Labour Day

 

anatomy

I confess that over the years I have learned way more about my body's anatomy than I ever expected.

But working at a labour intensive job that required the consistent use (overuse?) of groups of muscles meant that over time those muscles became weary.  I did the best I could to take care of my body, but I arrived at the loom bench with pre-existing injuries, and at times those injured muscles simply gave up and then I would have to rest.  Or at least dial back on the labour I was doing.

A number of health care therapists have commented that I have excellent proprioception - that is, an acute awareness of my body in space and in relation to my tools.  With my history of injury recovery, I became ever more of an advocate for weavers to use ergonomic processes, equipment and techniques.

At times I offended people.  They bristled at being told they were 'wrong'.  One weaver who didn't seem to know that their shuttle had a 'right' side (as in not on it's back or even upside down) grumbled that they didn't know there *was* a right side to their shuttle.

As if it were the shuttle's fault and not their own for not realizing that perhaps what they were doing wasn't 'best' practice.  Instead of them using 'bad' technique, I guess it was a poorly designed shuttle.  Or something.

But they were sitting 'poorly' as well and between sitting low enough to invite injury to their back, and then fumbling with the shuttle not gliding through the shed (because it wasn't on its nice smooth bottom) I felt I could not stand by and watch.  So I said something.

After a number of negative interactions with some weavers I backed off from voluntarily 'helping' with suggestions.  At times people would flat out argue with me saying that what I was proposing was pointless, that what *they* were doing wasn't hurting *them*, ergo, it wasn't going to hurt anyone else.

All I can think of when I hear that response is to think how lucky they are to NOT have issues with inflammation and/or injuries.  Yet.

Even with all my studies into working at the loom and in the studio ergonomically, I could not prevent injury.  Not from weaving, but from falling.  And two whiplash injuries from MVAs.

And now, here I am, having woven for nearly 50 years, dealing with a crumbling body.  The weaving hasn't helped, of course not.  But the injuries sustained throughout my life make the likelihood of further injury *from* weaving higher.

And so, I have to dial back what I'm doing.  I am now down to two 30 minute sessions a day as I recover from a massive muscle spasm in my lower back.  At this point I have no idea if I can increase that or if this will become my new 'normal'.

However, I have a new doctor - a pain specialist.  He has an idea he wants to confirm, so I will be getting a diagnostic injection into the SI joint on Wednesday.  If there is an injury to that joint, there is a way forward.  That doesn't mean I don't still have a bulging disc, but if there is further injury to the SI joint, that could explain the levels of pain I have been living with.  And perhaps the possibility of not one but *two* injuries means that *both* need to be treated before I can have less pain.

At this point I don't know exactly what will happen if that is the case, but perhaps, just perhaps, I can have less pain in my life.  And who knows, I may be able to go back to two 60 minute sessions a day?

Or I will have to accept and get comfortable with a new 'normal' of doing much less than I would like to do.

Acceptance is not giving up.  It is taking a rational look at what my situation is, what I can safely do - or not - and working within those boundaries.  Then working towards healing as much as I can, maintaining some sort of creative activity every day.  Perhaps more writing?  Perhaps switching to crafts that require less physical effort - line spinning, knitting or bobbin lace.  TBD.

What I will not do is give up.  Because my stash isn't going to weave itself!