#Auburn physio

[sportsphysiotherapycentre]

Living with lower back arthritis can be chal:enging, impacting your daily activities and overall well-being. However, with the right treatment approach, it's possible to manage symptoms effectively and enjoy a pain-free life. In this article, we'll explore the top treatments for lower back arthritis, focusing on expert insights from Auburn physio professionals. From specialized exercises to cutting-edge therapies, we'll cover everything you need to know to find relief and improve your quality of life.

Are you finding effective treatments in Auburn for lower back arthritis is essential for achieving pain-free living and improving quality of life. From personalized care plans to innovative therapies, Auburn physiotherapy professionals by Mary Street Sports Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Centre offer a range of options to help individuals manage their symptoms effectively. By exploring the top treatments outlined in this article and working closely with healthcare providers, individuals can take proactive steps towards managing lower back arthritis and enjoying a fulfilling, pain-free. Get more information please visit: https://bit.ly/3xeWVph

[nekojitachan]

Falling

This is one of my owed fics from the aftgremix ‘guess which fic is mine’ challenge - @filteredred asked for a story based on the prompt by  @veronicabuncherites 10.  you’ve been breaking into my car to sleep at night and I’ve let it slide because it’s been cold out but I have a date and I need you to find somewhere else (fine, go in my house/garage, I don’t care, you’re not messing this date up for me)   (found here), for andreil.

I hope I did it justice, of course the mind went in one direction and blew the 1k minimum out of the water. *sighs*

Ah... guess ‘T’ rating - lots of references to Andrew’s childhood in the foster system (nothing graphic, just the whole ‘NOT GOOD’ thing), and dating references. Also, mention of a character being homophobic. This is an AU PSU fic, too.

*******

Andrew internally sighed when he got out to his car and realized that Josten had crashed in it yet again. Normally he tried to overlook it (even though it was his car) because it was cold out, Josten was a fellow former foster kid and the idiot would just sleep outside on a bench or something rather than put up with his asshole roommate – it had absolutely nothing to do with big blue eyes and dark auburn curls which fell into them when not pulled back by atrociously orange bandanas and an impossibly perfect ass.

Absolutely nothing.

Josten was mouthy, temperamental rookie who enjoyed Exy way too much and had been damaged by the same fucked-up system which had spit out Andrew, to the point that Foxes’ favorite bet on the kid (other than him starting fights) was if he was gay or straight. It was almost through the end of the fall semester and Josten showed no sign of helping his teammates settle the bet anytime soon, as he ignored anyone not on the team and even then his relationship with the rest of the Foxes could only be considered ‘platonic’ at best.

Such as him sleeping in someone’s car to avoid dealing with his homophobic, envious, asshole roommate.

Andrew banged on the roof of the GS a couple of times to wake the idiot and avoid a repeat of Neil pulling a knife on him upon being woken up without warning; he’d much rather save the ‘I’ll show you mine if you show me yours’ for his date later that night.

As expected, there was the sound of muted cursing when Neil jolted awake, followed by movement as Neil scrambled to grab his meager things (and brandish the ever-present weapon) until he realized it was Andrew standing outside. Then he gave Andrew a tentative wave before he put away the knife and opened the nearest back door. “Hi.”

Andrew gave him a cool look until the freshman exited his car. “Again?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah.” Josten dumped his ratty backpack on the ground and huddled inside his overlarge second-hand coat, the hood of the sweatshirt worn beneath it pulled over his head; he looked ridiculously young at the moment, looked ridiculously attractive with those blue eyes and sharp cheekbones and full bottom lip, which made something inside of Andrew clench hard when he thought about the kid in the foster system. “It was Seth and Allison last night, seems they’re back on this week.”

Huh, usually Renee gave Andrew some sort of warning when her bitch roommate hung out with the loser so he was prepared to find Josten camping out in the GS. “Well, if they’re back at it tonight, find somewhere else.” At Josten’s curious look, Andrew motioned to his car. “I’ve a date.”

“Oh.” Josten hunched his shoulders at the news then gave a lopsided smile. “That’s fine, it’s not supposed to rain or anything so I’ll be fine.”

The idiot was going to camp outside, Andrew thought as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The temps were barely above freezing as an unexpected cold front covered the South, and Josten just shrugged at the thought of ‘roughing it’, even if he was supposed to be from Maryland or some other Northern state.

Josten didn’t say much about himself, other than his parents were dead and he’d ended up in the foster system afterwards at a young age, and Wymack was unusually tight-lipped about the kid, too. All the man had told the team was that Josten was damn good at Exy and had ‘anger and trust issues’, and so was a prime candidate for the Foxes. He’d been Wymack’s and Kevin’s first pick for the team, and those ‘issues’ had basically ensured that not many other teams had wanted him.

Andrew found it suspicious that there’d been precious little in the kid’s file when he’d broken into Wymack’s office to check him out.

Upon meeting him, Andrew had taken in the attitude, the spewed insults, the almost desperate ‘don’t fuck with me’ air and the hidden knives, and gone off to his session with Bee to inform her with some satisfaction that she’d definitely be earning her pathetic paycheck that year.

After she met the idiot, she remarked about how nice it was, for the Foxes to have a new player so devoted to the sport – and an attractive player at that, and when Andrew gave her a blank look in return, produced the low hum she always did when she knew she’d scored a point.

So by all rights, Andrew should just walk away… but for some stupid reason he thought about Nicky taking in him and Aaron, about Wymack offering his brother a scholarship as well as him, about Renee and her knives and offer to teach him how to fight with them.

About a stubborn, mouthy redhead sleeping out in the cold.

“Look, Aaron’s going to be off with his girlfriend,” Andrew managed to get the words out without clenching his jaw too much, “and Kevin’s spending the weekend at Coach’s shitty place, so the room will be empty tonight. You can crash in Kevin’s bed, I’m sure he won’t mind.” The Exy addict would probably be pleased that his mini-me was getting a proper night’s sleep for once.

