Recently my body has not been responding well to exercise and, well, life in general.  Stress has my muscles tensed up at all hours of the day so when it’s time to work out, they’re just not in the mood.  Unfortunately this has resulted in piercing aches in my neck and back.

At first, I tried my usual remedies:  heating pads, ice, and rest.  None of them even made a dent in the pain.  I had a massage, which helped, but didn’t heal.  A friend then told me she runs to release her muscle pain.  I couldn’t think of anything more painful at the time, but I was desperate for relief.  Lo and behold, a 15 minute slow jog worked!

Later that week, being the stubborn fitness fanatic that I am, I pulled the same muscle in my neck doing a pull up. Unable to turn my head, I chose to ride the stationary bike (with the reclined seat) for a cardio workout with minimum strain on my body.  After 30 minutes, I felt sooo much better.

My guess is that the increased blood flow helps to heal and decrease inflammation. Thought I would throw out this method in case you find yourself in the same scenario.  I’m so thankful I ran into Laura who shared it with me.

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