OMG, my slipped disc is back! and it’s back with a vengeance.
It was December 19, 2019 when I first felt the excruciating pain down my left glute to my callf. January 8 2020 when I had my MRI and was diagnosed with a herniated disc.
Looking back with what I’ve been through. It took me a little more than two months to recover with physical therapy, self-initiated exercises and mindful movement (Blogs 1 to 7)
Now what happened? what triggered the pain back? Obviously the spine bulge was not cured at all given that surgery was never on my solution list.
Over the course of the year 2020, I have been less active than I used to be because of COVID-19, life has taken a stand still for most of us and this includes run and bike racing events of which i am actively involved with.
WHERE DO I ATTRIBUTE THE RELAPSE THEN?
1. HARD MASSAGE
Though my physical therapist says otherwise, I started to feel that crawling pain from my left glute down my calf after having a hard massage. Hard meaning, no precautions from my masseurs to make it light and apply less pressure unlike what i did back on my previous sessions. I submitted myself to the pleasures of hard pressures not being mindful that:”hey, you have a back to protect.
2. POOR POSTURE
Gone are the days when I would consciously tuck my tummy in to sit, stand, walk or anything i do. Simply because I was pain free.
MY ACTION PLAN
1. PAIN MEDICATION – Arcoxia 120 mg (1 x day); Pregabalin 75mg before bedtime.
2. PHYSICAL THERAPY – Stretching and strengthening exercises.
3. ULTRASOUND – To rule out ang gall bladder stones build up. – RESULT: Clear
Previously bashed because of social distancing issues, the Sunday Bike Safety Advocacy Ride initiated by Mayor Benjamin Magalong last June 7, 2020 has snow balled into a successful event with the participation of cyclists from various sectors in the community. Today, it is a regular weekend every bike enthusiasts look forward to.
From a mere 18 riders at the onset to now reaching almost 400 Sunday bikers, concerns of safety have been raised given that most, if not all, of our roads are narrow and devoid of bike lanes ( at least as of this writing). It makes more challenging and dangerous for younger children enticed to ride on wheels for the first time or newbies who now seek biking as a means to exercise. Thankfully, organized bike marshals and e-scooter volunteers were put into place to answer to these needs.
According to Mr. Eugene Dominic Valbuena of the City Administrator’s Office, the group of marshals is a combination of bike enthusiasts from the government and private sectors who have voluntarily put in their resources to help the mayor in his advocacy. This includes the Baguio E-scooter enthusiast who according to Mr. Teddy Cheong, founder of Electric Kick Scooter Club, helps out to keep the cyclists in proper order and formation. They work hand in hand with the traffic enforcers to secure the safety of cyclists from other motorists and vehicles during these rides.
As the number of bikers increase, the demand and call for marshal volunteers follow suit. More marshals are needed to guide, ride ahead and lead bikers along the route. Trainings are held every so often for approximately 3 to 4 hours per session. The only requirement to be one is to know how to bike and the willingness and dedication to learn how to be a bike marshal. Please note that no fees are collected during trainings and a certificate is issued to individuals who complete the training and actual exercises. It is the city’s goal for these individuals to cascade what they’ve learned to their respective smaller groups.
For interested parties, you may contact Mr. Joseph Rigunan at 091750612132 or Mr. Eugene Valbuena at 09173034017 or you may inquire at the Daily Cycle Movement Facebook page. #fileundercommunityservice
While most of us are stuck at the comfort of our homes, four athletes are out breaking records of unimaginable elevation gain in a city where most trails or run routes are on lockdown.
Robert Watson, James Tellias, Sandi Abahan and Sunshine Briones, all accomplished Baguio based trail and long distance runners hit the ground running by signing up for the ATG Vert – Race for Elevation Challenge hosted by Sportilicious Malaysia and Asia Trail Girls as “Team Hellevation” for the Philippines. The event is an ultimate elevation gain challenge where each team attempts to gain as many vertical meters as possible within a 10-day period (i.e. from August 15 to 24, 2020). Each member of the team should achieve 2,500 meters of elevation gain within the event time frame. Gaining the required ascent is not restricted in the trails or up the mountains. Participants can run at home, up their stairs, run up a car park, on an uphill road, treadmill, step up or at any place convenient to the runner.
