Getting Frustrated

I haven't been for a run in over a week now.  I'm starting to lose my mind!  Ever since my race, my right leg has been bothering me like crazy.  I have seen my physical therapist twice since then, but to no avail.  I have been resting, icing, stretching, and doing my PT exercises; nothing seems to be working.  OK, maybe I shouldn't say that it isn't working.  I do feel like it is getting a little better, but it just isn't getting there fast enough.  I'm dying to get out there and run, but I just can't do it yet.  I have been getting in some good long walks in, but that just isn't doing it for me.  Isn't it strange that I can walk without any trouble, but if I try to put any extra pressure on my leg it kills me?!? 

What's really interesting is that as much as this is bothering me, it is bothering my PT just as much.  He just can't seem to figure out what is causing the pain.  We are sure that it all relates to my back issues, but not quite sure how.  My PT has done all kinds of poking and prodding and twisting and turning and nothing seems to jump out as a major cause for concern.

Not only is this frustrating, but I'm starting to get a little worried as well.  I have a few big races coming up, and if I don't get back to training soon, I'm really going to struggle.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that some day this week I'll wake up and everything will just feel better.  I'll keep you updated.

Physical Therapy

While training for my first half marathon, I started having a lot of issues with my right hip and leg.  I battled through it for a couple of my long runs, but soon decided that something was wrong and I needed to get it checked out.  It seems that my scoliosis (more on this later) has done a number on my hips.  They are so twisted and tilted that it shouldn't be a surprise to find out that all my running was starting to cause some trouble.

I went to see the Sports Medicine doc and he decided to put me into physical therapy.  At this point, I was 3 weeks from the race and my training had already taken a serious hit.  My only hope of making it through the race was to dive into therapy and hope for the best.

When race day came around, I knew that I had made some improvements, but I was still a long way off from being "normal".  (I say this in quotes because I'm pretty sure I will never have a normal, healthy runner's body.)  I made it through the race, but it was definitely painful and I had to take more walking breaks that I would have liked.

I'm still in PT, and I just had my first post-race session last night.  The good news is the race didn't do any major damage, but I'm definitely having some flare-ups because of it.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will keep seeing more and more improvement and I will eventually get to a point where I can run pain free.  Oh, that day will be amazing....