Thursday, September 17, 2009

Who Knows

I went to the chiro yesterday to get this hip thing squared away. My regular guy is in Italy teaching the upper cervical procedure to chiropractic school instructors and the government's chiropractors over there. Yes, he is that much of a badass. Kelley went for an adjustment too, and we had to see one of the other doctors at the clinic.

Now Steve always adjusts things that make noise, snapping and popping and you feel like something is really moving in there. I know it's only moving millimeters but still. I got no sounds from this chick. Kelley said she didn't even touch her back. Just some pressure point stuff and tension release on my ITband. $105 later we walked out with no spine adjustments and we both still had all of our pains. Kelley's pissed.

I tried to run last night. The tension release on the IT band should have made my hip discomfort easier IF it really was an ITB thing. I made it half a mile before bailing. In running form, you want your body to have as little up and down movement as possible. It seemed like my body dropped about 4" every time my left foot hit the ground. I know that was compensation for right hip pain. So I can't seem to find proper form until this stupid stupid hip thing goes away. I'm afraid this could become a very expensive deal breaker. It's really pissing me off. I hopped on the elliptical for another 7.5 miles last night and that felt fast and fun. So it looks like I'm riding the elliptical until this stupid thing clears up which will end up being longer than I want it to be.

So what other hip problems can you have if it's not ITB? Today I've got to do the research. RICE, yoga, stretching, and PT excercises haven't done shit yet to help. I'm starting to see some good info come in for 2010 races, but I don't want to sign up for anything until I can see the light at the end of this tunnel. It also could mean blogging might get sporadic as I have no actual running to report on.

Thanks for all the great responses to the last post. I know we each have our own reasons for training and/or racing. It was great to get so many emails telling me why you do all this crazy stuff and put up with all this pain. It was also really great to see other people who share the same concerns I do with being out on the roads.

It's friday eve! hoot!

16 comments:

RockStarTri said...

Pain with a mystery cause drives me insane. Last year I had lots of hamstring/butt/hip pain. I could ride but couldn't run. Tried almost everything (Chiro, ART, Orthopaedic, and PT). Didn't do voodoo or acupuncture but I considered it.

Never found out what it was and it gradually (over 2 months) got better by adjusting my running posture/form coupled with PT.

Good luck in your quest and hoping for a eureka moment quickly.

Wes said...

hate it when that happens. I don't do the chiro... Hopefully when your main squeeze comes back from Italy you can go back for a check up!

Stay strong!!

Lily on the Road said...

Oh you can't give up on blogging just because you're not out pounding the pavement, crap, I've talked about garending while I recover...LOL...

It is frustrating not to have your usual Chiro...but you could google SI joint. It is so hard to define because it could be many little things compounding...

Good Luck, hang in there and yes, keep blogging! ;^)

Carolina John said...

@ lily - i meant i would only be posting once or twice a week until i have more to report on. not giving it up entirely. it's all good. i normally post 3 or 4 times a week while in heavy training like this.

Kathleen said...

Ugh, I hate injury :(
Is any kind of cross training painfree for you?

B.o.B. said...

I am dealing with a stupid stupid injury too so I feel your pain. I obviously will continue to post on non-running related garbage (AKA shaving powder). I do what I want. LOL!

Keep stretching and what not. I am with you in the hurt locker.

carrie said...

Well. My hip has hurt since Grandma's. I finally broke down and went to see Dr. Cutie, my sports med guy who got me through a stress fracture and some bad knee pain. I followed the appt with my first ever visit to a physical therapist (just yesterday!)

Basically, I have monster quads and hams that do all the work when I run. The glute muscles sit back and let them do all the work, but while they're being lazy, it's really pissing off the conglomeration of muscles that all connect at the hip (including the top of the IT band). In order to get rid of the pain, she said I needed to strengthen my glutes.

If you want, I'll send you the detailed exercises. It sounds crazy, but everything she showed me and said was spot on.

Jess said...

Oh man dude sorry about not getting anything solved with your hip. Maybe you can get back in with your normal chiro when he gets back?

Sarah said...

I have hip pain a lot. Usually it will get tight, which causes my back to be sore and tight. I'll go in for an adjustment, and the instructions from my chiro are to do lots of stretching. A ton. More recently, my knee pain was really coming from weak hips and glutes. Lots of PT exercises (clamshells, leg lifts, butt squeezes, etc...). Apparently if you can strengthen the glute muscles and the hip flexors, it will help alleviate many of runner issues.

Jess said...

I'd be pissed with that chiro too. I've never been to one, but if I ever go, I better hear some satisfying cracks!

Alisa said...

Ugh! So far with any running injuries and I've had my fair share the only thing that works is NOT running. Elliptical and yoga seem to also really help me recover and still maintain fitness.

I hope it goes away soon!!!!

Stefan said...

There are all kinds of issues that could cause hip problems. The chiro has helped me tremendously. Your experience with the different chiro seems like a rip-off

Unknown said...

comment from stefan was me - son had logged onto google with my computer and i just realized that i was signed on as him instead of myself. sorry

Mel-2nd Chances said...

yuck! Sorry about the hip and the rip off chiro visit! I'm lucky that my chiro is a friend of ours, and happens to be very good, and also does ART and acupuncture, etc. take care.

teacherwoman said...

Ahh, you sound as frustrated as I do. Grrrr. I am still trying to decide if I should see an ortho bofore going back to the PT or to a chiro... thinking this might be the best bet... get an MRI done and go from there.

Ryan said...

My wife goes to a Chiro and loves it...actually needs it too. Me...Nobody touches me or I'll Kill Ya! No massage, chiro, ART, well maybe some mutual masturba...., well that's different.

B2B is flat...so you most likely won't die, but you better get your run on because I'm going to be there and you won't want to get passed by me on the run because it'll be my 3rd Ironman in 9 weeks. Who knows what sort of things will be spewing out of me with that much racing in such a short time. It is better to be off the course by the time I start running.