Learning when to take it easy

I don't know about you, but I find it easier to spread helpful knowledge and advice, than actually take and implement it.  I know, I know, the whole "practice what you preach" issue always comes to mind, but I just can't help it, I'm bull-headed, it's in my nature.

I am injured right now and there is no rhyme or reason to it.  I didn't fall or pick up something the wrong way, or even overwork something to the point of injury.

My back "went out on me" essentially, and I've been laid up since Monday.  It's the lower back where you get all of your balance from and use the most to sit down, stand up, lean over, well...everything.  Your whole body seems to be connected to these muscles and mine right now are pissed as hell!  It was so bad Monday that my hubby actually had to help me in and out of bed and putting on my socks took me 5 minutes.

I was so upset that I was injured and for no good reason or fault of my own.  I was even more upset because I'm finally getting excited about getting back into a running routine, only to be sidelined by a back issue.

Now if someone had asked me what to do about an injury like this, I would have a pleathora of information on how to help alleviate the pain and what to do to recover.  Did I take any of my own advice?

Nope.

Did my hubby have to forcefeed reasonable treatment and rest on me the past few days?

Yep.

Did I rebel and try to do things too soon and was horribly reminded by pain that I was still injured?

Yes indeed.

Will I ever learn to take it easy?

I really hope so.

Sometimes I feel like I don't give myself enough credit or allowance to give myself a break.  I push on because there are things that need to be done around the house, hours of work to be done at my workplace and miles that need to be logged in training for my next race.  But what about the vessel that allows me to do all these things that is hurting right now and yet I'm forcing it to do things that it OBVIOUSLY can't and shouldn't be doing right now?

It is so tough to take a step back and let your body rest when there is so much that you want to/need to do.  Your body is amazing in that most light injuries can be fixed by the body itself with only minimal work we need to do in assistance.  Yet we are too impatient with the healing process and tend to try and get back into the swing of things before we are fully recovered, thusly reinjuring ourselves, only worse this time.

I need to learn to embrace this recovery time and figure out ways to train and operate on a day-to-day basis that is better for my body, in order to keep from aggrivating or reinjuring myself.  Retraining is so tough but beneficial in the end when it helps to alleviate future injuries.

So the rest of this week, as much as it pains me (literally!), will be a rest week for me.  I am taking my own advice by resting and recouperating my sore back.  I'm sure it will thank me later.

Question for you:  Do you find it difficult to take it easy when you get injured?  Are you one that practices what they preach?