I'm in my early 70s and I don't take pain medication -- no Tylenol, no ibuprofen. Even though I've practiced martial arts for 51 years, I have no pain in my day-to-day activities.

But three weeks ago, I suffered a painful glute injury. It was a real pain in the butt, and I don't even think I did it the fun way.

I'm not sure how I did it. But pivoting my leg or bending over to reach something or tie my shoes sent me into spasms of agony.

And sneezing! Don't even get me started. The human body is so connected internally, a sneeze would cause me to convulse in the upper body, the fascia would pull and the chain reaction down my body made me nearly cry out. Nancy was alarmed.

That Wednesday, I taught two live Taiji classes online -- carefully teaching some silk-reeling exercises and looking at body mechanics.

Somehow, I was compensating for my strained glute so much, I injured my right groin along the inguinal ligament. That added insult to injury and I was a hurtin' puppy.

Then I decided to do something I don't do very often.

I rested for two weeks.

This is not something I'm accustomed to doing. Even when I fractured and dislocated my left shoulder in 2001, while diving for a ground ball playing softball, I only missed one class. I taught with one arm for weeks, while my left arm was in an immobilizer.

They actually do make a butt and groin stabilizer. I might have worn it a couple of weeks ago if I knew they existed.

Instead, I rested. I didn't take any classes, didn't teach any, and didn't practice. It was not easy.  

This week, I am back in action. The pain is gone, just a memory. I'm teaching and practicing again. 

A lot of us try to be macho when we injure ourselves, or when we get sick. "Walk it off" is a saying that cracks me up. You lost a leg? Walk it off. Bleeding to death? Walk it off. You got hurt? Keep practicing.

As we grow older, if we are lucky, we get a little smarter. So when I am sick or injured, I give my body time to heal. If I can force myself to do that -- and it isn't easy -- I find that I'm able to return to full practice a lot sooner than if I continue aggravating the illness or injury.

Returning to full practice feels very good.

So the next time you aren't feeling well, or injure yourself, try to remember this. Cut yourself some slack. You don't have to prove how tough you are. Take it easy until you feel better. Then get back to work, you slacker.

-- by Ken Gullette