Bodybuilders and fitness people are the most driven people around, but they often lose sight of the fact that rest days are an essential part of the muscle recovery and building process. Even injuries won’t stop them from continuing to train. I can relate and have to admit that I have been practicing this for the past two months. The fear of muscle atrophy and descent into something less than muscle goddess status has kept me locked into a regular lifting routine, and though I train with less intensity than I am accustomed to, I am always pushing the envelope to see what I can perform without aggravating existing injuries.

It has been frustrating to say the least to deal with such significant pain in my forearm, shoulder and neck that I can’t even lift a drinking glass without experiencing dagger-like pain in my forearm. I want to push through the pain, but the associated muscle weakness and nerve irritation are at times so severe that I am not able to. For those of you who are wondering what loss of strength I am dealing with, I can do lateral raises on the left side with a 10 pound weight, while a 3 pound weight on the right side sends burning, shooting pains and cramping along my arm and elbow. Consequently, I am training my upper body at about 60 percent of the intensity level I usually train at.

It has also been a real eye opener for me to discover how much I rely on my right hand for activities. Though I write and draw with my left hand, I perform all sports with my right hand and used to play guitar right-handed. So the tennis elbow which crept up on me has been more crippling than I had ever anticipated.

Normal people would just back off from training completely. I have continued to train, albeit at a reduced intensity. I have also employed the use of muscle creams, ibuprofen, arnica, massage, stretching, ice, sports bands, all to no avail. They say that doctors make the worst patients and I am no exception.

I advise patients to avoid doing what I have been doing! Listen to your body and allow your injury to go through a full healing period without training. Though you may lose muscle, you will be far less likely to re-injure yourself.