Josten gave him a wary look as he picked up his backpack. “What about you?”

“Hot date, remember? I shouldn’t be back tonight.” If all went well, at least; Andrew and Roland had been circling around each other for a while, and finally were to go out after Roland’s shift at Eden’s ended that night.

Josten gazed at him for a couple of seconds as if debating what to do or if it was a trap of sorts, but for the most part, the two of them got along – Andrew did let the kid crash in his car, after all, and Josten treated him with respect (or what Josten considered ‘respect’ – a bare minimum of antagonism and insults). “Okay, thanks.” He shivered a little as he shoved his bare hands into the pockets of his thrift-store coat. “I mean, it wouldn’t have been too bad, sleeping on the roof….”

“Come to my dorm room at seven-thirty,” Andrew said, feeling exhausted all of a sudden.

“Okay,” Josten repeated before flashing him a wide grin and taking off, in the direction of the stadium, of all places. Andrew figured he was headed there to bother Wymack and get some practice in (and avoid his roommate as much as possible); he pushed all thoughts of the rookie striker out of his head (or tried to) as he got into his car and headed out for coffee and donuts.

Aaron was up when he returned to the dorm, eyes bleary and hair still flattened from bed. “Coffee?” he grunted out as soon as he saw Andrew; he’d spent the entire ride back from their game at Madison studying for an exam on Monday, and would head over to the cheerleader’s to resume in a little bit.

“With extra shots of espresso,” Andrew said as he set the drink carrier on the counter, along with the box of donuts. “And the cherry jelly donuts you like.”

His brother made a pleased noise as he shuffled forward to grab at the large cup of coffee. Andrew waited until he had several sips and a donut before he spoke again. “Josten’s going to crash here tonight.”

“Eh? Neil?” Aaron frowned as if trying to make sense out of the words and grabbed another donut. “What, he fighting with the asshole again?”

When wasn’t Josten fighting with Gordon? The upperclassman was an asshole to everyone, and Josten being a better striker than him meant that he was constantly goading the temperamental rookie on, much to most of the Foxes’ annoyance. “Seems that the asshole got back together with Reynolds.”

“Ah. Well, fine with me, I’ll be at Katelyn’s because of the Physio exam.” Aaron gazed at Andrew as if daring him to object.

“And I’ll be staying with Roland after going to Eden’s,” he shot back; they stared at each other before Aaron looked away first so he could have some more coffee.

It wasn’t perfect, their ‘acceptance’ of each other’s ‘dating’ preferences, but Nicky had forced the two of them to sit down and hash out their differences before he’d returned to Germany. Andrew didn’t step in with Aaron’s girlfriends unless there was proof they were using his brother for something (which unfortunately wasn’t the case with Katelyn – at least yet), and Aaron kept his shitty, homophobic comments to himself. To be fair, Aaron did seem to be working on getting better in not being such a bastard in that regard after finding out that Andrew was gay.

“Whose bed is he using?” Aaron asked once he finished another donut.

“Kevin’s.”

Aaron gave him an odd look like that before sipping his coffee, which made Andrew narrow his eyes. “What?”

“Just… the guy’s not bad looking, considering how half the Vixens flirt with him all the time, and you actually let him live after breaking into your car. Would have thought you might have wanted the excuse to get him into your bed.”

Andrew had the last bite of his cream-filled donut then brushed the powdered sugar from his hands as he gave his brother a cold look. “I didn’t kill him because it would have gotten blood all over the car.”

“A car which you still let him sleep in,” Aaron argued. “All the time.”

“Because he doesn’t fuck with it, he just sleeps there.” Why did he have to defend himself like this?

“You don’t let anyone drive that thing, and you nearly took off Kevin’s arm when you thought he scratched it the one time.”

Andrew gave him a look which clearly asked ‘your point’?

“And don’t think that I haven’t noticed the way you stare at his ass during practice,” Aaron added with evident relish. “You like him. You let him sleep in your car without stabbing him and now you’re letting him crash in our room because you like him, the walking disaster he is.” Aaron wrinkled his nose as if mildly disgusted. “So why are you going out with Roland, who’ll sleep with anyone, instead of Neil?”

“Because Roland will sleep with anyone,” Andrew quipped, just to annoy his brother. “And I don’t like Josten.”

“Ew, didn’t need to know that.” Aaron rubbed at his eyes as if trying to erase some awful image from his head. “And I think you’re just too afraid of being turned down. Don’t know why, you’re the only one he doesn’t give shit to all the time.” He seemed to think of something. “You and Renee.”

Yeah, because Josten knew that Renee wasn’t the goody two-shoes she appeared to be, had somehow caught a glimpse of ‘Natalie’ carefully hidden beneath the cross necklace and friendly smiles. Oh, Andrew was so curious about the rookie’s past, about what really had happened to his parents, about the old, faded scars on that runner’s body he thought about much too much….

“Your brains are scrambled from too much caffeine, it’s not looking good for your grades,” Andrew taunted as he grabbed another donut, which earned him a rude gesture from his ‘beloved’ twin. At least Aaron dropped the topic after that, in favor of brewing a pot of coffee then getting ready so he could leave for Katelyn’s.

Kevin finally stumbled out of bed an hour or so later, and perked up when Andrew told him he had to change the sheets of his bed since Josten would be using it later that night. “He’s sleeping here? Good.” He scowled at the coffee pot as if offended that it was only half-full then grabbed it to pour himself a cup. “Dad tried to give him and Seth some time to work things out, but he’s about to give him a key to the stadium so he can crash there rather than keep sleeping in your car or somewhere worse, especially with winter approaching.”

There was that damn clenching feeling inside of Andrew at the thought of not going out to his car on the weekends or even before practice during the week on rare occasions to find Josten asleep in the back, curled up in a small ball with his ridiculous hair a mess and pale blue eyes hooded with sleep, a sheepish smile on his face at being caught out there again.

Dammit, Andrew needed his date with Roland.

