I find myself on the horns of a dilemma. I've been regularly working out for a number of years now but as I've aged those workouts have occasionally caused injuries. And increasingly the workouts make me sore as hell.
The best feeling I get from a workout is always mental and to be honest it's primarily a feeling of completing the act. A sense of accomplishment. But from that immediate mental high there begins a steady descent into various levels of physical pain in different parts of my body. The pain ranges from slight to moderate unless I'm dealing with an injury.
To deal with this I try to manage the frequency, duration and intensity of my workouts to get the best results physically for my health against the pain or injury that might occur. It really takes some serious management.
But increasingly I think the situation is becoming unmanageable in that it doesn't matter what I do I still have at least some levels of pain. Something is always sore it seems and two or three times a year some muscle or joint is actually injured. I currently have lower back pain and what I think may be a pulled muscle in one arm. I've had both of those for months and they don't seem to be getting any better even though I've tried to manage around them.
Therein lies my dilemma. Do I put up with the muscle pain to get the health benefits of the workout or do I quit the workouts to get rid of the pain? My current thought is to put up with the pain. I think the workouts will pay off long term. So that leaves me with the soreness and pain. I'm not big into pain-relievers of any kind so that's not a option. I'm thinking maybe some therapeutic massage might help. No doubt that my insurance company would agree.
My conclusion is that you have to pay a price one way or another for every thing you do in this world. Right now I'm willing to pay it in some minor pain for long term health. But it doesn't mean I like it.
September 3, 2008 in
Life |
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Seems to me that working out should not cause excessive pain. I would suggest that you have a professional evaluate your workout. There must be something between not working out and living with pain as a result of working out.
Pain does not improve ones quality of life, be it physical or mental.
Posted by: Jerry Critter at Sep 4, 2008 1:18:48 PM
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