Aches & Pains
In order of acquisition.
1. The tendon in my left foot, running from my instep over my ankle. Hurting since late July, apparently stressed during a tournament at our club. Come to think of it, it was hurting as long ago as March, but since July it has been chronic. Hurts mostly during fencing practice (my back leg for lunging), but sometimes also hurts when I've driving. Go figure. For the most part, it tends to stop hurting within an hour or so after I fence. Treatment: topical analgesic and wrapping during practice, Advil and ice if it is still hurting by the time I get home.
2. My right ear, cartilage piercing. Pierced in May, but still not yet fully healed, probably owing to the fact that I drag a fencing mask over it two or three times a week. Doesn't seem to be infected, but still tender. Treatment: wearing a white Under Armour headband under my mask, cleaning with Provon and H2Ocean daily (or when I remember, i.e. when it hurts). Trying not to fiddle with it (hard to do; I'm a champion fiddler).
3. My left hamstring, tightening up. Hurts mostly when I try to stretch it out during yoga practice. Significantly tighter than my right hamstring. Probably tensing up while I am fencing to compensate for the pain in my left foot; noticeably tight for the last couple of months. Treatment: trying to stretch more during yoga, particularly in Janu Sirsasana (One Legged Forward-bend), but I've been a bit lax about my morning yoga recently, particularly since I started doing classes in the evenings before fencing practice. Had a massage last week when I got home from the NAC which seemed to help, but I am worried that the tightness is simply going to persist, much as the stiffness in my right hip (noticeable for the past year or so).
4. My left wrist, especially when I put pressure on it, for example, in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog). I think, but I'm not quite sure, that I hurt it at a tournament on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I kinda remember falling, perhaps during the épée, but I don't remember anything hurting at the time. I didn't notice that my wrist was hurting until two days later in yoga class. Treatment: not doing Adho Mukha Svanasana in yoga class, which means not being able to do Sun Salutations, not easy in a largely Vinyasa-based class like the one I attend. I'm a little bit worried that I may have broken a small bone, but I'm not sure that even if I had, there would be anything to do other than not stress it.
5. My left heel. Here's another mystery. I'm pretty sure I must have stamped my foot really hard when I lost that DE in VetWF last Sunday, but, again, I don't really remember anything hurting at the time. I think that I noticed the pain that evening, but maybe it wasn't until the next morning. Treatment: none that I know of for heels except not stamping them again. How long do bruised heels take to heal?
6. My right index finger, as of yesterday. This one, at least, I do understand: I decided that I would at long last spare my students my terrible handwriting and type out my comments for their final research papers. My handwriting has always been somewhat difficult to read, but in the last few years, it has deteriorated to full doctor-prescription-pad incomprehensibility. Coupled with its illegibility has been a steadily increasing sense of frustration at not being able to write clearly, often manifesting in, yes, more pain. So I decided to type out my comments. Irony of ironies: the students will be able to read what I've written, but I am still in pain thanks to the stress of using the click bar on my MacBook more or less continuously for the past three days. Treatment: stop grading papers! Plus a finger stall that I have from the years when I kept jamming my fingers playing basketball.
7. Oh, and my eyes are going, despite my having adjusted to my progressive lenses. Treatment: going outside more, preferably with my dog!
1. The tendon in my left foot, running from my instep over my ankle. Hurting since late July, apparently stressed during a tournament at our club. Come to think of it, it was hurting as long ago as March, but since July it has been chronic. Hurts mostly during fencing practice (my back leg for lunging), but sometimes also hurts when I've driving. Go figure. For the most part, it tends to stop hurting within an hour or so after I fence. Treatment: topical analgesic and wrapping during practice, Advil and ice if it is still hurting by the time I get home.
2. My right ear, cartilage piercing. Pierced in May, but still not yet fully healed, probably owing to the fact that I drag a fencing mask over it two or three times a week. Doesn't seem to be infected, but still tender. Treatment: wearing a white Under Armour headband under my mask, cleaning with Provon and H2Ocean daily (or when I remember, i.e. when it hurts). Trying not to fiddle with it (hard to do; I'm a champion fiddler).
