Desperate Runner

– My xray results.  No fractures here. –

“Are you desperate?”  This was the question that my good ol’ doctor posed before me soon after he reviewed the tibia xray I submitted to him last Thursday.  After visiting him regularly (perhaps “way too often” is a better description) the past weeks, he ruled out a fracture and was definite that my injury was a muscle problem that could only be cured by strengthening exercises that would take, as he said, at least 6 weeks to have some effect.  

“Desperate? Me?” I thought.  Then, without hesitation, I replied “YES.  Super desperate, doc. I need to run again asap.”  And, that’s when he told me to meet him at Moro Lorenzo Sports Center on this day.

This afternoon, I found myself at Moro Lorenzo with the good doctor before me surrounded by a dozen athletes who were probably still in their mothers’ womb while I was already riding my pink BMX outdoors. (Never had I felt so old and decrepit—injured and bloated na, matanda pa!)  My doctor introduces me to Kristine, the head physiotherapist, who I met last year when Adidas gave me a foot assessment.  Then, Kristine introduces me to the therapist who will take care of me.  The guy looked like a younger Robert Downey, Jr. with the charm and brains of Dr. McDreamy.  Oh, I thought it was embarrassing to have to show him my feet, but what the hell, he was probably a decade younger than me too.

He interviewed me for a long 15-20 minutes, asking every detail of my injury and jotting this down on a sheet.  He stared at my feet for the longest time that my toes almost blushed.  He checked how I walk, gave me a range test, taped my foot, and so on and so forth.  Needless to say, it was the most comprehensive assessment I had ever been through.

Basically, he had the same evaluation as my doctor.  Overpronation is the main culprit.  My left foot overpronates which causes too much strain on my shin muscles.  He taught me strengthening exercises then saved the best part for last… acupuncture.

It was my first time to get—how shall I say it—acupunctured?  It was definitely a new experience—the bite of an ant followed by an inner squeezing, twisting, and burning of muscles, sometimes highlighted by an explosive pain when the muscles suddenly twitches.  Ooooh, not an experience that I particularly enjoyed.  However, if I had to choose between “releasing” of muscles through massage or acupuncture, I would, without a second thought, go for the latter.  It was just more bearable.

I ended the session with my leg looking like a mummy.  I had kinesio tape wrapped over my shin and tape all around my foot.  Then, before I left, I asked my favorite question “So, when can I run again?”  Dr. Robert Downey replied “Not this week.”  So much for the Rush to Mizuno Run that I was hoping to join (I even registered for it last Friday).  This Bull Runner didn’t even put up a fight.  I accepted his answer and limped my way out of the clinic.  Looks like I’m getting better at dealing with life’s little injuries.