Kevin checked his phone while drinking his coffee, and must have gotten a text from Wymack about helping out with a certain Exy-addicted rookie hanging out at court because he cursed beneath his breath and whipped up one of his disgusting smoothies which he gulped down before he jumped in the shower, then asked Andrew for a ride to the stadium. For a moment, Andrew almost said ‘no’, but he figured he could always pick up a few things while out.

“After you change your sheets.”

“Right.” Kevin nearly tripped over his own feet as he ran back to the shared bedroom.

And there he was, the ‘great’ Kevin Day, Exy’s best collegiate striker (well, unless you were a Ravens’ fan), a complete airhead off the court (and outside of a history class).

Andrew couldn’t wait until he got to Eden’s.

He dropped off his roommate and ran a few errands, went back to Fox Tower to take a nap then went up to the roof to have a smoke. While he was there, Renee stopped by to chat.

“Gordon and Reynolds,” Andrew started as she handed him a mug of hot chocolate.

“Yes.” She frowned a little as if thinking of what to say, bundled in an old coat and a long, orange knitted scarf with matching mittens on her hands. “I was tired from the game and went straight to bed last night, and didn’t realize that Allison left at some point to go to Seth’s room – I thought she just got up for an icepack because of her elbow.” She appeared chagrined about that, since Renee usually paid better attention to things, but it had been an exhausting game and she’d taken a rough hit herself from an asshole backliner who’d crossed the goal line which had allowed Kevin to score a penalty point. “I guess it was so bad that Matt and Kelly heard them in the next room, so it’s no wonder that Neil went out to your car. Dan’s not happy with her.”

Andrew scoffed to show what he thought about that, and the effect it would have on either Reynolds or Gordon.

“Yes, I know,” Renee sighed before she had some hot chocolate. “At the least, Neil should have a reprieve in another couple of weeks when the two start fighting again.”

Ah, someone was showing her claws, how rare. “Or Gordon’s grades finally slip enough to get him kicked off the team.” Andrew pulled on a mock innocent expression when Renee gave him a hurt look. “What? One can dream, can’t they?” At the least, he only had to deal with the homophobic loser for another semester.

“I won’t even bother,” Renee said as she shook her head. “Matt feels really bad for Neil, he’s debating offering to switch rooms with him even though Wymack had wanted to give the two a chance to ‘bond’ as strikers.” A sad smile curled her lips when Andrew scoffed again. “It’s a shame that Neil’s too wary to make any friends, even though most of the team is trying with him, and some people in his classes from what I hear.” For some reason she gazed at him with an inscrutable expression while she spoke.

There were two main types of foster kids, in Andrew’s experience – the ones who tried so hard to be liked, who were friendly and outgoing and did their best to please, to make friends wherever they ended up, to fit in, to not be picked on (to be hurt and torn apart and outcast). Sometimes it worked out for them, and sometimes… sometimes it eventually became too much, the system (the abuse). Then there were the ones like Andrew, the ones who kept a low profile, who didn’t try because what good did it ever do them? All it ever did was make them stand out, make them more of a target, made unwanted eyes and unwanted attention (unwanted hands and unwanted touches) be drawn their way, made things worse.

Neil Josten? The boy with the striking (ha) pale blue eyes and tousled dark red hair just begging to be touched (to be grabbed) and too-pretty face? He clearly had learned that it was best to not be friendly, to keep everyone at arm’s length with a sharp tongue at the very least, and sharper objects if possible.

No, Neil Josten didn’t do ‘friends’. Yet he still seemed to trust Andrew enough to sleep in his car, and accept his offer of a safe place to spend the night.

Andrew found himself leaning forward to let the rush of fear as he gazed at the ground four stories below overwhelm that damn clenching sensation in his chest.

Renee remained a little longer while they finished the hot chocolate then left with the empty mugs, and Andrew went back down after another cigarette. He read some before he gave in to the urge to clean, which he put down to the fact that neither Kevin nor Aaron were around to bitch about him throwing out things or moving around their stuff.

It wasn’t that he wanted the place to look good for Josten, not at all.

Once that was done, he got ready for the night, taking the time to shave and style his hair. It wasn’t often he went out on ‘dates’, all things considered. He didn’t often find guys who weren’t interested in anything more than getting off who could follow his rules, who stopped when he said ‘no’ and didn’t cross clearly defined boundaries. Since Geoff had moved to Atlanta, Andrew needed a new fuckbuddy, and Roland appeared more than eager to be it.

It was a couple minutes before seven-thirty when there was a knock on the door, but Andrew didn’t mind since he was bored and had nothing to do. He opened it to find Josten on the other side, a wary expression on his face (one of his defaults, that or the sharp grin he wore when about to verbally tear into someone or step out on a court, or an otherwise blank expression) as he clutched the strap of his orange and white backpack in his hands, dressed in the usual worn jeans and oversized, light grey cotton hooded t-shirt. “Uhm, are you still sure….”

Andrew motioned him inside as he stepped away from the door. “You’re sleeping in Kevin’s bed and there’s a towel for you in the bathroom. Don’t touch anything else.” He thought about that for a moment. “You can have Kevin’s energy bars and drinks.”

“It’s fine, I brought stuff.” Josten tugged on the strap of the backpack. “A couple of Seth’s friends came over, they’re planning on hanging out all night so… thanks.” He gazed at Andrew, seemed to take in his appearance then glanced away quickly.

Andrew told himself that he was imagining the slight flush to those sharp cheekbones.

He left after making sure that Josten knew which bed was Kevin’s (as if the PSU bedspread wasn’t a giveaway) and swore to not leave unless he locked the door behind him, then went on his way.

It was quiet in the car without Aaron in the passenger seat and Kevin in the back, arguing over what music to listen to on the drive or how the Foxes had played that week (more like Kevin bitch about how the Foxes had played). Andrew hated to admit that he’d grown used to their presence, to watching over Kevin almost as much as his brother, to no longer being so alone. He didn’t need anyone near him, was fine eating by himself at Sweeties’ (and picking up some cracker dust to enjoy later that night and to take back to PSU for Aaron, for after his exam), and sitting at the bar at Eden’s instead of the usual table.

