Hello guys today I am writing about the unpleasant topic.
The topic that I thought I would never write… maybe I said it wrong, the topic that I would never like to talk about, I’m talking about INJURIES.
(I also can say that this will be a long post, so get yourself a good cup of tea or coffee 😊 )
Yes unfortunately, I’ve got injury 6 weeks ago.
And I totally didn’t expect it. I think this is the most annoying part of injuries that you can never expect them. But, unfortunately they do happen and one of them happened to me.
In my previous post about my running achievements in 2018 you can read that it was very prolific year! I really wanted to start this new year 2019 full of energy.
On December 31st, I participated in my very last race of 2018. It was pretty awesome cross-race (10km). I finished it with my personal best. My final time was 41 minutes and 15 seconds, improving the result from 2017. I felt really great after the race, without any pain.
However, probably it must have been the beginning of my injury. Since the same night during the New Year’s Eve party with my friends I felt a tiny and itchy pain in my groin. It was a bit awkward but nothing major. I ignored it and I didn’t care about it that much.
The following day I woke up only with sore muscles after the race. I stretched them and everything was ok.
The following days I run 1-2 times that felt really good.
I arrived to Milan and had fartlek run on January 4th and long run on January 6th. That Sunday was my last run, my last long weekend run.
While I was running, I accidentally felt ache in my groin as someone was pointing it with needles inside muscle. That was very difficult to explain.
I felt that my (left – injured) leg did not want to move as smooth as I wanted. I got back home and as soon as I stopped running, I walked… but I could not walk!
I felt really sharp pain that didn’t allow me to move my leg and I think I’ve been lying on sofa for about 15 minutes before I took of my shoes, clothes and went to take shower. That was really bad sensation which I had never experienced before. I realised that IT WAS NOT GOOD. But I didn’t want to panic. However, I remember that day and any simple activities: having a shower or grabbing something from the floor, standing on a single leg (my left injured side) was hurting me like a h**l.
That day I couldn’t even walk with my friend and get to the car and get off the car! We planned to go ice skating that day… But I ended up looking at my friends from the podium and freezing next to the ice rink instead of skating with them.
My very first night Sunday/Monday was a real nightmare. I couldn’t lie straight or toss around in my bed. I could not find any comfortabe position for myself in the bed.
The following days (the first day, straight after injury, as well!) I’ve been putting lots of arnica gel and ice on my leg. On top of this I was taking some anti inflammatory drugs. However, after two, three days there was no significant improvement. I started to understand I really need to see a doctor so I could get diagnosed and receive proper treatment. But… that is when my mystery only begun.
You can believe, or not, but I have visited 5 different doctors since I got injured and… I still do not know what I am/was suffering for.
First doctor (without even touching me 😀 (!) told me I got strained adductor and advised me to take an antiflammatory drugs and rest for few more days.
However, I felt that this pain is not reason of my pain, so I went to another doctor. He advised me to stay at home for 2 weeks, using crutches and not walking/moving at all.
For me that was still not a clear diagnose. I needed to find the reason and source of my pain not only to lay down and wait for marvelous cure.
At the same time I was still doing my castings and working… I was incapable of putting trousers while standing on one leg. I really had a problem!
Day by day, my pain was slowly fading but still I was limping and walking like a zombie 🙂 bended towards my left side and pulling my leg behind me, stopping every 200 meters since I got the cramps.
But! Let me say something, I have found a solution. I was moving around the city and doing my castings with bike! That was a relief and NO PAIN at all during cycling. Only the walking (And running…) was causing me a pain. Taking it a bit futher I slowly started incorporating streching and strengthening exercises and going to the gym. Pain was decresing… BUT WAS STILL THERE!
I started to google and search on YouTube, I have managed to ‘self-diagnosed’ probably 10 different kinds of injuries, including hamstring syndrome, pubaglia, hip pain, tendenosis, hip dyslocation, lipsosas muscle strain. Literally almost every kind of injury you could imagine.
I managed to go to physiotherapist but he couldn’t help me. He adviced me to see another doctor. I visited him the day after. But doctor couldn’t do much, he prescribed me only a prescription for X-Ray and RMI.
It was the moment that I got scared!
