Several weeks ago, I injured my hip...or so I thought. I walk 4-5 miles most days, One week, I'd done 8 miles several times in a row and began to feel a pain that caused me to limp. Going up and down stairs was painful. I had to sleep on one side, and getting up after sitting or driving was difficult. People commented that my movements were not as fluid or energetic as usual. I googled 'hip injury' and saw that it might take 3-4 weeks to recover. So, I tried to wait it out hoping it would heal on its own. Every once in a while I'd go back out to walk and found that my 'hip' was not completely healed.
I decided to get it checked by an orthopedic specialist. They took an X-Ray. My hips were in good shape, but a small thigh muscle called the tensor fasciae latae (TFL) that lies between the superficial and deep fibers of the iliotibial (IT) band had been strained. This group of muscles works synergistically to assist in the movement and stabilization of both the hip and the knee. You don't understand the value of the muscles needed to walk, take stairs, drive, or kick your leg out to hold open a door...until you can't do those things without pain. The body is both strong and fragile and must be cared for.
"Because you're in good shape, it shouldn't take long for you to heal," the nurse practitioner said. "For 3 days you'll need to take some anti-inflammatories and I'll give you some video exercises to rehabilitate the muscle." That was good news...except for the fact that my healing depended on me voluntarily doing something I knew would be uncomfortable, painful, and a challenge to my athletic weakness (flexibility), and I had to do it consistently. This was along with taking pills, which I'm not fond of. So I procrastinated the rehab and because I felt a little better...kept walking on the injury for another 2 weeks. I wanted the recovery to miraculously take place without my full participation. I know, I'm not alone.
To REHABILITATE means to restore to health or normal life by training and therapy after imprisonment, addiction, or illness. There are certain actions/spiritual exercises Christ followers must regularly engage to be fully restored. The apostle James writes, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.." (James 5:16-17, MSG) The practices of confession, prayer, and repentance are meant to heal the painful, wounded tissue between the shallow and deeper parts of our life's experiences. This is challenging because we will pray to God, and we'll talk to ourselves...but it's scary to share our faults with each other. Complete rehabilitation requires therapy - consistent treatment intended to heal or relieve whatever the malady. All disorders don't require psychiatrists or psychologists—some just require humility. | 
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