So I've been out of commission. I've been dealing with a painful leg problem since May, and I just started accepting that it's bothering me more than I was willing to admit. How much have I run since my race in August? Probably about 10 times. What was my longest run since then? Probably 4 miles. How often did I hurt after running? Probably every single time.
I went to my family physician.
He had X-rays taken.
No stress fractures.
He had an ultrasound done on my entire left leg.
No bloodclots. Thank goodness!
He sent me to a physical therapist.
At the first appointment, she said it was tendonitis.
At the second appointment, she said it was the small flexor muscles.
She couldn't show it to me on a diagram to help explain what was going on.
I lost faith in her. I stopped going.
I went back to my family physician to explain how frustrated I was.
He referred me to a chiropractor who specializes with athletes and runners.
This is what he told me.
It makes sense.
He also explained that my pelvis is totally messed up from having twins, and I need to strengthen it. My left arch is also much lower than my right, and it causes me to run basically on one leg. Crazy, but I actually understand all this.
The treatment he gave me was a specific and very painful massage (have 2 places where I have scar tissue), laser therapy, and taped up my foot.
He told me to continue my cardiovascular activity- bike, elliptical.
He told me to jog for two miles, take the tape off, and see how I feel.
For the first time since having this leg problem, I actually feel like I got answers.
I'm sorry for this long post, but getting down in writing has made me realize just how important it is for me to not lose this connection with you all. I haven't strayed from my "Get Healthy" journey. I've just been a little preoccupied.
Now time for some honesty.
I allowed this problem to get the best of me.
I have gained almost ten pounds.
I did try to get back to running after my first 10K even when it hurt.
However, I allowed the pain and not being able to continue with my regular running get to me emotionally.
I've been eating.
I've been told by my family physician and also my chiropractor to not lose the drive and enthusiam, and also fitness level by decreasing my food intake and continuing some type of cardio.
Today I am going out for a walk with my twins.
Thank you for your support and patience with me. I will be running again. I just have to be PATIENT.
Compartment syndrome (CS) is a serious condition that develops when pressure within blood vessels (perfusion pressure) drops lower than tissue pressure within a closed space (compartment) in the body. CS can be either acute or chronic and can be limb- or life- threatening condition.
A compartment is formed by muscle groups that contain nerves and blood vessels. The compartment is covered by a tough, inelastic membrane (fascia) that is not able to expand sufficiently when pressure increases within the space. The resulting syndrome is a painful condition that most often occurs following
trauma, vascular injury, excessive activity, or vigorous exercise. CS most commonly occurs in the extremities such as in the arms, hands, feet, or legs, but may also occur in the buttocks or abdomen. Untreated, severe compartment syndrome can cause a series of physiologic events that may eventually lead to kidney (renal) failure and death.
Chronic compartment syndrome is most often caused by injury from vigorous exercise or overuse of a muscle group and develops most often in the legs. Although the syndrome stops when the offending activity stops, compartment pressure can stay elevated for hours afterward causing pain and numbness. This can present significant problems for endurance athletes such as runners or cyclists. The athlete with chronic compartment syndrome may complain of leg pain that occurs while exercising and that is relieved when at rest; this pain may have been experienced for weeks or months.
