Followup on the Gym Injury

I had my followup appointment for my bicep tendon surgery and luckily, the recovery continues to be very easy and straightforward. Aside from checking in on the recovery, though, my doctor recommended that I, essentially, back off from weightlifting and change to less stressful exercises. It seems my tendons (I guess? Or maybe connective tissue overall?) are somewhat weak, which is really what my doctor attributes to my injury. I'm inclined to agree with him because I didn't feel like I was particularly straining or overextending myself. While I only have a bicep tendon injury, my doctor thinks and I agree that the rest of my body having this particular weakness is probably the case.

It is strange to have a routine upended so easily. Going to the gym, weightlifting, had become more of a piece of my identity than I had realized. To stop just so suddenly, I'm a little lost with it. Okay, I can change my workouts...but changing from weightlifting to calisthenics is quite the change. (Not that I can't do any weightlifting, really it's up to me how much I want to push myself...but why? I certainly don't want to be injured and if I am prone to injury, well, it's not worth it, right?) The goal of exercising has shifted.

I've recently started running again, but that has ended before I've really gotten anywhere with it. I'm prone to stress injuries, which I've known, but I used to run quite a bit and regularly. No doubt I am out of practice, but perhaps all of this injuriousness has been heightened with just my age. Frustrating to have to consider that, but there it is.

Since I'm so limited in what I can do right now until my recovery is cleared in September, I do think I am actually overthinking a lot this. Even just going for a long walk is beneficial for me mentally and emotionally, so I don't think moving to calisthenics will be a negative except in shifting my goals. I just can't really do any of it right now.