What activities did you do before your injury?
Running. A lot. I enjoyed running for exercise and socializing with running buddies. Since herniating a disk and having back surgery, I can no longer run. I really miss it. Instead, I connect with my former running buddies in non-running ways... walking the dogs, meeting for lunch, emailing and texting.
What was it like to need to scale your activities back?
It really is a drag. I am still very fit and active. I hike, bike, and hit the gym several days a week, but I just can't tolerate the repetitive pounding of running. It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that I am no longer "a runner."
Tips and Tricks
- Don't let the pain isolate you. In the beginning, I socialized less and that worsened my disappointment and depression about my injury.
- Make the effort to continue socializing in ways that your pain level allows. Social isolation only worsens the pain.
