Massaging one's buttocks with a tennis ball (on the injury C-Ouch!)

[iain-strachan]

"I'm just self-massaging my buttocks with a tennis ball!"

That caused a burst of laughter from my wife (pictured her at sunset at Farmoor reservoir, where she photographed me doing the graduation run).

Sad to say, I'm on the injury couch, and not, I think, due to running!

I completed C25K with great personal pride and satisfaction. I determined to do a parkrun the week after, and did a couple of practice 5k runs beforehand to prove I could do it. The second practice run was here at Farmoor reservoir and was in 36:03.

Then, foolishly, the day before the Parkrun, I signed up for a free Yoga class at the gym. I had not done yoga ever before, and it wasn't a beginner's class. I pretty much managed to follow all the moves, and afterwards felt absolutely marvellous. Unfortunately, anything overstretched comes out the next day. I seem to recall feeling a bit stiff before the Parkrun, but I put it down to tension. After completing Parkrun (37:36 - not too bad), I found I had quite a bit of lower back pain. So I held off running for a few days, and did the "Stepping Stones" podcast the next Friday (also at Farmoor). Again after it my back was killing me.

I noticed my pace was very slow on Stepping Stones, and wondered (see another post which triggered quite a lot of conversation) whether my natural cadence was much higher than for Stepping Stones. However, I'm now inclined to believe that it was because my back was stiff, and that I wasn't pushing off with the same force as I would have normally.

Since then I've held off running till I'm sure my pulled muscle is healed properly. My physio recommended some exercises, including massaging oneself on the buttocks with a tennis ball!

It's so frustrating! Everytime I spot a jogger out on the road, I feel jealous.

Anyway, tonight was a gentle stroll round Farmoor with my lovely wife, and mercifully there weren't any joggers to make me feel jealous.

[rolysmate Graduate]

I'm sure you'll soon be back out there clocking up the miles, though I'm sure the gentle stroll with the lady in your life was more than pleasurable

[Irishprincess Graduate]

I sympathise as I bu**ered up my back after yoga although at the time it felt OK. I'll be sticking to Pilates from now on.

That tennis ball thing is fab. It really works and gets into all those places we didn't know we had 😖

Sorry you're on the IC but no doubt you'll be back soon. Gorgeous photo btw.

[Theziggy Graduate]

I'm sooooooo sorry, but the title of your post made me spit my morning tea over my keyboard and cause a huge grin to spread over my face plus my OH was wondering why I was laughing like a lunatic. I think the politeness of the 'one's) made it all the more rib-tickling

Get well soon!

Be worse/better if it had have said

Having my buttocks massaged with a tennis ball (on the injury C-Ouch!) ??

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to Theziggy]

I'm always delighted to provide a tea-spitting moment of hilarity! I hope your keyboard survived!

I think I had an episode of "Prince Charles Syndrome" there. Like the joke:

Prince Charles walks into a shop and asks for some eggs. The shop assistant asks him how many he wants and he replies:

"One doz."

[Rignold]

Tennis ball is a bit squidgy. Try a lacrosse ball.

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to Rignold]

Ooh, I like the idea of a squidgy masseur! Lacrosse ball sounds like something for hardened fans!

[Rignold in reply to iain-strachan]

Do you mean masseuse?

Lacrosse or golf ball is not necessarily any more hardcore, it just allows you to get in to where the trigger points are more precisely.

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to Rignold]

Yes, but I was using the non-gender specific term

What's your opinion of foam rollers, which have also been recommended by a colleague of mine. Would they not also be a bit on the squidgy side?

[froggyrunner Graduate in reply to iain-strachan]

My son's a physio and swears by foam rollers... not that he's bought me any 😂

[Rignold in reply to iain-strachan]

The one I have is called The Beast. It is not squidgy