Real Talk / Health & Wellness

Muscle Deconditioning Is Real

I have been working from home for 2.5 months.

Healing.

Resting.

Hanging out in my tower — the 3rd floor of our townhouse — rarely going all the way downstairs.

I was approved for work-from-home accommodations, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

But here’s the part I didn’t think about.

While I was healing…

I wasn’t working my muscles.

I wasn’t moving consistently.

I wasn’t eating enough protein to rebuild strength.

I wasn’t challenging my body.

And I found that out today when I tried to return to clinic.

It was a struggle:

Going down the stairs

Getting in and out of the car

Walking into the building

Walking out at the end of my shift

It humbled me.

Jessica told me — and one of our spine nurses confirmed — what I was experiencing is called muscle deconditioning.

When you don’t use your muscles regularly, you lose strength.

It’s not dramatic. It’s not rare. It’s physiology.

Have you ever heard of that?

Have you ever experienced that?

Let me tell you… it felt disheartening.

But it was also a lesson.

I was healing in my tower… and losing strength at the same time.

That hit me.

Rest is important.

Healing is important.

But so is intentional movement.

The bottom line?

I am the one who has to put in the work to rebuild my strength.

Short walks.

Sit-to-stands.

Purposeful movement.

More protein.

Consistency over intensity.

I think many of us don’t realize how quickly strength can decline if we stop using our muscles.

This week, I’m committing to being intentional.

Have you experienced muscle deconditioning before?

Maybe we can encourage each other to build back up — one step, one rep, one day at a time.

Lady Flava 🌻

“Your body will tell you the truth. Listen to it.”