It happened. I’ve been pushing myself far too hard during this AT, and I pulled a nerve in my right lower back. This has resulted in me now being given a medical order (known as a temporary profile) to sit out running, push-ups, sit-ups, or any stretching. I asked the PA how long this pain will last; he said it could be a few weeks up to a few months.

That’s unacceptable to me.

Of course, there’s nothing I can really do to force my body to heal, but I’ve learned there are a few things I can do to help it heal faster.

Avoid stretching. As much as it feels like it’s alleviating the pain, it’s actually stretching the nerve and causing further inflammation which could extend the amount of time it takes to heal. Instead, I have to use a foam roller.

Foam Roller. I will sit on the foam roller with the affected side (right side for me) and roll back and forth with right my leg crossed over my left knee. I will do this a few times a day for five minutes. This is supposed to help the inflammation subside.

Cold packs. Although heat feels good, again, it’s not actually helping things. I will continue the cold compresses. I have some ice on my lower back right now, and it does feel good. I just hope it helps reduce the inflammation quickly.

Ibuprofin. Any inflammation that’s going on could be helped with ibuprofin.

In the nearly three years I’ve been exercising solo, I’ve avoided injury. This is my first sports injury in many years, and I have to admit that I don’t like it at all. I really want to get back to my running and mountain biking.