If I had only known that before…

This week’s issue is more personal.

My daughter is 10 years old and she is has a super flexible body.

Sometimes she taunts me to join her for some exercise, for example a ‘split’. In case you don’t know, a split is when the legs are straight and at right angles to the body, one in front and the other behind, or one at each side. It’s the easiest thing for her.

I always tell her super seriously:

“Sure, I can do it, no problem. But only ONCE!”

Well, I had my ‘once’ moment on Sunday 2 weeks ago.

On that day, in the morning, I did some early sports before the kids woke up, including some stretching.

As part of that, I also performed something I have not done in a while: a ‘forward fold’. This is where the front of the upper body comes towards the lower body (see picture above). I was always able to do this, even with the hands flat on the ground.

Always? Well, yes, if you count me at half my age. I am now 42.

But this time something snapped, without me noticing at first.

Pain developed in my left leg on the same day (it’s called ‘sciatica’, if you want to look for the exact term).

Fast forward 1.5 weeks and the doctor tells me that in that bending moment, I basically snapped a disc out of my spine. 😲 Yup. That’s what I thought, too.

I asked him:

“So, I should not have done his kind of stretching?”

He looks straight at me and asks, with an eyebrow raised:

“Are you a teenager?”

I open my mouth, then close it.

Nothing left to say.

I went for an operation a few days ago and am resting now.

And I am leaving you (so un-coach-like) with a piece of learning and advice this time:

Don’t get wild with your body with growing age.

And: Leave those forward folds to teenagers!

All the best! Maik