The allure of this event according to Robert Watson who has joined many ultramarathon road and trail races here and abroad was the fact that this event would not be won by the fastest or the strongest team but rather by the team of athletes who could endure the longest and climb the most vertical meters. James Tellias, a mountain trail endurance athlete joined the event in support of Asia Trail Girls bid to empower girls from all over Asia to discover the beauty of trail running and at the same time to motivate and encourage everyone to be active and fit amidst this global pandemic to fight off depression and the virus itself.
This virtual race was documented on a daily basis by the organizers on their Facebook page. Results were posted and videos and photos of participants were shared showing their journey. Team 4wesome’s Jason Lim from Singapore aired his day 2 ascent attempt live by climbing the stairs of a high-rise building giving no excuse for restrictions to achieve his goal of covering 1,200m elevation gain on day 2 equivalent to 10 stair climb repeats as each attempt yields approximately 125m elevation gain.
It’s all about team work for Team Hellevation with each runner averaging around 5,000 vertical meters on day 3 improving their ranking from 5th to 2nd spot. Whether they ran together as a team or on separate occasions because of different work schedules, the team have one goal in mind, to log-in an elevation as high as they can accomplish in a day regardless of location, route, medium, weather condition or time.
Serious questions were brought up during the course of the race by Andre Blumberg, founder of HK Four Trails Ultra Challenge and HK 4in4 Challenge that sparked some interesting conversation like questionable results that were addressed right away by the organizers. The organizers used STRAVA to track individual and team totals. However, it is inevitable in virtual races to spot on technical issues when people sometimes don’t fill up the sheet correctly. Given also that there is leniency in allowing different options in acquiring the required elevation, it is possible that results may be affected. Like in the case of Team Legs Miserables, they did most of their runs on a tread mill which means no downhill running. This explains the short amount of time and d+ m/km.
The use of treadmill lead to an interesting point raised by Valerie Legarde. She asked, “Why allow treadmill (with uphill only, no damaging quads on downhills) but imposing runners on trail, as stated in the rules to also go down instead of climbing up and taking a bus to go back down?” The organizers response to this query answers some hesitations that you and I may have over virtual races and something we can ponder upon.
“ This challenge is about giving the opportunity for people to ‘race’ without having a real race to attend. Conditions are different for everyone. (Eg: Runners in Hongkong have the luxury of awesome mountains at their doorstep while runners in Singapore have nothing. Everyone has a different climate to deal with, not every day is ideal for running in every region).As a virtual race we cannot control everything as we are not all running in the same place at the same time. We tried to come up with reasonable rules that will allow as many people to join as possible. We actually thought of the treadmill but decided to leave it as it is as we don’t really know anyone who would choose treadmill over a real mountain just to avoid downhill and potentially win. So treadmill is more of an option for those who can’t access mountains. Of course it cannot be perfect but nothing ever is and we are just happy to finally get runners excited again and watch them challenge themselves.” ️ – Asia Trail Girls
The event was participated by 140 teams from all around the globe. Majority of which were from Hongkong, Malaysia and Singapore. Five teams ran under the Philippine flag, namely, Bandilang Pinas, Team LDR, Team Lamon, Frankie Abubo Bravo with Team Hellevation emerging as champions accumulating a total elevation gain (EG) of 120, 228m within the 10-day period followed by Team LBC/HKSC Lantau Warriors (EG: 104, 646m) and Crazy Running Club (EG: 100, 008m) both from Hongkong placing 2nd and 3rd respectively. #fileunderracingevents
The relationship between sports and tourism has gained global significance. Today, vast number of people participate in or watch sports and almost everyone aspires for a holiday. People have become more aware of the health and recreational benefits that sports and tourism provide.
In fact, sports tourism is a growing phenomenon up until COVID-19 disrupted, as it did to many lives and industries, it’s upward swirl to popularity and accessibility.
With much concern on how our PRO athletes are coping and how they are going to work back someday given the cancellation or postponement of major sporting events like the Asian games and the Tokyo Olympics, a big chunk of concern for these weekend warrior athletes, myself included is when can we get back to — or say we’re definitely going to get back to — our favorite recreational pastimes?
For 2 consecutive years, I tried to register for the BMW Berlin Marathon, one of the most endearing marathons around the world started over half a century ago and one of the Big-5 marathons that make up the World Marathon Major series. This coming September would have been my chance to race through Brandenburg Gate and Victory Column having been picked in a lottery back in 2019. An opportunity I never had when I first registered in 2018. But lo and behold, after months of training and anxious anticipation, the race is officially cancelled this September. Leaving me with 2 options, to refund or to transfer payment for 2021. I chose the latter.
