So, my appointment with the chiropractor was interesting. He found issues all up and down my legs.
- My right foot lands with my toes pointed slightly out (knew that)
- The muscles in my calves and thighs are scary tight (knew that)
- My hips do something I don’t exactly remember – collapse? rotate in?
- My glutes aren’t activating (Know anything about that, Katie?)
- Because of the other issues, my ITB is messed up
- And a whole ton of other stuff that went completely over my head
- Oh, and I need to stop slouching and pull my shoulders back
He graston’d a couple of spots, did ART on my knees, used the stick on my calves (OMG, I just about screamed), and a few other things that involved pain and parts being twisted. He would have done more, but since he knew I was racing this weekend, he said he’ll wait until next week.
So, I’m sure inquiring minds want to know:
- Am I allowed to run? Yes, he said I can run until the pain starts.
- Did the VFFs do it? No. His opinion was that I was a delicately balanced mess and that the VFFs may have played a role in the pain happening, but they didn’t cause the mess.
- Am I allowed to run in the VFFs? Not for the moment. He wants to me to work on strengthening some muscles first and then I’ll be allowed very short sprints in them to teach my body how to transfer that gait to running in them at a slower pace.
I’m sure I missed a lot, but holy heck, it hurt and I’m apparently screwed up from my ankles to hips LOL. My “homework” for the next week is to practice doing squats correctly, do leg lifts that he calls Jane Fondas (makes me want to go find my leotard and leg warmers LOL), and foam roll my ITB (I think that’s what I’m foam rolling. I know how to do what he wants, just not sure what it’s called.) I’m also supposed to focus on making my right foot hit the ground straight, which is going to be super challenging. Next week I go back for a whole lot more adjusting and a ton more exercises.
I’m hoping to switch to the 5k this weekend and I have no idea what I’m going to do about the Philly Half in November.
But at least I have a plan.
you are a hot mess! Take care and I hope you get healed up soon!
Oh geez. Welcome to the club. Hope you get straightened out soon. Philly is totally up in the air for me as well. Sigh.
Ha, I think I must be some sort of mess too. I'll just leave it at that and not go to be checked out.:) Take it easy. Have a good weekend!
I think you are not alone in some of these issues–the glutes not firing is pretty much epidemic to runners these days!I'm going to insert my two cents on the ITB and foam rolling–for me, it only irritated it more. I found that treating the areas like the glutes w/ the foam roller did a better job than getting on that inflamed fascia. FWIW!
I"m a mess too. But that's why it's good to get help to get things straightened out. Sounds like you have a path to feeling better.
The important thing is that you're figuring out what's wrong and how to fix it!Sounds like a delightfully painful session. 🙂
well, the good thing about a mess like that is usually, if you fix one thing, it all goes away. but sigh. hopefully it's a quick fix!
Hope it all clears up soon. I was using the foam roller for a while.. hurts like hell at first, but it gets easier after a couple of weeks.
Well, at least you now have a plan to get it improved! Hope things improve soon! Have a great weekend!
Reminds me that now that I no longer have a person in my belly, I should go get all the things that fell out of whack during pregnancy taken care of…
well it sounds like he's helping your hot mess! 🙂 does he adjust you too? or just do these other things? jw. i go to a chiro too.
Hope this works. My right foot goes out too. I notice it even when I am just standing. Good luck.
Oh man. Sounds like all such wonderfully good news 😉
I am with you. Ran in my Vibrams for a year and just a few weeks ago hurt my right ankle again, one that had an injury a year ago because I have wimpy ankles, so I am back to shoes again too.
Had to laugh at "apparently I'm a hot mess." The same could be said for me right now for different reasons. Good luck with getting better and all of the adjusting 🙂