General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Injury help!!! Rss Feed  
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2015-03-09 12:58 AM

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Ocala, Florida
Subject: Injury help!!!
I'm quite frankly pretty desperate with help on my hip injury that is almost a year in now. Here it goes...

Over the years, I still never learned proper form or safe or reliable programs. I got minor injuries. But nothing some ice and rest couldn't heal. I was young and bounced back fast.

I've since done 3 marathons and countless other distance races. For a few years I did triathlons, completed 4 sprints and 7 Olympic distances. Again, never really followed any program. I would just go out and run.

HOWEVER, let's fast forward to April of 2014.

I'm 40 and running here and there, nothing consistent. I start to feel some aching in my right hip, but I push through like I always have. A few weeks of this ache and I decide to shut it down and heal. I rest and treat it like I've treated all my running injuries over the years. But this time, it's different. No relief and increase pain.

So what have I been through since last April?

Orthopedic #1 has MRI that shows gluteus max/minimus tears, tendinitis, and bursitis. Gives me injection (that gives zero relief) and recommends PT. I do PT for 4 months. Very little to no relief of symptoms.

Orthopedic #2 recommends surgery to remove bursa, ITB release, and repair glutes. I refuse.

#3 Supposedly well respected Sports Orthopedic here in Denver I wait 3 months for appointment just tells me, rest 6 weeks. Jerk.

#4 Podiatrist recommends orthotics, which I was fitted and still waiting for them to come in.

Last month, in what I honestly felt was a last ditch effort, I see another well respected Sports Chiropractor. So far, I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel. She has noticed so many issues with my feet, knees, hips, back, etc., that all of the other professionals never noticed, combined. I've gotten dry needling and adjustments and making progress to the point I might start light walk/jogging in a couple more week.

She believes, as well as I do, that my hip is the symptom of so many skeletal issues from not running or training properly over the years. Now that I'm 41, my body and father time has caught up with me. It's going to take time, but she believes things can be fixed.

However, last Sunday she recommended some light plyometrics to see if her therapy was making progress. The pounding and force of running is what causes pain. I do the exercises and feel great, zero pain or discomfort. But, from last Monday to tonight, the pain and discomfort is right back to where it was last year. I feel I've made no recovery and I'm once again at square one.

I'm disheartened and honestly losing any hope I'll ever run again. Depression is starting to set in.

So I'm here telling my story in hopes anyone has any advice, suggestions, recommendations..... Anything!

I don't really know where to turn from here. Running has been a major physical and emotional part of my adult years, I'm afraid it could be done.

The only thing that gives me relief is deep tissue massage. I've had it done professionally and I do it daily myself with a trigger release ball. However, it hasn't cured the injury. Gives me relief, but doesn't solve the issue.

Anyone help? Honestly, I'm desperate.


2015-03-10 11:55 AM
in reply to: 0

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538
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Brooklyn, New York
Subject: RE: Injury help!!!
You cite multiple issues: Chronic inflammation - muscle and tendon tears - impingements and imbalances. The final chiropractor that had you believing there was a light, you said, diagnosed some structural imbalances and impingments correct? Other than their "chiropractic adjustments", was there any extended physical therapy specifically designed to progressively counter these issues (which can be both causal and results)? How severe were the glute tears? What is the status of your hip joint cartilage? The longer and more severe these issues, the more extended and timely the therapy would be. more info there....

You mentioned dry needling, Good quality acupuncture works for MANY, but done by the right practitioner; Dry needling isn't the same. It doesn't address meridians and qi.
Also, the chiropractor had worked with you for how long? And then the test to gauge progress was plyometrics? Were there long term steady progress parameters before that - that weren't as rough as plyos?

If deep tissue actually alleviates some pain and issue, then I don't think you're done. I do think you need to live on an extended PROPERLY designed therapeutic resistance, stretching program to constantly counter and move from impingements and imbalances. If massage helps, then even more so (over time ....it does take time) acupuncture will help as well. I and several others I know, have used and continue to use custom orthotics and they help with structural imbalances (skeletal ones.) (Muscular ones must be corrected with proper training therapy and improved gait). You should also be living rich off of natural healing anti-inflammatory foods: fish, turmeric, ginger, berries, alpha-lipoic acid, glucosamine, heck, even astragalus.

How does it feel to bike and swim? Running and plyometrics should be at best, the end goal, not a test to gauge progress or done sporadically. If you get forward progress, setbacks really ought to b avoided, and the highest impact movements should be saved for way down the end of that road.

PS...you're only 41, it ain't ova brah



Edited by TJHammer 2015-03-10 12:01 PM
2015-03-13 5:22 AM
in reply to: TJHammer


82
252525
Subject: RE: Injury help!!!
If your muscles are all crancked down then its quite possible they are 'protecting' something - Hows your hip joint(s)? Anything amiss there labrum or FAI wise? What about potential sports hernia type problem, ever been evaluated?

The fact that soft tissue work helps but then unwinds pretty fast makes me suspect there is something structural going on and all the treatment so far has been about addressing the symptom and not the cause.

my 2c
2015-03-14 12:15 AM
in reply to: #5098966

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5001002525
Sacramento, California
Subject: RE: Injury help!!!
What do you think about the idea that the pain might be psychosomatic?
2015-03-14 10:53 AM
in reply to: TJHammer

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Ocala, Florida
Subject: RE: Injury help!!!
Thanks for the replies.

