Watch your back

As I slowly but surely approach 30 I look back at the last ten years and realise that I haven't done enough to keep fit and active. I've never really been into sports (other than cricket where you spend a lot of time just standing still) and the gym was always a major chore.

Recently however, after a bit of peer pressure I've decided to join in a weekly game of 6-a-side football with some close friends. My wife ( an avid Arsenal supporter) is thrilled to bits about it. I on the other hand; a guy who not only doesn't play football but doesn't even watch it was feeling a little worried. Would I be able to last an hour? Could I even last 5 minutes? Only one way to find out eh....

Week 1 was a killer. I was out of breath within minutes, get a stitch on my side and get a cramp in my leg. I could hardly breathe when I got home later that night.
Now in week 6 I've noticed a huge improvement in both my health and stamina and also in my ability to play the game. I'm finally starting to feel healthy again.

Totally Trollied!

On Saturday afternoon i went shopping in Tesco with my daughter. As usual, I end up with the trolley with the dodgy wheel which keeps pulling to one side - why are all the trollers at Tesco like that?

Anyway, so I'm having to walk at an odd angle and really forcing the trolley to go in a straight line to avoid smashing into the aisles and after getting a bit frustrated by my trolley I gave it a swift jerk as I walked out of the store. At this point I thought nothing of it but I could feel this sharp pain in my lower back by the time I got back to my car.

By the evening the pain grew and I could hardly stand or sit... So off to bed. I wake up on Sunday morning in the most agonising pain in my lower back. Unable to get out of bed without feeling like I'm about to die. I can't even bend down to pick my daughter up, which is pretty heartbreaking. No doubt I won't be playing football this week!

I'm loading up on Ibuprofen and applying lots of ice packs so here's to hoping I have a speedy recovery.

I guess the moral of all this is, no matter what your age and fitness level, do not take your health (and especially your back) for granted.