The coronavirus pandemic has derailed many planned athletic events worldwide, and the heartbreak of race cancellations and postponements is being felt by runners everywhere.
Thanks to modern technology and VIRTUAL RACES, a new trend in racing events, athletes are given the convenience of participating in a race without having to be physically present at the starting line anywhere in the world minus the travel expenses.
How does it work:
Most virtual races work the same. The participant select a distance or a course, sign up and pay the registration fee. After the race, runners post their times online. The question on credibility is answered by organizers requiring participants to submit GPX files, also known as a GPS Exchange Format file which is a simple text file with geographic information such as waypoints, tracks and routes saved in it, and is electronically recorded by a timing device. For self-entered time entry, a link to the participants GPS tracker activity on strava, endomondo, garmin or similar is required including a photo of the activity session from your watch.
Even Bike races and Obstacle Course Racing are given new platform in the virtual world. Cycling on the popular ZWIFT training platform has captivated the hearts of cyclist all over, however it’s cycling mode works on a subscription basis. So you’ll have to pay USD14.99 a month to access it on top of a starter kit you need to set up with like a bike, a turbo trainer or rollers, a PC or a laptop and a bridge receiver for the signal. You can check for a full list of compatible kit over on the Zwift official page.
The popular Spartan Race dubbed as the world’s best obstacle race which consists of a run and obstacles now hosts a different kind of virtual race. If running outside is not option, you can complete a cardio equivalent. Run substitutes are acceptable like treadmill, stationary bike, spin bike, rowing machine, jump rope, stair climb, swim, etc …Each activity is given an equivalent intensity to match the run distance to complete a sprint, super, beast and ultra category. Like other virtual races, submission is done by sending any link for proof. Finisher upgrade is an option with a fee for participants who would want an actual memento of the accomplishment like a shirt and a finisher’s medal.
Check out this FREE online virtual racing event site. Click on the link for more details:
The kind of flexibility offered by virtual races can be so convenient without having to line-up for race kit claiming or long Porta Potty lines but it still lacks the full experience of being with other participants, the pre-race chit chat and the adrenalin rush one experience throughout the race, the credibility of the race results and the post-race exploration of a new place apart from your home and your neighborhood. #fileunderracingevents
I’ve been running for more than a decade now and have been to countless racing events here and abroad. I’ve had my share of victories and unfortunate mishaps as well. A dog bite and a broken ankle, what more can a runner ask for.
And yet, my feet are deeply rooted to the sport (i.e. running) I came to love in my early thirties, a late bloomer at that. Born in a family with sport as non-existent, I grew up playing table tennis, volleyball and basketball for PE’s sake, for GRADES so to speak and I did fairly well getting into the school varsity either because I’m tall or because there’s no one else to choose from.
From fun runs to trail and ultra running, I ventured into duathlon and conquered several races as well. Biking gave relief to my ageing knees while keeping my thirst for endurance quenched.
I have dreams of adding swimming to the two disciplines I’ve come to embrace. To be called a “TRIATHLETE”have been hovering around my radar for some time now. My husband said that in order to learn swimming (YES, I can’t swim), you have to LOVE it. BUT for some reason, every time I attempt to learn and psyched my mind to love it, things happen. Injuries come in, coaches become unavailable, workload sets in and so on and so forth. These are not excuses but realities.
As I write this, I am resolved to believing that I don’t think I will ever become a triathlete, at least not in the near future.
SO, I am diverting all my energies to becoming a TRIMATE! A more visible and active support crew not directly involved in the heart of the playing field but from the side lines and back ends where a triathlete’s life usually revolves.
Me on the sidelines as a TRIMATE to my triathlete husband, Jason.20180603: IM70.3 Subic“Mayora” Kay Molit as she is fondly called by her FIT PH team mates is one I consider a true blue TRI-MATE not only to her champ triathlete husband coach Ronald Molit but to the entire FIT PH Triathlon family.Whether at the finish line or along the route, Suzanne Dino can never be missed taking pictures and cheering every time her husband champ Doddie Dino is registered for a race, be it triathlon or a short distance run race.
