Hour 22

May 12, 2013

In my second to last game today, I got major cramps in both of my calves and above the left knee on my left thigh. I tried playing through it, but I couldn't even take a step without my muscles twisting up.

I was subbed out and I did what I was used to, stretching it out and drank a lot of gatorade. My sister, Sarina, came around and stretched and massaged me out. 

She stretched me out normally and then she started doing hilot on both my calves. Since I've massaged her before, she was a bit familiar with the spots and techniques, but I still had to coach her through it. 

I was in a lot of pain, but she did a really good job massaging my calves out. 

In my last game, the cramp above my left knee was acting up so I kept massaging and pounding on it on the court. It was my last game so I did not want to sit out. I wanted to fight. 

When I went to the physical trainer after my day was done, he said just to keep massaging and stretching it out. He said that a foam roller would help, but it does the same thing as massaging and stretching it out yourself.

This made me think about the comparison between Western and Eastern medicine. This little exchange with the PT made me think that hilot is legitimate in the eyes of the west because it shares similar techniques. Even if the teachings and philosophies are different, they aim to help and heal people and I'm really leaning towards doing that as a profession. I'm not 100% sure if I want to pursue it as a career, but I want it to definitely be one of my options.