Coping with injury
A few weeks ago, I was running in Leicester when my hip
started to hurt. A sharp pain high up on the top of my pelvis stabbed me with
every step. At the time I was only a couple of miles from the end of the run
and so carried on running through the pain.
The next day was agony, and the next. I realised I was going to have to rest and use ice on the area. As a precaution I booked a physio appointment knowing it was not just a niggle. When the time came to see the physio, the pain was still as acute.
After some investigation it turned out that the left side of my pelvis was a good inch higher than the right which was caused by tightening in my right leg. There followed a long hour of sports massage which, if you have had one you will know, is not a pleasant experience. Soon my pelvis was level and the area in question – the iliacus and psoas - had been thoroughly pushed, squashed and pressed back into shape.
The next day I sported a hefty bruise the size of my hand in yellows and greens. This area was tender, but my hip didn’t feel as bad. Once the bruising had gone down I was disappointed to feel the sharp pain was still there.
Fed up with not having run for over a week I decided to give it a go. To my surprise I was able to run with the pain and found it receded the more I ran. From that point on, and despite the continued pain, I have begun to run again, hoping that stretching it out will provide some relief.
It still hurts but isn’t getting any worse. Maybe it isn’t the most sensible thing to do, but when resting doesn’t help what choice do you have?
The next day was agony, and the next. I realised I was going to have to rest and use ice on the area. As a precaution I booked a physio appointment knowing it was not just a niggle. When the time came to see the physio, the pain was still as acute.
After some investigation it turned out that the left side of my pelvis was a good inch higher than the right which was caused by tightening in my right leg. There followed a long hour of sports massage which, if you have had one you will know, is not a pleasant experience. Soon my pelvis was level and the area in question – the iliacus and psoas - had been thoroughly pushed, squashed and pressed back into shape.
The next day I sported a hefty bruise the size of my hand in yellows and greens. This area was tender, but my hip didn’t feel as bad. Once the bruising had gone down I was disappointed to feel the sharp pain was still there.
Fed up with not having run for over a week I decided to give it a go. To my surprise I was able to run with the pain and found it receded the more I ran. From that point on, and despite the continued pain, I have begun to run again, hoping that stretching it out will provide some relief.
It still hurts but isn’t getting any worse. Maybe it isn’t the most sensible thing to do, but when resting doesn’t help what choice do you have?
