My morning check-in with my body guides my exercises

How I scan myself daily for issues in my back, shoulder, hips, and feet

by Karen Del Vecchio | July 9, 2024

Each morning after I wake up, I take stock of how I feel. Is my back stiff? Does it hurt? How about my shoulder? Did I sleep wrong and aggravate it? How about my plantar fasciitis? Does my hip feel stuck or out of place?

While I do this check-in each morning without thinking about it, the other day I began to wonder: Is this scan how “normal” people begin each day, or is it what I do because of my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)?

Regardless, the following are the body parts I evaluate first thing in the morning because they’re most affected by my sleep posture. From there, I make adjustments to help with any problems I detect.

Defrosting a frozen back

It should come as no surprise that my back can stiffen overnight since it’s one of the body parts most vulnerable to awkward sleeping positions. I’ve seen some progress, though. Over the past few months, I’ve taken to ignoring the “Don’t sleep on a heating pad” advice, seeing it more as a suggestion than a rule.

When I do use the pad, I put it on the lowest warm setting with a two-hour auto-shut-off. After accidentally falling asleep on it so many times while on the couch, I’ve realized I usually wake up less stiff. While a heating pad is not my favorite tool, given the summer heat here in Virginia, I still try to use it a few nights a week to keep my back limber.

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Shaking off shoulder pain

If I accidentally roll over and sleep on my side, sometimes I’ll wake up with sharp shoulder pain. When that happens, I’ve learned to do some gentle windmills with my arms before I even get out of bed to help shake off the stiffness as much as possible. Then I stretch my trapezius muscles and generally try to loosen up a bit before I get fully up and moving.

A soft landing for my feet

My plantar fasciitis is my nemesis, and some mornings it’s worse than others.

Before I even put my feet on the ground, I make circles with my ankles, stretch my toes up, and then point them down several times. And I’ve learned the hard way, more than once, not to step barefoot onto the floor. I always leave a pair of house sandals next to my bed to put on as soon as I’m up, as the hard floor and lack of support without shoes is too painful until I get moving.

Settling my hip into place

Once I’m up, the next thing I tend to notice is my hip. Sometimes my right hip feels sticky, like it’s still in place but sitting up against one edge of the socket and pinching. I usually feel that when I lean over to feed my cats their breakfast.

If the hip is acting up, I usually go back to my bed and take a seat so I can do some range of motion exercises with my legs, hoping my hip will settle back where it should be. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn’t, but after that I’m up and on my way to feed the dogs before I go outside to take care of the horses on the small farm where I live.

After working through my initial morning stiffness, the best thing I can do, pretty much however I feel, is to just get going. The stiffer I am, the more moving helps me.

That’s not true for everyone, but over the years I’ve found that the worst thing I can do with EDS is sit still, unless I have an injury that needs to heal. After my body scan each morning and doing what I can do to help myself along, my best practice is to push through and start my daily routine.

Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.

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About the Author

Karen Del Vecchio An avid equestrian and educator based in Virginia, Karen Del Vecchio was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in 2009 after years searching for a diagnosis that explained her symptoms. Since her diagnosis at the Johns Hopkins Connective Tissues Disorder Clinic, she has worked to find ways to manage her symptoms while still maintaining an active lifestyle. Karen enjoys working with her students, riding and caring for her two horses, Cherry and Spotty, and connecting with others in the rare disease community through her writing.

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