By Michelle Gelpi-Balthazar | Observer Contributor
Let me set the scene. I’m bending over to pick up something harmless—maybe a sock or a kid’s toy. Nothing heavy, nothing remotely dangerous. And then it happens: my back seizes up like I just tried to deadlift a grand piano. At that moment, I know two things for sure: 1) I’m not as young as I used to be, and 2) this is going to hurt for days.
Getting older is weird. On the inside, I still feel like I’m in my 20s. I’m still the same person who could stay up all night, eat an entire pizza, and bounce back the next day like it was nothing. But my body? Oh, my body has other plans. These days, I can throw my back out by sneezing too enthusiastically. It’s like my spine is out here doing its best impression of a creaky old door.