So after battling back pain all weekend, I managed to get to my doctor this afternoon to get checked out. After some poking and prodding, he determined that I don’t have any spinal issues (e.g. slipped or herniated discs), and that I am most likely suffering from a pulled muscle.
I found this to be very good news as most of the literature I had seen on disc problems weren’t very promising. Some spoke of surgery while others indicated this could be a lifelong condition. Luckily, a pulled muscle should heal up much quicker and allow me to get back training in a week or so.
That being said, I’ll be taking the next week off from training to ensure a complete recovery in hopes of preventing any recurrences. I plan on stretching over the next several days to aid in the healing process, but nothing too strenuous.
I’d also like to thank everyone for the kind words of encouragement during my recovery, and a special thanks to my family who basically dropped what they were doing to make sure I was resting and comfortable. And a very special thanks to my wife, Jamie, who, despite being pregnant, waited on me hand and foot the entire weekend to make sure I had everything I needed, even if it was the remote so I could switch between the World Cup and the US Open.
So thanks again, and until next week…