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2013-11-19 8:28 AM

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553
5002525
St Catharines, Ontario
Subject: 3 questions about lower body injuries
So I have some weird stuff going on. Chip in if you have had similar experiences.

My left leg seems to be protesting recently.

1) I seem to get a lot of muscle knots. Not sure if this is the technical term. But I get sore spots that need to be 'worked out'. Are these just caused by muscle overload? Too much effort all of a sudden? My wife will often offer to work on them and I am in agony when she gets working on them. Any way to prevent them?

2) Toe pain. After soccer on Saturday I decided to run down to the pool for my kids swim lessons. Looks like playing soccer on a rough outdoor surface gave my left middle toes something to think about and the run probably reinforced it. They went a bit numb while running and now can be sore while walking. The only time they don't hurt is when I run! I did a nice tempo 5k last night and they did not bug me at all.

3) Left hip/ham string. Again somehting that hurts while resting. Tons of pain if I sit on a hard chair. No pain while running! What the heck is going on!?!

Options are to go see the doctor or just toughen up. I am not taking any pain killers as I want the feedback from my body to be accurate.


2013-11-19 8:58 AM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Champion
7036
5000200025
Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: 3 questions about lower body injuries

Just guessing since you don't log your workouts here, but some thoughts:

1.  Have you been ramping up your running, increasing either volume or intensity?  I usually get some aches & pains whenever I up my training load. 

2.  How do your shoes fit?

3.  Any problems or issues with your gait?  I've had issues with my hips and hamstrings at times due to overstriding.

4. Do you think you may have any muscle imbalances?

5.  Are you staying hydrated?

Mark

2013-11-19 9:18 AM
in reply to: RedCorvette

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553
5002525
St Catharines, Ontario
Subject: RE: 3 questions about lower body injuries

Just guessing since you don't log your workouts here, but some thoughts:

1.  Have you been ramping up your running, increasing either volume or intensity?  I usually get some aches & pains whenever I up my training load. 


If anything my load has fallen off since completeing a HM last month.

2.  How do your shoes fit?

I have recently changes to ASICS GT-1000s after being in thier GEL-1170s. They fit great.

3.  Any problems or issues with your gait?  I've had issues with my hips and hamstrings at times due to overstriding.

If anything I have been working on shorten my stride and using a shorter step and better cadence. No real issues but I would love to get some video of my stride when I am tired later in a run to see if my form breaks down. (Why am I not on TV!)

4. Do you think you may have any muscle imbalances?

Nothing too bad. I dont think. How would I tell?

5.  Are you staying hydrated?

This might be an error. I do suffer the occasional mild hangover.


2013-11-20 6:20 AM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Master
8247
50002000100010010025
Eugene, Oregon
Bronze member
Subject: RE: 3 questions about lower body injuries
Not sure about general soreness. Maybe if you are playing soccer or other stop and go activities that could be contributing? It puts different demands on your muscle groups than steady stuff in the forward direction like swim/bike/run. Personally I always get more sore from yoga than doing any amount of training short of an all-out race, probably since I don't do it very often and it uses different muscle groups than my normal training. If you haven't been doing a lot of unaccustomed stuff, maybe look at hydration and nutrition, especially after finishing a workout.

As for toes, it's often due to shoes. Running shoes aren't really meant for sports with sudden stops and changes of direction. You might have irritated a nerve of tendon or something. It should work itself out with a few days off; if not try icing before/after runs or whenever it bothers you, and maybe a few days of anti-inflammatories. I'm dealing with something similar here that seems to be caused by shoes that are just a bit too small for running in the tropics (they fit fine in Oregon, but one's feet swell more in the heat). So far am able to baby it along by switching out shoes, ice, the occasional Advil. The real solution is probably getting my shoes a half size larger, but it's not doable from here; will do that at winter break.

Hamstrings/glutes--I suffered miserably from this stuff for over a decade. Nip it in the bud as it easily becomes chronic. Common culprits are weak glutes/hamstrings relatives to quads (common in runners) and poor hamstring flexibility. Any exercise, including cycling, that strengthens glutes would be useful. One hamstring stretch I find really useful is lying on the floor with my leg propped up against the wall at as close to a 90 degree angle as possible. Hold for 2-5 minutes; repeat several times a day, It really works, plus is a nice chill-out pose after a run or ride. You can also google piriformis stretches. The piriformis is a small muscle that can often cause that "pain in the butt" esp. after sitting for long periods. There even stretches for hamstrings and piriformis that you can do fairly unobtrusively while sitting in a chair at work. In my case, within a span of several months the stretches and strength work have helped me go from mild discomfort with any running and fairly serious tightness/pain from speedwork/racing/sitting for long periods to pain-free normal running and only the occasional twinge after speedwork or if I have to sit for a long time after running.

Hope this is useful.
Hope some of this is useful.
2013-11-20 8:04 AM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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553
5002525
St Catharines, Ontario
Subject: RE: 3 questions about lower body injuries
Originally posted by Hot Runner



Hope this is useful.
Hope some of this is useful.


That was all useful.

The toes have responded to a few days of being rested (ignored!).

Strecthing is a big weakness for me.

Nice swim tonight as I build up to 1km of total distance. Then 10k run tomorrow. See how it goes.
2013-11-20 8:47 AM
in reply to: badmo77a

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60
2525
Subject: RE: 3 questions about lower body injuries
Sounds like some compensatory movements and asymmetries could be a large cause to some of these troubles. A thorough examination by your favorite physical therapist would amaze you! Difficult to give advice w/o a good physical assessment. Good luck!


2013-11-20 1:08 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Pro
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Subject: RE: 3 questions about lower body injuries

rest (or better yet, active recovery like pool running) cures 97.3% of all running injuries.

Doctors don't really have that many tools at their disposal.  

1.  drugs

2.  surgery

 

if you don't want to take drugs or get surgery- what is it that a doc's gonna' do?  request an x-ray?  an expensive MRI?

 

better off going to a massage therapist, and meeting with a exercise physiologist that specializes in running/sports.

2013-11-20 1:22 PM
in reply to: morey000

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Champion
7036
5000200025
Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: 3 questions about lower body injuries

Originally posted by morey000

rest (or better yet, active recovery like pool running) cures 97.3% of all running injuries.

Doctors don't really have that many tools at their disposal.  

1.  drugs

2.  surgery

 

if you don't want to take drugs or get surgery- what is it that a doc's gonna' do?  request an x-ray?  an expensive MRI?

 

better off going to a massage therapist, and meeting with a exercise physiologist that specializes in running/sports.

I'd put "forced rest" in the doctor's toolkit.  Mine did that by putting my Achilles in a walking boot for three months.

Mark

2013-11-20 5:30 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Veteran
487
100100100100252525
Nova Scotia, Canada
Subject: RE: 3 questions about lower body injuries
x2 on what hot runner said. I've hamstring problems and it's, and pain on the inside of leg just above the knee. Each and every time they flair up its due to becoming lax with my stretching and hip strengthening. Foam rolling also helps keep all the knots at bay. The door stretches and piriformis stretches are great. Google clam shell exercise, and bridges to strengthen the hips and gluteus. I also like to do dead lifts and squats twice a week. As long as I keep it up I feel great. Hope you can get a handle on it.
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