Pain in the Neck

I think I have blogged in the past about how much I loved gymnastics as a teenager. I wasn't ever phenomenal at gymnastics but after one year of working out with my high school team, my parents let me begin training at a gym with a very good coach named Bob. He worked with his high level athletes and then he would work with the high school girls. Mind you this was probably in 1986-1987. For those of you that aren't good at math that was approximately 28-29 years ago. (Remember that for later).

Some of his girls went on to win state, etc. So he had some pretty cool stuff... like a punch floor and a foam pit and of course bars, beam, and vault. At first he ran me through the pretty basic stuff. Mainly building strength and courage to throw tricks. Then he would let me through the rotations with the other athletes and "spot" me doing things. This allowed me to do things above my level with his assistance.

I knew that Bob would never drop me or allow me to be hurt. I also was a pretty small person. Approximately 15 to 18 pounds lighter than I am now (Remember this for later too).

There is nothing in the world to compared to the feeling of being a gymnast. My body was muscular and I was small and so some of the tricks were naturally easy to do. I learned to do back handsprings, standing back flips, punch fronts, and tumbling combinations. When I was working out a lot I would do bar work that was really fun but would give me huge blisters on my hands. I never really over came my fear of the vault so that was something I only did with spot. I could do back walkovers on the balance beam unassisted as well as kartwheels. With Bob spotting me I could do a back handspring on the beam. With the coaching I received from Bob, my junior year I earned my Varsity letter in gymnastics. I didn't go to state, and I didn't really perform well in competitions, but I was thrilled to be part of the team and to do the fun tricks a gymnast does. I think being involved in this sport really uped my confidence. When they cut the gymnastics program my senior year, I became a cheerleader and I would tumble for the crowd during the games.

My family thought I was a little bit nuts. In the backyard I would turn on the taped music to my floor routine and dance around the yard practicing. Every trip to the coast or park from the time I was 16 on I would do handstands, kartwheels, walkovers and the like. I probably way over estimated my abilities in my head as it is fun to do when you are young and dreaming about what could be.

When I went to BYU I took a gymnastics class and did some light tumbling.

Then life happened. Gymnastics isn't necessarily something you can do forever. My body changed. It had babies.

When Stef and Shelby were little they took a gymnastics class. The coach had a long trampoline. I threw a backhandspring and wet my pants. I was thrilled that I could still do it. I was probably 29.

Over the years I have thrown back handsprings occasionally on the trampoline.

About a year or two ago, in the martial arts gym I threw a backhandspring on the mat that was pathetic but I actually completed.

Then, 3 weeks ago, I went to the gym to pick up Brooke from a tumbling class. I was feeling good. I 've been doing yoga for a few months and really feeling flexible. I had gone on a bike ride with my husband. I walked into the gym and the very nice coach looked at me and said, "Hey Christy you should throw a back handspring". I got stars in my eyes and visions from yesteryear danced in my head. I just knew that I could throw it still, but to be careful, I got on the gushiest mat available and then I launched myself into the air.....


That was when I landed on my head. To one side.

Because I couldn't believe that my body didn't actually cooperate with the process that it had once so easily mastered... I actually attempted it again with pretty much the same result.

Then I sheepishly crawled out of the building.

The pain didn't begin immediately... but it came. 3 days later.

Behind my shoulder blade. Like a knife. I started having numbness and tingling going down my arms.

I consulted with my husband. He started me on some exercises for disk strain.

I iced my back. I tried to rest. I took pain medicine left over from Hailey's wisdom teeth.

And it didn't improve.

I started to really fear that I was going to have long term damage.

I visited the Dr. and got Xrays and steroids. I started official Physical Therapy.

Slowly but surely I'm almost back to better. I did learn I have the neck of a much older person.. and probably my gymnastics career is now officially over.

Good bye to youth.

Good bye.