Last night we had our games in the rain. The team is good, despite losing both games. I'm happy.
Except that I wasn't able to play the second game, much, and when I did I was a liability. I started to notice bad stuff just when warming up. I now have a much greater appreciation for the role ones' neck muscles play in throwing a disc. And a better sense of how much work they do through any part of playing ultimate. If I didn't pull my neck muscle previously, it did so last night.
Now, the crazy thing is, I stretch. Really do. Not like "yeah, I know I should and occasionally do" At least since I've started my exercise program, I stretch everyday. In the morning and before and after activity. Habits borne from years of Karate practice, where even if you showed up late, you went off to a corner of the dojo and went through the stretching routine. And you didn't leave til you had done the cool down stretching. In particular, due to my occupation, I do neck stretches.
Seems like everyone's first response to a pulled neck is "you should stretch". Other advice for neck trouble includes a good pillow (I have a custom bean-bag one) and a firm mattress (I sleep on a futon). Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. I won't degenerate into whining about how much neck spasms suck and make driving difficult. But to illustrate: I went home to eat, shower, and go join bucy and gustaf for some additional Soul Caliber fun. On my mother's advice, I iced my neck which helped. Showered, got dressed, and decided to lie down for a second. Got my neck correctly placed with my pillow, and woke up 4 hours later. Being unwilling to move at all for fear of bringing the pain back, the lights remained on. No Soul Caliber for me.
Today it is back to a dull ache. Advil has been worthless.
