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Battered and Bruised

This morning, I lay flat on my back in the middle of our garage as the hubby slowly backed up the car making sure both right tires ran over my left shin.  Then, cringing in pain I cried out “Do it again! This time slower!”

Okay, it didn’t exactly happen that way.  For the most part, only the intense, grit-your-teeth pain is real.

IMG_0110

- My left leg gets some ice before the “massage” - 

I went for my third visit to the physical therapist this morning.  After eight days of shin pain, limping, and absolutely no running, I knew it was time to bite the bullet—or, in my case, the towel if I wanted to run again…quick.  

Since last week, after consulting my doctor about this shin pain (which, as it turns out, is not at all related to my runner’s knee— how lucky am I, huh?), I’ve been to 3 therapy sessions, which to put it quite simply is not my idea of fun.  

The doctor ordered the therapist to “release” my shins, which is probably the scientific world’s version of tough love for athletes.  By “release”, the doctor means that the therapist will massage, push, shove, depress, elbow, manhandle the area of injury for around 5 minutes until all those tiny lumps in the muscles have disappeared—and the patient has been reduced to a little helpless fetus who can barely utter a sound due to exhaustion.

The two “release” sessions last week were tough and, silly me, each time the therapist would attempt to do her stuff, I would pull my leg away in fear of the pain that was about the run through my body.  In hindsight, I wonder if she got any work done at all.

On the second session, as she tried to push on my already bruised leg (which was released two days before), I shut my eyes saying “ouch ouch ouch” reaching almost a meditative state only to have my doctor enter the booth to say as politely as he could “Please be quiet.  You are going to scare my other patients.”  I wanted to pull my shirt over my face in embarrassment.

Today was different.  Eight days of no running had turned me into a monster over the weekend and I had to put an end to it.  Last night, I told my hubby in the bravest voice possible “I’ll visit my therapist tomorrow and ask her to release my shins and get rid of these lumps—no matter how painful.  I just want to run again.”  The hubby nods in silence, but I read his mind and it said “I hope you know what you’re doing!” Then, I immediately add “Do you think taking a double dose of Ponstan before the session will help?”

To cut a long story short, my therapist did release my shin again this morning.  And, as I was very cooperative (you should’ve heard me screaming “Bring it on, Lady!”—kidding!), she was able to reduce the lumps significantly, although not entirely.  The towel she gave became my best friend during those long 5 minutes of my life; it became my mask (one must cover one’s hideous, pain-filled face), sound-muffler, tension-reliever and, of course, sweat-absorber.  It looked like I had been to hell and back in all of those 5 minutes, but when the therapist assured me that I could run again as soon as these lumps were gone, I knew it was worth it.

So, yes, I do feel that a car ran over my shins this morning.  But, I have a feeling that one last session of tough love on these bones of mine will get me running again by the end of the week.  Anything for running, baby!

 

Posted on 06.02.08 to 01 Bullish Insights. Tags: , . Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 20 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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20 Responses to “Battered and Bruised”

  1. Geez!!! what’s on with the shin? Do get well soon.

    Idnod said on Jun 02 08 at 7:28 PM Reply

  2. Association of Injured Shins! Hahahahaha! :p

    Malala!

    marga said on Jun 02 08 at 11:09 PM Reply

  3. ARAAAAAAAY!!!! hayayay,,, anything for running?? break a leg? ehe,, good luck TBR to your road to recovery,,,, will pray for you! :( :)

    lugs said on Jun 03 08 at 9:23 AM Reply

  4. oh my gulay! what a shin hmm? i hope nde magtagal yang injury mo. Get well soon!

    gssantos66 said on Jun 03 08 at 10:01 AM Reply

  5. quasi-shin splint? kaya mo yan jaymie. release then stretch or release in stretched position will do the wonders. konti na lang yan… tiis lang ha. inhale-exhale…

    =)

    CatA said on Jun 03 08 at 11:07 AM Reply

  6. What caused it?

    markfb said on Jun 03 08 at 11:52 AM Reply

  7. oh, sorry to hear. how do get into situations like this? you do strength training, swimming, yoga, you have shoe insoles. i hope you find a good sports doctor who can tell you how else you can prevent the injuries. hope you get better soon.