TRIMATE short for a “TRIathlete MATE is an indispensable partner, spouse, friend, or family who lives and breathes triahtlon on the sidelines with the following tasks on hand:
1. Make your triathlete feel like a really big fish however small the sea of your triathlon community. It’s not as simple as cheering like a freak on race day but allowing your triathlete his / her time to train. (Work while your triathlete plays)
2. To keep a vigilant eye on your triathlete for over-training induced meltdowns. (BE UNDERSTANDING when your triathlete becomes cranky and emotional).
3. Be prepared to run a plethora of last minute errands. (INCLUDE your athlete’s nutrition to your grocery list).
4. Promise to be up earlier than your triathlete on race day with a smile. Rehearse saying, “Of course I’ll get up at 3AM to do your markings and send you off at the starting line. Nowhere I’d rather be. Especially not snuggled warmly in bed.”
5. Keep your triathlete on track. No matter how you think you feel insignificant during race day, your triathlete will be looking for you at the crowd. (YOU”RE the one to give him a best shot when the photo shooters missed him for pros).
6. Learn to interpret his grunts and groans after the race. (BE CONSIDERATE in waiting for him to have his Ice dip, free massage and cold shower.)
7. Be prepared to listen… like for a long time. Once your triathlete starts speaking, feign fascination for every detail of the battering swim star, the strong and headwinds at the bike course and the intense burning heat during the run.
8. Be ready for the sweaty laundry.
9. Prepare for the post-race roller coaster of emotions. Regardless of whether he won his age group or ended up walking every kilometer, the event of a lifetime is over. That is, until he / she registers for his / her next race and once again drafts you as her no. 1 fan.
With all these being said, a trimate is not left without perks:
PERKS OF A TRIMATE:
1. The trimate enjoys the expo more than anyone else. Slashed prices from eyewear to shoe wear fills her basket ( even when need is second to none).
2. For out of town races, the trimate plans for the itinerary usually tailored to his or her own liking and the triathlete wouldn’t care more… he’s exhausted remember.
3. The trimate has the opportunity to document the event from an observer’s perspective making him / her a good resource for other triathletes wanting to join the same race. Triathletes on race day has too many to be concerned of before and during the race and being mindful of the race details to most is not a priority.
4. The trimate usually gets the first hand race report of the triathlete when it comes to the swim, bike and run course. His / her role is to translate (not to interperet) the triathletes experience into one reliable story.
5. A trimate, next to the triathlete has all the right to wear his / her triathletes FINISHERS shirt. So if you get a smirk or a knowing look by doing so, IGNORE and just take pride.
This might sound unusually fast and swift, but 2 months after I was diagnosed with disc herniation, I’m practically 80% pain-free. I noticed that the more I move, the more I am relieved of pain. I am convinced that my years of strength training as a weekend athlete helped me a lot in coping with pain increasing my pain threshold a notch higher than most of my contemporaries.
October 2019 when my husband signed up for Ironman Dubai that took place on February 7, 2020. It was a well planned trip for the entire family that went a bit askewed 2 months after because of a slipped disc I injured myself with resulting from a wrong, mindless lift. It was a cry level pain emanating from my left glute down to my calf. My goal is to get well in two months time just in time for our Dubai trip because I cannot do otherwise.
Through regular physical therapy with a good therapist and daily exercises, I was able to slash half the pain off my back and increased my walking mileage bit by bit using the treadmill and eliptical machines as my gauge.
So with symptoms becoming better within the assessment period allotted for me to decide on whether or not to proceed with surgery strongly recommended by 3 MDs, I find myself packing scarfs and flowing tops for an adventure in the sand dunes building desire to experience the dynamism and superlatives synonymous only to one of the world’s leading cities that is Dubai.
I only have 2 major CONCERNS:
FIRST: How to cope with a 9-hour flight from my home country to Dubai.
DO’s:
1. Stay seated near the aisle for easy access to walking to and from the toilet. I tried standing up and walking at least every 2 hours within the flight.
2. If you can, bring a pillow to support your back. In my case, the pillow provided by Emirates” sufficed. The pillow placed behind my back served to correct my sitting posture. A soft reminder not to slouch. Be mindful of your posture.
3. Wear loose pants and comfortable shoes you can readily remove when needed.
Seated near the aisle wearing loose pants and comfortable shoes.
4. Breathe in and out every so often to tuck in your core while seated.
5. Don’t mask your pain with pain killers but make sure to bring your prescribed meds with your doctor’s prescription.
DONT’s
1. Wear tight jeans.
2. Be mindless of your posture even when seated.
SECOND: How NOT to be a fun spoiler.
