
Me: “I moved the bike to a different spot in the house and now I can’t see the TV whilst riding it, and reading a book is boring and plus the seat is uncomfy”
RT: “Theraband work?”
Me: “The theraband is sitting in my desk at work because I thought maybe I’d…”

RT: “Anything? Have you done ANY recovery work?”

…

…….

……..

Me: “You see the thing is, I’ve been writing reports, organising concerts, writing lists that keep changing, marking work, trying to keep up with Revenge and Smash… did you hear Smash got cancelled? And I’ve been cleaning my room for the last decade whilst also cleaning my car, but it keeps raining, probably because it’s winter… is it cold to you? It’s been so cold, I haven’t felt too good when I come home after work to actually exercise and the thing is… recovery? Ain’t nobody got time for that!”

This is the point where the RT slaps me in the face.

I got a kick today instead from my new physio (yes I have a new one because the old one was not helping or consistent at all). After giving up on myself at work because of the pain, I visited my new clinic in the worst of all emotional states. So when I got to the question:
“How much would you say your emotional state has been affected by your injury?” on my new client form, I circled quite violently the highest number I could choose on the numerical scale (and then wrote x10 next to it because I’m cheeky like that).

The new physio assessed me in all the usual ways that I’m beginning to get used to. Being a post-op patient is like learning a routine to be an hostess “arms out, stand to the right” and all that jazz. Then, he said something I’ve been ignoring and too stubborn to realise myself:

“Firstly, when you get sick – you take Vitamin C, get bed rest, take a day off work, and get better by looking after yourself. You’re hip in this case is the sickness, and it’s like you’ve been taking codral and drinking red bull. In doing so you cover up all the symptoms and create a false impression that you’re healing, when you’re still back at the start.”

Everybody at home try this.

Lie down and bend your right knee. Put your left leg out straight in the air and lift your bum up (no cheating by using your elbows). Although you may struggle through, I bet you can get your bum in the air.

I have no strength in my core muscles down my right side and cannot do this. I have no strength because my muscles are still causing me to feel a dull ache as they are not activated (so much for all that myotherapy).

I’m back at the start. I’ve been ordered to do stretching 3x a day (or more) for 15mins.

I’m seeing my new physio every three days for some extreme soft tissue work (oh god, my muscles are going to hate me! I’m so sore from all the remedial massage today). He’s not letting me off visiting him constantly until the muscles are working. I’m doing hydrotherapy in the holidays with a physio guiding me through my exercises. Not that I wasn’t doing them right, but then I’m forced to do it, and also have someone there to support how my body should be whilst in the water.

But the main lesson today: Priorities. From today, my hip, my emotional state, and my health is my main priority. Everything else, I ain’t got time for… just yet.