Pain

November 04, 2021

Ok, let me vent. Let me bitch ok?

Every day it’s something new. I always wondered how old people end up walking like Red Foxx on Sanford and Son. How they can’t sleep past 5:30am and go to bed exhausted at 9:00 . Now I know.

At 51 I have lived a life of punishing my body: Teaching too many kickboxing and spinning classes, lifting heavy weights in the gym , axial loading my spine with improper form, racing mountain bikes, crashing mountain bikes, coming up short on big icy jumps on my snowboard. I’ve broken arms, ribs, collar bones, gotten stitches everywhere, had back surgery after chronic lower back injuries forced me into bed. I drank heavily from age sixteen to my late forties. I have abused my liver and brain with alcohol while at the same time preaching diet to people.

Despite all these injuries and setbacks my body usually bounced back. Through years of cross training in the gym, and doing lots of yoga I was able to keep up with guys half my age. Now, not so much. It’s like every day I find something new that hurts me. I can’t find sleep at night unless I am completely exhausted and usually to get in that state I need to workout hard which sets me up for injuries if I don’t do it right. The Catch-22.

Last night I did a pretty hard hot power yoga class. It felt great. Sweat puddle around my mat, straining to stay focused and keep my pranayama breath, pushing my body to its limits. I walked out of the studio and felt my knee start to hurt. An hour later it was throbbing. WTF! I didn’t do any jumping or repetitious moves that would injure it. As I sit here this morning, sipping my coffee, I count up the injuries I am experiencing:

  • chronic knee pain
  • left rhomboid or trapezius strain from banging my head on stage four days ago
  • right shoulder: supraspinatous, infraspinatous tendonitis and partial tendon tears as well as a partial tear in the lateral head of the right bicep muscle
  • left CTS from rock climbing over two months ago. I have to wear a brace to bed so I don’t flex my wrist when I sleep and aggravate it. Had to put my climbing membership on hold until it heals (if it ever does)
  • C6 narrowing causing minor numbness in my right arm and hand. The least of my worries.

At night when i go to bed i struggle to find the perfect position to sleep in. I don’t really take sleep supplements and drinking any coffee after noon will make me restless. So of course I have to have a latte at lunch at the new coffee shop next to my house, right?

Like that Louis CK bit where he talks about his “shitty ankle” and how you just have to live with it when you get older, I am there. I am in that position.

I adjusted my diet for less inflammation, i quit drinking, I quit gluten, i do yoga, I try to move my body daily and not push it too hard. Maybe it helps? I dunno.

Is this what it means to get older? Is it just going to get worse now? Do i have to take up shuffle board and give up my way of life? I certainly hope not. I like my love. No, I LOVE my life. The thought of not being able to ski or climb or bike fills me with dread.

So forgive me bitching and moaning. I hate to be a bother. Now if you will excuse me I have to go study what “pickle ball” is. Apparently all the old timers are doing it.

Written by Corey Smaller Follow me on Instagram