1. Be actively involved in planning the itinerary.
2. Anticipate the pain. Choose less walking activities and set budget for transpo (MTR, TAXI and BUS).
3. Learn to patiently wait for your travel mates in activities which you think may cause or trigger the onset of your back pain.
Riding FORMULA ROSSA, the world’s fastest roller coaster at Ferreri World Abu Dhabi is a BIG resounding NO!
4. Set expectations and make sure this is clearly communicated to your travel mates.
Given my present condition, I cannot generalize that what worked for me may work for others. Disc herniation varies from one person to the other. I took the non- invasive method and found it effective for me. It’s worth a try before jumping into surgery right away.
I know that surgery is a highly recommended option but I also believe in the body’s capacity to heal itself.
I’m aware that my back will never be the same again but I’m happy to say that with continued physical therapy and self-initiated daily exercises, I am so close to healing fully.
This being said, I tested myself by joining a 5-km run. The goal is to finish the distance in about an hour with continued walk and jog pace. i finished it at 39 minutes, (9 minutes longer than my usual time) working consciously within my limits.
My Irongirl Dubai 5KM run time.Unwavering family support.
I may or may not go back to competitive running. Only time will tell but for now, I’m just grateful that I am up and running, alive and extremely happy.
LESSONS LEARNED:
1. Things happen when you least expect it. Embrace it but keep the faith.
2. Believe that PAIN is not permanent.
3. When faced with difficulties, don’t always jump into a quick easy solution. Sometimes the less travelled road is more rewarding.
4. Listen to your body.
5. Be mindful in your movement, diet and total well-being.
I am writng this now on a trip to Bangsaen, Chonburi province, Thailand after another 6-km slow run and like in Dubai, minus my MRI results, I feel like my back is as good as new..🙏🏻
While recovery is different from one person to the other, I am grateful because one month after onset of pain and disc herniation and disc dessication diagnosis, my pain scale is down to 5/10. What helped?
* Daily physical therapy and exercises helped a lot.
* Trading an Ottoman to a Uratex Olympia hard chair.
* Finding comfort from a “Backjoy SitSmart” discomfort for posture support.
* Massage therapy with Young Living’s mixture of Panaway (12 drops); Cypress (12 drops); Peppermint (5 drops) with Sunflower as the carrier oil was relieving as well.
We have to keep in mind however that we are all unique creatures; we all have different backs and different hips that influence the back. Be cautious of medical professionals and physical therapist who tells you that there is only one single magical exercise for all back pains. As this may be convenient for them, it is disastrous for us.
I used to track my progress on a daily basis, but doing so depresses me more. Many affected by this injury are right in saying that “the path to recovery is one step forward and two steps backwards”. So I took a back seat and focus on three separate machines to objectively gauge my pain.
I noticed that the more I move, the more I am relieved of the pain. Unlike many who have had problems with sleeping and driving, I thank God that these two were never my issues.
My pain as I write this is EPISODIC, meaning there are instances where I don’t feel any pain at all then it comes as fast as a lightning, lingers a bit (sometimes longer) and leaves again. It becomes a cycle with no definite schedule but mainly from a “pain trigger/s” I have yet to pinpoint.
” It is important to remember that in order to heal your back you need to be able to recognize what is triggering your pain.” – Stuart McGill
I continue to take in Lyrica 75mg and Polynerve 1000mg, as vitamins for my nerves once a day and the thought of surgery, though recommended by not one but 4 doctors sits last on my list.
SELF ASSESSMENT
I always blame my mindless lifting of a heavy load to my disc herniation but the truth is, there are some pure ingrained habit I grew up with that contributed to this injury. A bad posture for one. I slouched a lot ( because I’m taller than most of my peers) and it was never corrected. Not until now when standing or sitting straight lessens the pain.. Not until slouching is one that triggers the pain.
It is when you examine yourself, after a professional advise can you actually pinpoint your pain triggers because you feel your pain and Stuart McGill in his book, Back Mechanic ennumerated 3 guidelines to do this:
STEP 1: Questions to help you hone in on the cause: Make your lists.
STEP 2: Evaluate your lists
STEP 3: Evaluate your pain triggers with pain provocation and relieving tests.
SOURCE: Back Mechanic by Stuart McGill pages 52 to 72 (I highly recommend reading this book to better understand your back pain and how to deal with it).
