Pain for pleasure: Why exercise sometimes hurts

Exercise involves a body in movement, and sometimes that body crashes into things, and it can hurt.

Right now I’m relying on a skill I haven't used since grade 10 typing class which is typing without looking at the keys, because I can’t see in stereo anyway. I don’t know how pirates managed without bumping into things all the time.

Last Sunday I was out for a bike ride. It was 30 C, the sun was shining, I was heavily sunscreened, and I took more than three hours away from familial duties to burn off the wedding buffet and beer from the night before. I was having a great time until a bee flew into my eye (stinger first) in the home stretch.  

Despite ice, Reactine and Benadryl that sucker is completely swollen over now. It’s kind of a drag, but as writers say, “It’s all material.” You can see photo evidence here.

And to avoid sounding like this is all about me, I’d like to impart some wisdom: “These things happen.” When people exercise, they get hurt. Exercise enough and you’re going to have your own personal tales of misadventure. My wife has been knocked out in karate, I broke an arm while skiing, wrenched my back lifting weights, and once injured my shoulder in a swimming race (stupidity factored heavily into that one).

These injuries don’t have to be anything dramatic however. I’m still getting used to the locked-in-pedals on my new bike and did a zero-mile-per-hour crash last week when I fell over sideways after forgetting to detach my feet. The scrape on my knee hurt less than my pride did on that one.

Like I said, these things happen. Life is dangerous, but it doesn’t mean you can bubble wrap yourself. Sitting in a hermetically sealed environment living on the couch will kill you faster than anything. So take some risks, go have fun, be aware that lumps and bumps are going to happen and consider them a badge of honour.

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