Several years ago I hurt my back playing racquetball. More truthfully, my back finally gave out [i]during [/i]racquetball, although it was probably grinding down long before that. After the initial wave of agony passed and the doctors finally admitted they didn’t know what the heck they were talking about–and after my suggestions for about a year–they finally recommended I see a chiropractor.
I first went twice a week for about two months, getting me generally on track, and since then I’Several years ago I hurt my back playing racquetball. More truthfully, my back finally gave out [i]during [/i]racquetball, although it was probably grinding down long before that. After the initial wave of agony passed and the doctors finally admitted they didn’t know what the heck they were talking about–and after my suggestions for about a year–they finally recommended I see a chiropractor.
I first went twice a week for about two months, getting me generally on track, and since then I’ve been going to the chiropractor once a month for an adjustment. It’s a little hard to tell just how much good going to a chiropractor does …until you don’t go. It’s like taking vitamins. Do they really help, or do you just want to believe they help? I’m still not sure.
But after going for my monthly adjustment for the last several years, for one reason or another I haven’t gone for the last three months. And now I need to go back. But not for the reasons I would have thought.
I realized after about 6 weeks that I wasn’t quite breathing properly. It was one of the more surprising side effects when I first started going. After a good back cracking–and my spine properly aligned–I was standing up properly, so it seemed, and thus, opening my lungs more, allowing me to breath properly, perhaps for the first time ever. And I could really tell the difference. I felt like I was breathing more deeply. More fully.
And now that I haven’t gone in a while, I’ve been feeling like I’m not quite able to take the deep breaths I used to even a few months ago. And I’m feeling slightly upset over it. Not upset as in, I’m annoyed that it isn’t happening, but a feeling upset, even when nothing seems to be wrong. Now, it’s not like I’m on the floor crying my eyes out or anything, but it’s just noticeable enough. Like a splinter in my breath. It’s just not quite right.
So I’m going to the chiropractor this week to get a good ole’ back crackin’. Sure, my back could use the adjustment, but it’s the breathing I’m most focused on.
Who knew?
