Injury

 

Two weeks before I planned to run a half marathon at Carsington Water, I've injured myself. I was initially annoyed by this but I've now pulled myself together and I'm using this as a lesson on how to improve.

                     

This is how the injury developed:  I was doing great and was really pleased with my progress. I had only missed a couple of training sessions over the 3 month plan and I could tell that my fitness was increasing. I was doing my last long run before tapering for the half marathon. The run was going well until the last 3 or 4 miles, I was getting tired and my legs felt fatigued, so I walked the last bit (I couldn’t run in the woods anyway due to the slippery mud). I didn’t slip or do anything unusual. The next day was rest day, then I did a strength class and cross-training as usual and was fine. The next day I went out for a sprint session and felt a bit stiff/sore in the groin area while doing the warm up jog, but this eased when I got going. I did warm up before going out 😉. I did a few sprints but it didn’t feel right, so I didn’t push as hard as I would normally. After doing a few more sprints, I knew I wasn’t right so came home, doing a bit of light jogging en-route. The next day I really knew I had done something. It hurt if I lifted my left knee, crossed my legs or stepped forward to run putting weight on my left leg. I couldn't run, even for a minute.  It was painful to turn over in bed and I wouldn't have been able to drive if I hadn't got an automatic car.

I went to see a physio who said I'd got adductor tendonitis/bursitis of the Iliopsoa (hip flexor) muscles. What I think has happened is that the exercises in the class at the gym change slightly each week and we did one where you shuffle side to side, then touch the floor with your hand, switch and go the opposite way. This puts a strain on the inner thigh. Doing this particular exercise on top of the increased distance and sprinting I’ve been doing, has strained the muscle and irritated the tendon. The physio also pointed out that I have an exaggerated curve to my lower back, anterior pelvic tilt and weak glutes and I'm compensating for this by using other muscles. I've spent 37 years sat at a desk which is the worst thing you can do for your glutes!

I also have internal snapping hip syndrome. I've had this for as long as I've been running. When I warm up and swing my leg front to back or stretch my left leg in certain positions, I feel a pop deep within my groin/hip. This is caused by the tendon from the Ilipsoa muscle flicking across the front of the hip joint. It hasn't been a problem up until now and it wasn't painful, but it is a symptom of something not working as it should.

It has taken 2 week for the pain to go away during normal daily activities - in that time I've done some targeted stretching, trigger point massages, light strengthening exercises and low-impact cross training.

Next I need to ramp up the exercises to strengthen all the glute muscles, hip flexors and core.  At the moment I can't do a single leg bridge so when I can do those, I'll know I'm improving!