So, it might sound funny, but my favourite pair of gold gladiator sandals inspired this weeks blog!
Why? Well actually I really love wearing them in the summer, but what I hadn’t realised is that driving in them in heavy traffic, constantly putting my foot down on clutch in my manual car, not just caused pain in my toe on my left foot but also sciatica nerve pain down my left leg, so annoying as I’d just sorted out the previous bout of sciatica, it had been so nice feeling good again, and of course a big part of that is doing the right Pilates exercises. Yes I found it annoying to have to keep changing shoes in the car, am now back wearing my fitted autumn/ winter boots for driving as I need a lot more support when I’m driving I’ve discovered. Sometimes you have to adapt things, even if it may be inconvenient or boiling hot weather, humid and you simply want to wear your favourite sandals all the time. But it’s a choice isn’t it. A choice of feeling good or better, or a choice of pain. Quite an easy choice really. So this week in the five tips, it’s also a chance to look at your body and life as a whole and ask your self this question and tip:
Tip 1: Is there something you are currently doing in your life that is aggravating or hurting your body?
(sit there with a notebook or piece of paper and a pen and write what comes to you.)
Tip 2: What can I do about this? What is the solution? How can I help myself? (sit there with a notebook or piece of paper and a pen and write what comes to you.)
I originally first hurt my back through overuse in sport at a young age, I was a national junior squash player & remember doing this squash fitness training with heavy medicine balls. (With an underdeveloped body), that was the beginning of the damage. Primary school age.
So as frustrating as it might be for me personally, I’ve just got to get on with it, do more of my heal from sciatica Pilates programme and incorporate as much Pilates into my lifestyle as possible to recover and wear those boots driving. (Also I don’t drive long distance as sitting long distance driving can aggravate some people’s discs & backs..) so I then tend to catch the train for long journeys as you can move more & walk inbetween stations.
Another thing happened this last week, I was teaching an advanced client and I got carried away demonstrating exercises I know are bad for me, the thing is, I know them inside out, upside down, obviously I’m qualified to teach them, however having a back that needs extra care and attention, having had past lumbar, low back prolapsed discs and moderate spinal stenosis (narrowing of the nerve root). So in the moment I just did, and I will be honest I regretted it a lot afterwards as it had made the sciatica worse, I know, I know, I should have known better. Certain Pilates exercises are contraindicated for ‘disc problem’ backs, and of course many exercises are excellent for it. There was no need for me to demonstrate those particular ones, the client already knew how to do them, so I could have just verbally talked it through. I will next time as I have to look after me and you have to look after you.
I’m being honest here as there may be things in your life where you’re ignoring your own health and wellbeing and not putting yourself first.
Tip 3: Ask yourself this question: Is this good for me? Keep this question in mind when you do different things during the week, exercise etc, (sit there with a notebook or piece of paper and a pen and write what comes to you.)
And to top it off I did one more stupid thing to aggravate my back this week, I was sitting at my laptop and I will be honest, I love crossing my legs sitting in a chair sometimes, but no, my nerves and back had other ideas. When I did this yesterday, crossing my right leg over my left, I got numbness in my toes and foot and that is not good at all, so I STOPPED IT, and it went away pretty quickly thank goodness. So here I am writing this to you with good posture, my back supported with a cushion behind my low back, feet hip width apart, feet under my knees, knees in line with my hips and sitting nice and tall with the natural curves of my spine. It’s like I have helium balloons through the top of my head. Do you think about how you sit & stand during the week?
Tip 4
Sit with good posture and don’t sit for too long!! (set regular alarms so you don’t sit down for too long, Ie set an alarm for every 30,45 minutes if at all possible then walk around and do some gentle stretches. My local chiropractor recommends this. – great neck stretches for you to do on my Pilates to feel good YOU Tube channel
Tip 5
Final tip of the week is go for a walk everyday
Today I went for a walk before work and its a wonderful way to start the day, before breakfast I do my Pilates, find the best way and time of day for you to do your Pilates.
I’m glad to say, Pilates is making me feel good again, step by step I’m feeling better. We can all keep imperfectly improving!! (a friend and fellow author Janey Lee Grace says this wonderful saying).
Have a wonderful week,
Love Beverley.
