Sunday, February 8, 2009

Calf Injury - 1 Year Later!

It is exactly one year ago today that I injured my calf in the first place. What was originally diagnosed as a 'Grade 2' muscle tear (estimated recover 6-8 weeks) is still in recovery. In a day-to-day recovery then my calf recovered long ago; however, I am a dancer and the demands of my lower leg are much greater than for the average person.

I am doing everything except allegro involving movement from 1-to-1 feet. I am now optimistic that I will be able to resume this soon, particularly given the changes to my knees since having the Feldenkrais, which seems to have held.

I have had to do a lot of remedial work over the past year, and it has been hard work requiring determination and dedication from my part. The dividends have paid off and my body is a lot more toned than it was 12 months ago. I have actively working gluts, hamstrings and adductor muscles. I will need to keep a basic programme in operation to ensure these muscles groups remain toned.

Being diagnosed with the actual syndrome aspect of Joint Hypermobility Syndrome, as just opposed to being hypermobile came as a bit of a shock, but providing I manage the fatigue, back pain and chronic pain generally, I will be just the same person I was before.

Over the coming year I want to look at a regular involvement of Feldenkrais sessions as this seems to be helping me. Somatic practices, of which Feldenkrais is one, is about mind-body engagement and being in touch with the whole. I have found the relaxation and gentle sense of touch very therapeutic. I hope that this help me in my quest to be able to perform double pirouettes 'with ease' following my ballet teacher's pointers for pirouettes being 'cool, calm and collected'. I need to fight less, relax more, and the rest will flow, as my teacher has also been telling me over the year. Time to listen....!

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