3. My left hamstring, tightening up. Hurts mostly when I try to stretch it out during yoga practice. Significantly tighter than my right hamstring. Probably tensing up while I am fencing to compensate for the pain in my left foot; noticeably tight for the last couple of months. Treatment: trying to stretch more during yoga, particularly in Janu Sirsasana (One Legged Forward-bend), but I've been a bit lax about my morning yoga recently, particularly since I started doing classes in the evenings before fencing practice. Had a massage last week when I got home from the NAC which seemed to help, but I am worried that the tightness is simply going to persist, much as the stiffness in my right hip (noticeable for the past year or so).
4. My left wrist, especially when I put pressure on it, for example, in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog). I think, but I'm not quite sure, that I hurt it at a tournament on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I kinda remember falling, perhaps during the épée, but I don't remember anything hurting at the time. I didn't notice that my wrist was hurting until two days later in yoga class. Treatment: not doing Adho Mukha Svanasana in yoga class, which means not being able to do Sun Salutations, not easy in a largely Vinyasa-based class like the one I attend. I'm a little bit worried that I may have broken a small bone, but I'm not sure that even if I had, there would be anything to do other than not stress it.
5. My left heel. Here's another mystery. I'm pretty sure I must have stamped my foot really hard when I lost that DE in VetWF last Sunday, but, again, I don't really remember anything hurting at the time. I think that I noticed the pain that evening, but maybe it wasn't until the next morning. Treatment: none that I know of for heels except not stamping them again. How long do bruised heels take to heal?
6. My right index finger, as of yesterday. This one, at least, I do understand: I decided that I would at long last spare my students my terrible handwriting and type out my comments for their final research papers. My handwriting has always been somewhat difficult to read, but in the last few years, it has deteriorated to full doctor-prescription-pad incomprehensibility. Coupled with its illegibility has been a steadily increasing sense of frustration at not being able to write clearly, often manifesting in, yes, more pain. So I decided to type out my comments. Irony of ironies: the students will be able to read what I've written, but I am still in pain thanks to the stress of using the click bar on my MacBook more or less continuously for the past three days. Treatment: stop grading papers! Plus a finger stall that I have from the years when I kept jamming my fingers playing basketball.
7. Oh, and my eyes are going, despite my having adjusted to my progressive lenses. Treatment: going outside more, preferably with my dog!
Right big toe--nail bed scarred from being stepped on/nail falling off. Perpetual recurring pain from nail snagging on bed.
ReplyDeleteRight foot--neuroma in the ball of the foot (which is totally unfair because I never wore high heels in my life, prior to developing this. Afterwards, I said "what the hell.")
Left foot, recurring pain above the metatarsals. Probably an inflamed ligament or tendon. This has hurt off and on since college, related to fencing.
Right calf--shin splint that hurts when I run.
Right knee gives out sometimes when I run, too. So mostly I don't run
Something tweaked on the inside of my left knee when I ran into a pillar going backwards while doing footwork drills. Am hoping it doesn't get worse
Scar at top of right hamstring, from tear during a competition. Hurts and stiffens up on long drives. Particularly after competitions.
Left femur/hip socket joint hurts. Am trying to avoid suspecting arthritis
Lower back pain--off and on. Sometimes gives out when I do something extreme. Like sneezing
Healing incision on the abdomen from appendectomy. Ouch
Medial and lateral epicondylitis (inflamed tendons) on right arm.
Hypertrophied muscle in the left shoulder that pinches a nerve that feeds the arm and face. Dating back to college, from fencing in the "classical" position, arm raised.
Pride and ego--perpetually bruised.
That's it. For today at least. Stay tuned....
LOL! Okay, Badger, you win!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I did leave out the muscle overlaying my left shoulder, stressed, possibly torn about ten years ago while doing shoulderstand and liable to act up now whenever I get somewhat overstressed, leaving me unable to move my back for at least a day. But, happily, that one isn't hurting at the moment.
Mirabile dictu, my right toenail is intact at the moment. I think it has fallen off at least three times in the last two or three years, but I stopped counting a long time ago.