Roland smiled at him once the bartender noticed his arrival, and spent a couple of minutes flirting while setting him up with a bottle of water and a couple of shots which Andrew nursed over time, along with a couple of packets of the cracker dust. He enjoyed the slight buzz of the drugs and alcohol while watching the people around him, the looks he garnered for the tight fit of his black t-shirt and armbands, and the occasional remark from Roland or the other staff who knew him from him and Aaron working as barbacks during the summers.

Andrew would check his phone from time to time (message from Kevin about an ‘amazing’ practice and getting on him to join in on the evening sessions next week - which wasn’t going to happen, Aaron asking to be put out of his misery, a couple from Nicky which were the usual rambling updates, a note from Renee that Gordon and his idiot friends were being especially rowdy that night so it was good that Neil had someplace quiet and warm to sleep).

“Oh, it looks serious, whatever it is,” Roland remarked as he set another shot of whiskey on the counter in front of Andrew. “Hot sext? Nice and steamy?”

Andrew gave the bartender a bland look for a couple of seconds before he clicked his tongue. “No.”

The curt answer seemed to affect Roland, since he gave a nervous laugh and took a step back. “Ah, okay. Is everything all right?”

“It’s fine.” Andrew internally winced as he thought about how often Josten said something similar, that the rookie insisted that he was all right even if he’d been knocked on his ass and was barely conscious. He stared at a man who’d been hit on so many times in the last couple hours, who was attractive and outgoing and more than willing to get him off that night and….

Nothing.

Well, not quite nothing. He thought about how Roland’s eyes weren’t an enticing pale blue, how his hair was too dark to be auburn, the short dreadlocks weren’t messy loose curls, the bone structure of his handsome face too strong and broad, just like his build, and… and….

Dammit, he wasn’t Neil Josten. Somewhere along the line, Andrew’s fucked up brain (and hormones) had become fixated on a half-feral, mouthy redheaded Exy-addict who treated him with cautious respect.

He was so screwed.

(Not that night, though.)

Numb with unwelcome realization, he grabbed the shot to down it in one go, set the glass back on the bar then reached for his wallet to pay his tab. “I’m done for the night,” he declared as he stood up and set the cash on the bar.

“Wait, what? But I still have to work ‘til close,” Roland shouted as he gawked at Andrew. “What about later?”

Andrew gave him a two fingered salute and walked away without any true regrets.

It was after midnight when he returned to Fox Tower; he could hear noise from the suite where Josten was supposed to room with Gordon, but it was quiet when he approached his own. Considering yesterday’s away game, sleeping in a car and then practicing all day, Andrew imagined that Josten had to be exhausted and probably was asleep, if he hadn’t left to crash someplace else.

He was quiet as he entered the suite, which was dark with the lights turned off and nothing obvious out of place. Andrew left his keys on his desk and his coat draped over the chair, then headed to the bedroom. He’d stepped into the short hallway which led to that room, along with the bathroom and kitchen, when a shadowy figure appeared in the bedroom doorway.

It was Josten, dressed in an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants, hair even more of a tousled mess than usual, with a knife in his hand. “Oh, it’s you.” He sounded tired and confused.

Andrew clicked his tongue as he leaned against the wall. “Really? I let you stay here and you repay me with blood on the carpet? How rude.”

Josten’s face grew flushed as he glanced at the knife then hid the hand holding it behind his back. “Uhm, I… what are you doing back?”

That wasn’t a denial that he hadn’t planned on stabbing someone, how interesting. “Change of plans.”

“Oh.” Something like disappointment flashed across Josten’s face for a moment and then he summoned up a weak smile. “Give me a minute to get my stuff and I’ll be out of your way,” he said before he turned around to go into the bedroom.

As if acting on its own, Andrew reached out to grab onto the loose sleeve of Josten’s t-shirt; he didn’t know who was more surprised, him for not being stabbed or Josten by the action. “You don’t have to leave,” Andrew said, his voice rough for some reason.

Josten frowned for a moment but didn’t pull away – in fact he remained still but didn’t seem tense or upset about Andrew’s nearness. “But you let me stay here because you’d be elsewhere. Now that you’re here, I’ll go.” That damn lopsided smile appeared as Josten nodded toward the front door. “There’s always your car, right?”

“Stay,” Andrew ordered as he let go. “Kevin changed his sheets, don’t let such a monumental effort be for nothing.”

Josten gave him an intent look as he sheathed the switchblade. “It won’t bother you, me being here?”

Oh, now that was a loaded question. “You snore?”

“No.”

“Then get back to bed.” He met Josten’s searching gaze with a blank one of his own until the rookie finally did as he’d been told.

Feeling drained all of a sudden, Andrew went into the bathroom to get ready for the night, and was pleased to notice that Josten hadn’t left a mess when he’d used it; the towel he’d left out for him had been refolded and placed on the sink, the only sign that someone had been in there. Andrew didn’t waste any time before he went into the bedroom.

Josten was in Kevin’s bed, the duvet pulled up to his nose and his eyes closed, but somehow Andrew doubted that the kid was asleep. He took his time changing into cotton pants and a clean t-shirt for bed, and noticed that the duvet was tugged up even higher when he went to climb into his bed.

Interesting.

It should bother him, having a stranger in the room, but from all appearances, Josten had obeyed the ‘don’t touch anything’ rule since nothing but the towel had been out of place, and had been willing to give up his warm bed for Andrew’s comfort. As much as he hated to admit that Aaron may be the slightest bit right….

Fuck.

Tomorrow, he told himself as he contemplated smothering himself with the pillow. Tomorrow he’d deal with this… whatever with Josten. Neil. With the improbable pipedream faking sleep a couple yards away.

At least his fucked-up hormones knew enough to fall for a pipedream who had good tastes when it came to picking cars to break into, he consoled himself right before falling asleep.