This week has turned out to be pretty good. I saw the chiropractor on Wednesday and the needling helped. I went in uncomfortable and left feeling good. I think the orthotics are helping as well.

To answer some questions asked earlier. I do know and understand the difference between dry needling and acupuncture. I do have a recommend acupuncturist I have considered adding to my therapy. My chiropractor does have me on a strengthening and stretching routine that I think helps. The plyo test I agree was not a good idea. We had a discusstion about that this week and agreed any impact exercises will be avoided. My wife is also a PT and I'm doing exercises she recommends.

To the other question about thinking it may be psychosomatic, no it's not. Honestly, it's hard to describe. I say it's painful, but they really wouldn't be accurate. It's more of discomfort. It's not debilitating or prevents me from doing my daily normal activities. But it's there and bothersome for sure. Now, impact exercises do hurt for sure. Again, more bothersome than painful and enough that I know something is injured.

The other component I came to grips with this week, is I have been obsessing over running and getting over this. I've been reading everything there is about running and what not. However, it was consuming my every waking moment. So this week I decided to forget about running and this injury and just trust the therapy and I'll be ready to run again when I'm healthy. If that's two more months, I'm OK with that. I've biked and swam this week, so that took my mind off not being able to run.

So,I think I made progress this week. I have a more positive attitude and will focus on what I can do and not what I can't.



2015-03-21 4:15 PM
in reply to: #5100656


71
2525
, Ontario
Subject: RE: Injury help!!!
You may want to find a physical therapist or kinesiologist who does gait assessments. There are a few who will do a computer analysis of your gait while you run and then design a therapy program to deal with what are the problems based on the testing comparing your gait to a database of injury free runners. In the interim, during therapy, the hard thing is to stay away from running as the return too early will cause you to be right back at the start. Swimming is the only safe option as biking can aggravate many tendon issues and wreak havoc with body position which sounds like may be a significant factor for you. You may want to talk to your physio therapist about whether rowing may also be a safe activity. Tendonitis and bursitis and other types of issues can be overcome, but a year or more can easily be consumed especially if you keep trying to get back into running too soon. I think your plan of finding something else so you don't get too down and don't obsess about getting back to running sooner is a very good idea


2015-04-27 11:55 PM
in reply to: 0


1

Subject: RE: Injury help!!!
I too think that physiotherapy is the better option for you. You can consider simple exercises to increase the flexibility and strength of your muscles. Squats, quadriceps squeeze, hamstring squeeze, etc are some of the exercises that can be done in a gym with the help of an instructor. I had done an advanced hip strengthening from Athletic edge sports medicine, an injury treatment clinic in Toronto ( http://aesm.ca/physiotherapy-toronto/ ) for my hip pain, It was effective. If you didn’t get a relief from exercises, then go for this kind of advanced treatments. But it’s better to consult an expert first, so that he can analyze your healing stage and injury treatment for better treatment. Hip control the major functional activities, so keep it strong. This will help you to get back into your life. All the best. :)



Edited by William L Son 2015-04-28 12:00 AM
2015-05-26 4:33 PM
in reply to: William L Son

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Subject: RE: Injury help!!!
Something to consider is to add strength training if you don't already while you're not running. I had some injuries that I thought I wouldn't come back from, until I started lifting weights consistently back in December. I've come back stronger than I have been since HS.

I also see a chiropractor regularly who has given me a good routine of stretches to do daily, which has also helped tremendously.

Just my $0.02.
2015-06-05 8:02 PM
in reply to: xmann1102

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Lakewood, CO
Subject: RE: Injury help!!!

HI Travis,

I have wanted to write to you for a few weeks, not because I think I can solve your problem, but because we have some things in common and maybe my experience can help you as well.

I also live in Colorado and have kids and I am just over 40 (43 going on 44) and i have just had a similar injury experience to yours. Likely a gluteus and SI joint problem.

I have been of running now for 9 1/2 weeks, but things are getting better. I have not had an MRI, because of the cost and because my physical therapist friend said: "what are you going to do with the results? Surgery? Probably not". So my main cure has been consistent ice and heat applications (3+ times a day) and lots of stretching and a muscle relaxant at night time. Even though I used to hold a personal trainer certification ( I have not renewed it in a few years), like you I never stretched much in the past and felt my body was doing OK, but with our age, I think we need it more now. You had an MRI (why?) and it told you what the problems were. I think you need to find somebody you can trust to help you decide if you can heal from these issues without surgery or if surgery is really the best option.  Find that person and listen to him/her and listen to your body.

Finally, for what is worth, I just picked up this flyer of www.physiocorp.com that offer a free 15-20 minutes free injury consultation.

I wish you all the best and will pray for a full recovery if you have not already. My injury has helped me appreciate so much more all that my body can do and of this I am grateful. I also feel much more compassionate toward all those people that cannot run or walk. This is a blessing too. I hope I can get back to running long distance again. If I do, I will run my first race for those that will never be able to run again.

Feel free to email me offline, if you want to talk more or just vent.

Enrico

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