This morning while walking the dogs in the park, I stopped to watch the women in their Zumba class, pumping away to a remix of A-ha’s “Take On Me” from the ’80s.

Standing close enough to the chain link fence to feel the vibration of the music, I became conscious of an ache in my knees. Then my shoulders started aching, too, as if to say, Get out there and move!

Instead I stood as still as I could with two dogs pulling at their leashes, and focused on the sensations in each part of my body. I realized there were more parts aching than not.

As the music rolled into a Latin beat, I pulled my shoulders back, lifted my chin, tucked my tail under, as a yoga instructor used to say, and imagined I could pull my belly button back to meet my spine.

This is how much work it took to regain proper posture! I resolved to be more conscious of standing up straight, because you’d think it would be natural, but it’s not. You have to practice.

Then I focused on my knees again. Yep, still aching. Why?

I haven’t worn high heels in a couple of days. I haven’t lifted anything heavy, or tripped on a rug, or played ice hockey. And walking the dogs three times a day can’t be all that stressful (though I could make a case for hiring a maid to carry stacks of folded laundry up the stairs).

So now what do I do? I don’t believe in going to the doctor unless absolutely necessary. I mean, what’s he going to say: “You’re getting old. Your joints are wearing out”? Well, duh! No, unless I’m leaking fluids, I prefer to self-diagnose and to seek natural remedies.

Everyone’s telling me to get an x-ray or an MRI, but those things are expensive on a high-deductible, catastrophic care insurance plan, so I choose carefully.

Besides, those diagnostic instruments can fail to show the problem. That’s what happened when my son tore his ACL in a soccer game—the x-ray didn’t show any damage and the doctor said, “I want to go in anyway; this isn’t right.” Sure enough, the ACL was 80 percent torn and had to be replaced.

To aid in my self-diagnosis, I searched online for “knee pain” and came up with a long list of potential causes. The one that seems to match my condition is a torn meniscus.

The Mayo Clinic website says, “A torn meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries. Any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, especially when putting the pressure of your full weight on it, can lead to a torn meniscus.”

Uh-huh…that would be the belly dancing in five-inch heels on a ceramic tile floor at my birthday party almost a year ago, after which I first noticed the knee pain.

Now that I have my diagnosis, here’s my dilemma: Do I err on the side of resting the knees, or testing them? What’s correct, the use-it-or-lose-it theory—in which case I will delight the dogs by doubling my daily walking distance—or the tender-loving-care method—less walking, orthopedic shoes, knee brace, and an evening brandy?

(Who am I kidding? The brandy will happen regardless, and I’ll go into hiding if I have to wear orthopedic shoes.)

For a torn meniscus, Mayo Clinic recommends “rest, ice and medication” to “give the injury time to heal on its own.” So I guess I’ve got my answer: rest it, don’t test it.

Thankfully, that means I can turn down any Zumba invitations guilt-free. And I’m pretty sure that four out of five doctors surveyed would recommend breakfast in bed, so I may suggest that to my partner, just to see what happens.s

Now to put my feet up, pack my knees with ice, and…didn’t Mayo recommend medication?  Ah yes…the brandy!

Anne Nicolai   is an American writer and editor living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.