*******

I have WAY TOO MUCH of a backstory built for this, obviously. Nicky never worked at Eden’s, just Aaron and Andrew during summer breaks, so he never got beat up and Andrew put on drugs. That meant he could leave to go back to Germany, but not before he put some extra effort into making the twins get along better (a LITTLE easier to do since Andrew wasn’t on meds). Kevin went to Wymack, not the Nest, when his mother died. There’s still some Moriyama drama going on - Riko gave him grief for not going to E.A. for university, and for recruiting Andrew, which is why Andrew is watching out for Kevin (Riko tried to pull a stunt when Andrew turned down E.A, but Kevin had warned him beforehand that something might happen, so Andrew feels something is owed and refuses to let Riko win).

And of course, Neil ended up in the foster system - Mary and Nathan killed each other one night instead of her running away, and the Feds gave him a new name and put him in the system. While not the horror that Andrew endured... it wasn’t good, especially w/ the Feds shuffling him around all the time.

Uhm, think that’s the main stuff.

Anyway, @filteredred, I hope you liked it!

Three more to go, since this week is probably going to be really busy, I’m going to try to work on them and not Ghost in You (I FINALLY finished ch14), and then get back to that story.

[fitchirp]

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Too often we see folks do the wrong things to try and relieve back pain, here is a quick demo on some movements not do and some to do.⠀ ・・・⠀ 🎥 By @auburn.physiotherapy ⇐ Thank you 🙌⠀ ・・・⠀ WHAT TO DO AFTER A BACK TWEAK!⠀ -⠀ Auburn Physio to talk about what to do when you tweak your back! So often we see people going into aggressive flexion, extension, and rotation after they tweak their backs, thinking it will help them loosen up. But the reality is this excessive and haphazard movement often causes more irritation and damage than good.⠀ -⠀ In this video, we show four different things to do when you tweak your back that will help you regain mobility and strength!⠀ -⠀ 1️⃣Deep belly breathing with feet elevated. Elevating your feet helps you to get your rib cage and diaphragm in a good position. From there, inhale deeply, trying to initiate the breath down in the belly, and allowing it to rise up into the chest, then exhale fully reversing that pattern.⠀ ⠀ 2️⃣Cat/Cow. Be sure to move very gently through a range of motion that is comfortable and doesn’t cause pain.⠀ ⠀ 3️⃣Rocking on all fours. Slowly sit your hips back toward your heels while maintaining a neutral spine.⠀ ⠀ 4️⃣Supine marching. LEVEL ONE: lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Press your lower back down toward the floor by depressing your rib cage. Without allowing your ribs to flare, slowly bring one knee in toward your chest, then return it to the floor and switch sides. LEVEL TWO: Lie on your back with your knees up at 90 degrees. Keep your ribs down and back flat to the floor, the slowly lower one heel to the ground, bring the leg back up and switch sides.⠀ ______________________________⠀ ✅ Discover reliable, driven health professionals, and quality, useful information. Follow us and download the app!⠀ ✅ Looking for something specific? DM us and we will do our best to find it for you!⠀ 🏋🏽🤸‍♀️🥑🛏⠀ ••••••••••••⠀ #health #wellness #fitness #fitfam #fitspo #healthsharing #healthylife #coachingcues #nutrition #massagetherapy #physiotherapy #strength #mobility #flexibility #exercise #workout #workoutvideo #exercisevideo #backpain #lowerbackpain #painrelief

[official-ipre-account]

Day 0

-21st of Summer; Year 3157

Log 1: Day 0

This day marks the eve of the day that IPRE's StarBlas-TerrainEcumenicalRanger, fondly called the StarBlas-TER, leaves port. Essentially the last day of it not being begun.

In the crew there are 7, including myself. Captain Davenport, famous for his talents exploring our solar system and traveling to undiscovered lands, guides our mission. Mr. Davenport is the oldest of the crew, currently 300 years old, 3'2, with auburn hair with grey flecks and deep brown eyes. Personal note: kind of a silver fox, if possible for gnomes.

Our 2nd most experienced and most notable is Dr. Merle Highchurch. Having 2 doctorates; one in theology and one in general medical sciences, Dr. Highchurch is an exceptionally brilliant man, although sometimes judgemental and haphazard. (Personal note: it's a shame he's so convinced he's the funniest man in the world, being that he makes himself out to be much more stupid than he is.) He is 220, a little past middle aged for a dwarf, 3'6, greying brunette with unkempt beard and short whispy hair.

A notable, yet relatively young scientist, Dr. Barry J. Halwinter is also aboard the ship. Dr.Halwinter has a doctorate in astronomy, his role to reveal uncovered mysteries throughout our journey. His thesis on spatial propolsion gave new depths to space travel and it's potential consequences. He is currently 45years old, 5'10, has light brown hair and cerulean blue eyes. Personal note: for an acclaimed scientist, his wardrobe is... lacking. He happens to look less like a doctor and more of a plumber maybe? Maybe a fantasy Target employee? No... I can't put my finger on the pulse but it's somewhere in that area.

2 exceptionally bright and profoundly talented magic users, Lup and Taako (last name redacted), are additional crew members. These two happen to be siblings; their intelligence shared unlike their personalities.

Although both having an affinity for cooking magics, Lup is also a Master in Evocation and is a professor to a prestigous school. She is very charasmatic, although charming in her teachings as well as personal interactions.

Taako, however, is a scientist in the arts of Transmutation, famous for his countless discoveries and original spells. He has also incorporated this into his cooking mastery, which inspired his book; "Durians to Donuts and Drumsticks" or commonly known as "Triple D".

They are both about 114, 6 foot, and are sunelves; medium tone skin and blonde hair. Personal note: they offered to play chess with me. I told them I'm more of a Shogi fan, but played anyway. They are, now, the proud owners of a pair of glasses and socks they don't need. :(

Kinesthesiology Master and professor, Magnus Burnsides, is our 6th member. Mr.Burnsides revolutionized the world of exercise from a young age; then later became the lead scientist for IPRE's physio-spatial research. He is only 19 years old, 6'3, and has curly auburn hair. Personal note; he's funny and pretty social but the guy is a sack of bricks outside Kinesthesiology. He doesn't know the difference between Fantasy William Golding and the literal really real in our universe William Shakespear. He's jacked so it's excusable.

