Experience With Sports and Chronic Pain
I have been a competitive tennis player ever since I was 8 years old. Like most kids who play sports, my dream was to be a professional tennis player. From practicing two hours a day to traveling across Southern California to play tournaments, tennis has always been my passion. I would push myself to the limit and never give up. However, when I was diagnosed with NDPH, that had to change.
For the first 6 months of having a nagging headache, I could not play tennis. I did not know how to manage my pain and perform any type of physical activity. In the span of one week, I went from playing tennis 5 days a week to not being able to attend school.
About 6 months after my diagnosis, I slowly went back to playing tennis. I was playing at 30% of my capacity and took breaks every 20 minutes. Before playing, I took multiple painkillers so my headache would not spike to the point of going to the ER. This was very harmful for my body, and I continued to do this until I participated in a pain rehab program. During the program, I learned the importance of pacing and building up my stamina. Over the next 7 months, I gradually built up my stamina and took frequent breaks. Today, I am able to play tennis at 70% of my capacity. Even though I cannot play tournaments, I am grateful that I can continue my passion for tennis.
Categories: Blog