Before having had my X-ray and RMI done I went to another recommended doctor to make examination with ultrasonography. During the visit he told me that all my muscles were completely fine, he found ONLY a tiny stretch around outer hamstring. He asked me also “Have you ever broken your hip/ leg? Have you got any crush? In past?” I was shocked, answered “No, I have never had”, which was a true.
He told me that there is some visible stretch around outer hamstring tendon and I suffer for hamstring syndrome. He recommended me to stretch my hamstring, strengthen glutes and core muscles.
You will hate me and say that I am crazy, but I was confused. I did not want to believe it is hamstring as this dull, itchy pain was still in my groin. My mind started to overthink and I had no choice and no more doubts I really needed to make the X-ray and RMI.
The following day I had my X-ray done (during the examination I asked the lady to take quick picture from the screen so I could share it with the doctor who advised me it).
Straight after leaving the laboratory, I sent it to him and he texted me “Aleksandra, you need to rest. There is probably a stress fracture in you hip”.
I was shocked :O. “Fracture?!” “In my hip?!” “How can I have a broken bone?!”.
Doctor was not 100% sure and he told me to not stress until I had my RMI done.
I made an appointment for the soonest possible date, in three days.
The following day, I received the official report from X-ray laboratory done by radiologist. The report said basically that I am completely HEALTHY, THERE ARE NO STRESS FRUCTURES. BONES, JOINTS were completely fine.
Having this reported, I was getting crazy and asking myself “Doctor says it might be a stress fracture”, “Radiologist says my hip and bones are 100% healthy”
The only hope to solve the problem was in RMI.
Finally I had it done. I was eagerly waiting for the examination. (It was my first RMI in my life. Actually I had expected it to be worse. In total it was quite easy and relaxing :D… Ok, a bit boring… Laying down for 15 minutes in small room with huge machine over my lowerbody… But it was quite realxing actually, I almost felt asleep! :D). Anyway, in two days I expected to have the report and results.
I picked it up on that day… and… The results of RMI said that my muscles, bones, tendons, hip, leg… WERE COMPELETELY HELATHY
WOW! I sent it to the doctor, he said that in that case if X-ray and RMI were negative (meant they did not diagnosed anything) that means I only need to fest few more weeks and stretch/strengthen exercise, and come back to run in couple of weeks…
So I visited 5 doctors, made my X-RAY, RMI, USG and there was still no clear answer why was I suffering.
I sent the reports to the doctor who made my ultrasonography examination and he asked me to visit him the following week. Few days later I again went to him and showed my x-ray and RMI. Eventually, he said there is no stress fracture. I pointed him one spot on the x-ray (marked earlier by my best friend. The spot was close to the pubic bone).
Doctor was not 100% what is it but after analyzing my talks and history of injury he gave me a diagnose: “Avulsion fracture”
Having that said, I started to google it and most of the symptoms look like mine, so I am 90% sure that this my real injury.
Taking into consideration all different opinions and diagnosis I am a bit sceptic. Luckily, I am got home on Friday for two days and I managed to visit sport-physiotherapist so to be 100% sure and finally calm what is/was wrong with my hip.
Now I feel almost no pain and I have green light to start little jogging. With plenty of stretching, strenghtening, rolling every day!
Having those 6 weeks out of running had the drawbacks and positive sides at the same time.
Being not able to run for this period was heart-killer as the weather in Milan since I arrived had been amazing! Very sunny, dry, chilly weather perfect for running!
But I’ve been going to gym, I’ve been cycling around the city (what is very surprising is the fact that cycling didn’t hurt me at all during this time period!), I’ve been going to the swimming pool every second day and I improved my swimming skills for breaststroke and crawl.
I learned also that since it’s been really difficult to understand what is going on, I will advise to myself and all of you that if you ever got any kind of pain or ache don’t ignore it! You should always check it and pay attention. As one more training can exclude you from the sport for a long time. It is better to slow down, take few days of break, week, make a treatment and check it. If body gives a signal you should really stop. Never ignore any different ‘ache’ and ‘pain’. I am not talking about sore muscles but If you have a sensation of something ‘completely new’ that it NOT OK.
I am with good thought that the injury is slowly going away and I am working to make a good solid plan not only for now to heal but also for future. To involve and change some of my gym routine exerices and add more runner-specific exercises, more stretches and smarter running training.
I hope that I am on a good track and I will make make the best out of 2019.
Have a safe running! Take care of yourself and your health!
Will keep you posted about my running.