Our 7th member, a literary doctor and analyst, Lucretia Carter, who also happens to be me, is a gentle yet wandering soul who aims to greater understood and-

Is getting intentionally carried away. I am a literary prodigy and was elected to log the entirety of the IPRE's 3 month mission beyond our universe. I am 18, 6'4, and I have pale white hair and kind hazel eyes.

Log 2: Day 0

We are all celebrating our last night on our planet for several months at a local pub. We originally were stationed all at the bar, but happened to stray further away as the night went on. Dr. Highchurch Merle has been keeping me company, helping keep tabs on everyone as I write. I consider this a warm up for the logging I will be doing over our trip, though I can't say I feel I need it.

Currently, Taako and Lup are busy swindling 2 suckers out of their hideous steel toed boots. These afforementioned suckers are 2 greasy white men, late 30's, with cocky demeanors. (They're screwed, essentially.)

Dr.Halwinter has been in the bathroom for the past 30 minutes, after attempting to eat the hottest chicken wings on the menu (probably to impress Ms.Lup).

Mr.Davenport has been left at the table he and Mr.Halwinter got for their dinners. He's been fidgeting with his food ever since he left, unsure whether to keep eating or whether it'd be awkward if Halwinter came back and he was finished... it's socially unnerving to watch, to put gently.

Changing direction, Mr.Burnsides has been talking to these two ru-

Oh no.

I have repositioned myself, along with Dr. Merle behind the bar. Whatever Mr.Burnsides was discussing escalated into a fight and now fists are being thrown left and right. I have no interest for men but the vigor in Mr.Burnsides actions is entrancing. Mr.Davenport has just tried to butt in, however he went unacknowledged by the human and orc.

Mr.Burnsides put up a great fight, but ended up with a black eye. It was bluejeans shit Dr.Halwinter who interrupted their fisticuffs, potentially saving a table or two, too late for several drinks and a couple chairs. Lup and Taako have already left the scene, having won the shoes, and another fool's belt, obviously satisfied with their reap. Although a disaster has gone down, I can't help but feel almost thrilled that these are the people I'll be spending my first great voyage with. I hope to keep in touch with a few of them, even afterwards, if that isn't in too high of hopes.

[pingou7]

Get to Know Me Meme

@thenewleeland tagged me, I’m so happy!

1ST RULE: Tag 9 people you want to get to know better. 

Everybody in my Fandom fam is already taken, so I’ll add @calimera62 and @ambrena, mais seulement si vous le voulez!

2ND RULE: BOLD the statements that are true 

APPEARANCE:

I am 5'7" or taller (are you kidding? I’m barely 5’ if that!) I wear glasses (can’t see anything without it) I have at least one tattoo I have at least one piercing I have blonde hair (as a kid, it was very blonde, almost white, then it got darker) I have brown eyes (they turn hazel green when it’s sunny though) I have short hair (in my teens I had it cropped short like a guy, and now I struggle to keep it down my jaw) My abs are at least somewhat defined (insert snort here) I have or have had braces (never)

PERSONALITY:

I love meeting new people (I love it, but it doesn’t happen often) People tell me that I’m funny (I’m sarcastic, I laugh easily, I like to spread smiles around and I’m clumsy) Helping others with their problems is a big priority for me (selected few, as it it a full time job helping myself already) I enjoy physical challenges (I don’t do it for fun, but everything is a bit challenging for me so...) I enjoy mental challenges  I’m playfully rude with people I know well (it’s a way of life) I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it There is something I would change about my personality (not to be so... guarded perhaps?)

ABILITY:

I can sing well (I sing everyday, around my igloo, or particularly during car rides. When I’m silent, my drivers actually get angsty.) I can play an instrument (I tried, I failed) I can do over 30 pushups without stopping (cackling. C’mon, I’m a penguin) I’m a fast runner (limping is enough for me) I can draw well (I’ll let you be the judge of that. But what’s sure is that I love to draw people) I have a good memory (NOT geographic though, visual memory is abyssal in general) I’m good at doing math in my head (NOPE I can feel headaches already)  I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute (I lived near a beach for a time, but I can’t swim and my father’s a fireman, former military. He trained me as he could) I have beaten at least 2 people in arm wrestling (insert snort here) I know how to cook at least 3 meals from scratch I know how to throw a proper punch (again, I’m a tiny penguin, but my father taught me that too, not effective... I have scars on my knuckles to prove it)

HOBBIES:

I enjoy playing sports (if only) I am/was on a sports team at my school or somewhere else I am/was in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else (I was in a catholic school, so choir. I loved it, even if I was always seated in front) I have learned a new song in the past week (not new per say, A horse with no name by America and Fare The Well by William Fitzsimmons) I work out at least once a week (does my weekly physio session counts? My sore legs and feet say it does) I’ve gone for runs at least once a week in the warmer months (insert snort here) I have drawn something in the past month (duh, if you follow me you know I draw weekly) I enjoy writing (same) I do or have done martial arts (if only) EXPERIENCES:

I have had my first kiss I have had alcohol I have scored the winning goal in a sports game (if only) I have watched an entire season of a TV show in one sitting I have been at an overnight event I have been in a taxi (they’re life savers, enablers) I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year (not for myself, though I came close a few times) I have beaten a video game in one day I have visited another country (Belgium, IRELAND... oh and London too) I have been to one of my favorite band’s concerts (Freddie Mercury’s dead and Simon and Garfunkel seldom sing together these days)

RELATIONSHIPS:

I have a crush on a celebrity (I almost missed that, since I’m no Lunatic, but then... EWAN McGREGOR) I have a crush on someone I know I have been in at least 3 relationships I have never been in a relationship (define “relationship”) I have asked someone out or admitted my feelings to them (He was nice, he wanted a gf and I had a crush on him... but so did my childhood friend so I set them up, told him I’d prefer to see him happy.) I get crushes easily I have had a crush on someone for over a year I have been in a relationship for at least a year I had feelings for a friend

MY LIFE:

I have at least one person I consider a “best friend” I live close to my school My parents are still together I have at least one sibling (least being a key word) I live in the United States There is snow right now where I live I have hung out with a friend in the past month I have a smartphone I have at least 15 CDs I share my room with someone (all lonely in my cute igloo)

RANDOM STUFF:

I have breakdanced (now that would be a sight...) I know a person named Jamie (does Jamie Fraser count?) I have had a teacher with a last name that’s hard to pronounce (My Irish civilisation teacher comes to mind... Cliona something.) I have dyed my hair (deep black, auburn, chocolate, but also blue, pink, or purple when younger) I’m listening to one song on repeat right now (errrr... Where’s my love? Piano solo. AGAIN sorry.) I have punched someone in the past week I know someone who has gone to jail (no comment) I have broken a bone (oddly only one, I’m tougher than I look) I have eaten a waffle today (this morning) I know what I want to do with my life (oh I know what I wanted, but...) I speak at least 2 languages I have made a new friend in the past year (thank the Lord for Tumblr. I love you guys)

[star-trekkin-across-theuniverse]

Vital Signs, pt26

Word Count: 2213 Tags: @to-pick-ourselves-up-7 @outside-the-government, @jimfromsales, @donnaintx, @enterprisewriting @starmission @supermoonpanda @rayleyanns @sistasarah-sallysaidso @flirtswithdanger @anyakinamidala

Physio had me on a treadmill down in the gym, walking slower than molasses during a cold spell. I tried to sneak the speed higher, but Matt smacked my hand and dropped the pace again. I shot him a glare.

“You don’t scare me. Who do you think helped the Widow learn to walk again?” Matt asked, as though I knew what the fuck he was talking about. I continued to glare, plodding along like an old woman after a hip replacement. I scratched absently at my arm, and then dropped my hand, remembering not to touch.

The DNA test results had not come back yet. SHIELD apparently kept a dermatologist on staff at the Hub though, and he came to take a look at me. He’d concluded that it was frostbite. And other than that had largely been completely useless. Between the lack of answers about what was going on with my body and the over cautious treatment of my in physio, I was so frustrated I wanted to scream. I looked down at my arm. It was still red, but had started to peel in large flakes. So gross.

I tore my gaze away from the mess on my arm and focused on the monitor. My heart rate was steady and low. I’d been on the treadmill for fifteen minutes and wasn’t even close to feeling like I was exerting myself. I growled under my breath.

“Hungry?” Matt asked, glancing up from the tablet he was charting my progress on.

“Bored out of my mind. Please. Let me run. I was running 10k a day. I know I can run. I feel fine,” I complained. Matt sighed and pursed his lips.

“Push it up until you’ve doubled your current speed,” he consented. I bumped my speed up, but was still only walking briskly. I kept at that pace for five minutes and looked up at the monitor. My heart rate had barely moved.

“I’m going to run now,” I told Matt, and pushed the speed on the treadmill up to my usual running pace. He stood up and perched cautiously beside me, I guess thinking to catch me if I suddenly collapsed. I honestly expected to feel winded after five minutes, but I was feeling great. I glanced at the monitor and saw that my heart rate had finally started to rise, but it was still lower than it should have been. I found a spot on the wall and kept running, setting the treadmill for ten kilometres. I stared at the spot, focusing on it instead of the itching in my arm. After twenty minutes, Matt stepped back from the treadmill. He stayed standing by me, but wasn’t as guarded. At thirty minutes, he had relaxed. By forty minutes, he was sitting back in his chair, watching me keenly and making notes in my chart. The program cycled down and stopped after I’d been running for about an hour. I was tired, but not any worse than before the surgery.

“Stretch out and then sit. I want to assess you,” Matt ordered me. I worked through a cool down and then sat in the chair he’d vacated. He checked my vital signs manually, then checked them a second time.

“I feel pretty good,” I offered. Matt nodded.

“You shouldn’t though. You shouldn’t be able to do what you just did.” He was dumbfounded.

“But I did. And until Fury gets some answers on the tests he’s having run, we just need to listen to my body,” I shrugged. I was much calmer about this genetic corruption than I should have been. I should have been freaking right out.

“I feel rather stupid requesting you sit in your wheelchair to head back to the unit, but it is protocol.” Matt motioned toward the wheelchair. I rolled my eyes and sat. Matt pushed me back to the elevator and then back to my room. I moved from the wheelchair to the bed and laid back, suddenly tired.

“You overdid it. You’re exhausted.”

“I have always loved a nap after a run. I’m sure you’ll hear if there is ill effects from today’s experiment,” I smiled and closed my eyes. I drifted off to sleep. I wasn’t dreaming about the Destroyer or New York anymore, but instead had dreams of snow and mountains. They weren’t unpleasant dreams, but confusing. The snowcapped mountains I saw in my dreams were like none I’d ever seen at home, and I’d really never seen any mountains that compared to the Canadian Rockies. The mountains in my dreams were jagged, and larger somehow. I awoke cold, goose bumps tracing across my skin. My arm tingled painfully.

Director Fury was sitting in the chair beside my bed, reading a romance novel that Steve had brought me. The look on his face was priceless. He was completely engrossed, yet looked completely disgusted. I cleared my throat and he snapped the book closed.

“Interesting choice in literature for a doctor who finished with distinction,” he commented as he put it back on my bedside table. I smiled.

“Can’t always be medical journals.” My laugh was unashamed. Fury leaned back in the chair and stared up at the ceiling.

“Matt says you’re progressing at an unnatural speed.” He didn’t make eye contact with me. I nodded anyhow, forgetting that he might not notice the gesture with his bad eye facing me.

“I feel good.”