    Tina said on Jun 03 08 at 1:13 PM Reply

  8. Idnod, you sound as frustrated as i am! thanks.

    Marga, di ka na member diba?!

    Lugs, thanks! Pray real hard for me okay? hehe

    Totoy, thanks!

    CatA, thanks! I’ll remember your breathing exercise!

    Mark, doc says intervals and hills. Argh. Online it says overtraining. I probably did both?! haha.

    Tina, I have no idea either. I’ll probably just reduce the running to 4x a week and slow down a bit…that might help.

    thebullrunner said on Jun 03 08 at 1:28 PM Reply

  9. Sounds like ART (Active Release Therapy), painful but beneficial. I hope you are better soon.

    Rick said on Jun 03 08 at 1:54 PM Reply

  10. haha yep yep. yoga lang pala katapat!

    marga said on Jun 03 08 at 8:17 PM Reply

  11. Intervals and hills… yeah. That got me as well so I took a week off. Just 2 short (18 to 20 min) runs last week. Instead of those therapies (which I tried at Pain and rehab), I just use the inversion table. It works and I get everything stretched. Problem lang kasi is that I feel like Batman or Bruce Lee after. Im ok with either dude. hehehe

    markfb said on Jun 04 08 at 9:07 AM Reply

  12. TBR – Do you still practice bikram yoga despite your injury? If so, how does that work for you?

    Jed said on Jun 04 08 at 12:01 PM Reply

  13. i agree, yoga really helps. tried bikram yesterday and all the aches and pains faded away or maybe dehydrated lang ako hehe

    bards said on Jun 05 08 at 11:01 AM Reply

  14. Which studio do you go to, bards and TBR? I go almost every afternoon or early pm in Makati. Planning to take the 30-day challenge! Whew! Hope to see ya guys there!

    Jed said on Jun 05 08 at 11:25 PM Reply

  15. Rick, I read about ART online. Galing! My PT says though mine isn’t ART.

    Bruce…er Mark, good to hear you’re better now. I have no idea how your inversion table works, but as long as it’s helping you that’s great.

    Jed, I’ve been doing bikram/ashtanga/yogilates for the past two weeks of my shin splints. ‘m very careful not to overwork the injured leg and skip some positions that may compromise it. I make sure to inform the instructor about the injury before the session begins. A couple of times, I ended the session feeling no pain at all although it returns after around 15 mins. Even if it doesn’t make the injury magically disappear, it’ll help to stretch tight muscles and improve strength in the long run. I go to 3 different studios/gyms in Alabang—para di nakakasawa haha. Enjoy your yoga!

    Bards, sarap noh?! I love how you sweat as much as you do after a 10k run :)

    thebullrunner said on Jun 06 08 at 6:44 AM Reply

  16. Using the inversion table is better than using traction. Here’s more info about it: http://www.teeterhangups.com/products/f5000.html

    You can demo one at these locations:
    SportFit / Life Fitness showrooms
    located at Level 4 Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong and Parking Level 2 Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati.

    I got my own table as a gift. : )

    markfb said on Jun 06 08 at 10:38 AM Reply

  17. Here’s a real testimonial. Make sure to read the comments as well. First time I used this, I was in tears and its not because masaya ako kasi niregaluhan ako ni Mrs. hehehe

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye_NkaEC2rg

    markfb said on Jun 06 08 at 10:40 AM Reply

  18. Okay I was cringing while reading this? How did this happen? I want to know so I won’t get that injury. It sounds so painful.

    Mayi said on Jun 07 08 at 8:37 AM Reply

  19. Mark, I viewed the testimonial. I just pray I’ll never need one of these!

    thebullrunner said on Jun 07 08 at 2:05 PM Reply

  20. It helps with the leg issues as well. It stretches your entire back and provides the best position to workout your core as well.

    The guy on the youtube vid and I have the same condition. I got operated on way back 1993.

    markfb said on Jun 07 08 at 11:05 PM Reply

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