As I recover, I always rember that during recovery, what you DON’T do is often just as important as what you DO do.
Hot and cold therapy is one of the best methods to relieve any kind of pains.
Choosing between the two can be tricky specially for someone like me searching for a quick relief.
Typically, cold compresses are used on acute (short-term) injuries, whereas hot compresses are used for chronic (long-term) conditions.
Since the pain I felt before being diagnosed with disc herniation was a progressive one, I tried both hot and cold simultaneously to relieve the pain.
20 minutes of cold pack followed by a hot pack until its temperature wears off (I’m using a conventional hot bag and not an electronic heating pad).
Rubber hot bag
One month after the onset of pain, alternating between the two either in one application or separately helped relieved the pain and the more I applied them consistently, the RELIEF PERIOD from 0 to 7.5 where am at right now becomes longer and longer.
Bored with hot and cold packs, I decided to apply both by soaking my lower half into a hot bath followed by a cold shower.
Lucky to have ready access to Palm Grove Mountain Resort nearby (29 minutes drive from my work place). A facility that has the convenience of both.
Nangalisan, Asin, Tuba, Benguet
Main leisure pool.
Entrance wrist band (Php 150 entrance fee + Php100 deposit for the band)
The experience was quite relieving and the place was relaxing. Each tub, cleaned after every use and refilled with sulfuric hot water only when in use.
The only down point however, are the hovering mosquitoes ready to attack around the hot bath area which, according to the locals, are common in the late afternoons.
Sulfur is a naturally occurring mineral and soaking in sulfur springs water, though it has the inescapable and unpleasant smell of rancid eggs, traces its roots to ancient Egyptian and Roman times. Sulfur springs are located across the globe and have long been popular methods of early hydrotherapy – the use of water for healing purposes.
Though there are no conclusive medical studies in the U.S. regarding the benefits of soaking in sulfur water, studies in Japan, the Mid-East, and throughout Europe have shown that soaking in sulfur water can help kill germs and viruses in and on the skin including psoriasis, dermatitis, and fungal infections, though these are not cures, only therapies. Known as BALNEOTHERAPY, (the term ‘balneo’ comes from the Latin word for bath and means soaking in thermal/mineral waters) or medical hydrology, it is considered a medical science outside of North America and is an integrated part of allopathic medical practices and preventative medicine and in some cases, like in France, partial costs of medical hydrology are covered by their healthcare system.
I continue to move mindfully and I continue to stretch. But nothing is more helpful than one coming from a certified physical therapist.
How to know when you need to see a Physical Therapist?
Sad as it may seem, we tend to see a Physical Therapist (also referred to as PT’s) only when our doctor says so or following a major injury.
We overlooked that PT’s can also help us to prevent injuries, more so if you live an active life. They are experts in human movement with a particular focus on the musculoskeletal system and potentially other body systems depending on their area of expertise.
Their job is not just to TREAT impairments but to PREVENT that affect the body’s ability to move efficiently.
I know that seeing one is an added expense to your pocket but try to see it as an added investment to your well-being.
And YES, look who’s talking… I’m one over-looker! So look where I am now… Well, it’s a learning lesson one has to contend with.
Moving on, my PT, Jordan Dacanay and I worked 8 basic exercises to strenghten my core with great emphasis on tummy tucking in every execution.
8 EXERCISES:
1. PELVIC TILTING – 5 seconds hold X 10 repeats
2. PARTIAL SIT-UPS – 5 seconds lift and hold X 10 repeats
3. DIAGONAL SIT-UPS – 5 seconds hold X 5 repeats on each leg
4. STRAIGHT LEG RAISE – 5 seconds lift and hold X 5 repeats on each leg.
5. BRIDGING – 5 seconds lift and hold x 10 repeats
6. CAT AND CAMEL – 5 seconds hold x 10 repeats alternating cat and camel position
7. DOG AND BIRD – 5 seconds raise and hold x 10 repeats alternating dog and bird position
8. PLANKING – Target time: 1 minute (MY TIME = 17 seconds after 2 sessions…🤭)
Applying HOT compress before stretching and exercises worked well for me. I used the ordinary hot rubber pack with water.
(CAUTION for RISK OF BURN: Some rubber hot packs rip off easily when given pressure so water leaks)
ICE can also be relieving but I don’t use it as much.
Which is which then? Hot or Cold?… Hear from me next.
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