“We have preliminary results on the DNA samples we took from you.” He clicked into the lab results section of the tablet he was carrying, and handed it to me. They’d taken a sample from my mouth and a sample from my arm. The lab app showed all my results. Initially they looked fine. But then I noticed there were discrepancies between the two samples.

“These have been messed up,” I stated. Fury shook his head.

“No. I personally took them to the lab, and sat with them for the initial processing. And compared to the results we have on file for you, there’s some disparities,” he started.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, Richmond, that your first sample, your historic sample, the one we took when you were recruited, is enough different from your most recent swab that you don’t even qualify as related to yourself anymore,” he explained. The tablet slipped from my fingers, landing with a dull thump in my lap.

“That isn’t possible.”

“It is possible. You are sitting here as proof of that. The lab is currently cross-referencing your sample against other known samples. They were able to rule out exposure to Captain Rogers immediately. Some of the nucleotides in your DNA strand have never been seen before in a human,” Fury explained. He was somehow softer than he usually was, which made me think he had more bad news. And really, the reality was that Director Fury didn’t interact like this in every SHIELD employee’s life. He got involved for big stuff only. The amount I’d seen him over the past year should have been setting off warning bells long before now.

“So this genetic corruption didn’t come from Steve.” I made that logical leap. It was really more of a tiny logical shuffle in one direction. He nodded.

“No. The Captain is not at fault here,” Fury agreed.

“Wait, you said the nucleotides had never been seen in a human. But they’ve been seen somewhere?” My head was spinning.

“A quick and dirty reference pool matched one of the alien nucleotides in our database.”

“To whom?”

“You’re not going to be happy about this, Dr. Richmond.” Fury was avoiding giving over the information. I scratched absently at my arm, frustrated. And then I stopped scratching because I knew.

“This fucking frostbite. Loki,” I breathed.

“It is only one nucleotide of eight,” Fury offered.

“There are only four nucleotides that make up human DNA.”

“Well, you have eight at play now.”

“And one of them matches Loki.” I could feel myself growing so very angry.

“Yes. The extra four probably all do, Richmond.”

“I will kill that motherfucker with my bare goddamn hands.”

“I hope to someday give you that chance, Doctor.” Fury stood, and picked the tablet up from where I’d dropped it on the bed.

“When can I be discharged?” I asked.

“I don’t follow,” Fury replied.

“I ran 10 kilometres today and barely broke a sweat. I don’t need physio. I could be set up for outpatient check ups at any hospital with a neurology department. I know I’m not supposed to be back to work for a while, but I’d rather be at home. Back to some sort of routine that doesn’t have me languishing in an uncomfortable hospital bed,” I explained. Anything would be better than a plastic mattress. Fury nodded.

“I’ll see what Dr. McAndrews has to say.”

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon, and there was just nothing that felt quite as good as a run through Central Park. After a battery of testing to make sure my brain was decompressing properly, Dr. McAndrews acceded that I could be discharged to outpatient services at Midtown General. I would be going for neuro check-ups every other day, and was to check in with physio once a week. The freedom felt so good.

My apartment was dusty and in need of airing, so I’d flung open the curtains and windows and decided a run was in order. The feel of my feet against familiar pavement was refreshing after months on the helicarrier. It felt solid, and real. There was some serious joy welling in my chest, and I picked up my pace on the back five kilometres of my run. I checked my timer when I ran up the stairs of the apartment and was astonished. My time was four minutes faster than my previous record, which was when Steve and I were running every day. I stared at the red handprint on my arm and wondered what else was going to come up as result of this DNA corruption Loki had inflicted on me.

The hot water of the shower streamed down my body and as I lathered my hair, I felt the stitches in the back of my head, and admired how little of my hair Dr. McAndrews had needed to shave for the surgery. If there was anything I was prideful about, it was my hair. Long, wavy and an auburn red that usually defied categorization, it had always been my best feature. I rinsed the shampoo out and conditioned before deciding to shave my legs.

I didn’t hear the guy come into the bathroom, but when he pulled back the shower curtain, all the extra work with Natasha that I’d been doing before my surgery paid off. I stood over the intruder, my knee in the centre of his chest, and arm cocked back, ready to punch. There was soap in my eyes, and I tried to blink it out before he got the upper hand. And then he started laughing.

“For fuck’s sake, Steve! You scared the shit out of me!” I stood up and hopped back into the shower, chilled. He quickly stripped down and joined me. He kissed the back of my neck and wrapped his arms around me.

“I was aiming for pleasant surprise. I’m impressed. Obviously the work with Natasha has paid off.”

I rinsed off, and grabbed a towel. Steve came out into the living room with a towel around his waist as I was pulling a t-shirt on. He pulled me into a close hug and just held me for a few minutes. I relaxed into his arms.

“How long are you here?” I looked up at him. He smiled.

“Long enough to move us into a 2 bedroom on the fourth floor. Before you pick another fight with me, Lex, hear me out. We’re both permanently stationed here in New York. You can have your own bedroom, we can say we’re roommates if you are uncomfortable with the idea of living together. That’s the reason I requested a 2 bedroom. It means that when we are both on leave we actually can spend time together. We won’t always be working in the same places.” He spoke quickly. I smiled.

“I wasn’t going to pick a fight. I thought Stark was planning residences in Stark Tower?” I asked. Steve nodded.

“He’s calling it Avengers Tower these days. I’m not quite reading to move in there. Are you?” He asked. I laughed and extricated myself from his embrace. I sat on the couch. Steve walked over to my fridge, opened it, made a disgusted noise and closed it.

“I’m not the Avenger,” I answered.

“You’ve been home for a day and you haven’t gone shopping yet.” He changed the topic.

“I was going after my run.”

“It’s a good thing you have me to take care of you, sunshine. Let’s go get some groceries while the movers get started.” He disappeared back into the bathroom to get dressed. As if on cue, there was a knock on my door. I let them in and Steve gave them instructions for my apartment and his, and handed over keys for both of them and the new place.