Injuries Updates

Yep, it's been another two weeks since I've blogged.  Life with a baby is busy, obviously.  Throw in working and working out on top of that and there's barely enough time to get to the grocery let alone blog.  I used to do most of my blogging at work and then fill in the gaps at home, but I got moved to the "big boys" table and now I sit right next to my boss.  So, it wouldn't be exactly a great idea to continue blogging at work.

Anyway, here's a quick update on my endless list of injuries that are plaguing me this fall.

My left hip is doing much better.  I continue to do some of the physical therapy exercises assigned.  Except for when I do a big run, it really doesn't hurt anymore.

My right shin, on the other hand, is just a mess.  It has continued to hurt more and more, to the point where I saw the doctor because I had a stress fracture.  (I didn't really think it was fractured as the pain got better when I ran and the pain wasn't pinpointed on the bone, but I didn't really know what else to do.)  The doctor diagnosed it as posterior tibial tendonitis and assigned me more physical therapy, specifically ultrasound.  I scheduled my appointment and hoped for the best.

But I got the worst.  The office called me and informed me that my insurance claim was denied because I had just had a PT evaluation and they wouldn't pay for another one for six months.  Shit.  So I got on the internet and googled the heck out of my diagnosis.  I found some exercises and even found some ways to tape it up to make it feel better.  I tried both and it felt better for a while but it was still too painful to run.  I was starting to wonder if the rest of my season, the big races I've already paid for, was going to be awash. I sent my doctor an email rambling on and on about insurance, and my pain, and what can we do????  He quickly responded and I had an appointment the next day for ART (active release therapy).

ART is pure torture and hurt so badly I had to hold on to my head to keep from screaming while it was being done.  And immediately after it felt terrible.  The next day, though, the calf/shin had loosened up quite a bit.  I stayed on the elliptical for the rest of my short runs during the week and was able to get through a 17 miler on the trails on Sunday (I had hoped to go 20 miles but ran out of time due to a family commitment.)  Monday everything hurt really bad again and I was limping around like my leg was cut off.  Tuesday I felt good enough to run the 7 miles from my house to my parents for dinner.  Wednesday I was in terrible pain again and today was a little better.  I had ART again this afternoon which loosened my shin but my calf still feels really tight.

This weekend I am running a road half marathon which is going to hurt like hell.  As for the trail marathon and 50K I still have on the schedule, well, I hope to keep them on the schedule.  After this weekend I can switch to all trails, treadmill, and elliptical with no road running.  Once the 50K is done at the end of December I am going to take some time off and let the body heal and SLOWLY return to running.