Pulled a muscle

I am reminded again that the human body has limitations and that maybe I’m not as flexible as I used to be. Wednesday evening I decided it was time to drag out the Halloween decorations since most of the neighborhood is lit up like a...a...Halloween tree. I’m going for the low-tech effect, but decorations are called for, nonetheless. So, I located the box of decorations in the basement and made a big mistake.

Rather than clearing the stuff from around it, I reached for the box at an awkward angle and lifted. It was like a little zipper in my back came undone. I heard it, I felt it. Nothing too dramatic at that moment, but two hours later, oh boy.

I did some little bit of damage to the muscle that wraps from my spine around my rib cage. The effect of that damage was much like a broken rib or two. Simple breathing made it feel as if dull rusty knives were being thrust through my rib cage. I’ve been breathing very carefully and shallowly. I’ve been moving very carefully, too.

Today I seem to be much improved and whatever the damage I did, it’s itching like crazy. I want to back up against anything with a corner on it and scratch. So, I guess that means it’s healing nicely.

I believe that I’ll pay a bit more attention to the principles of ergonomic lifting from now on.