I have mentioned about my injury in other blogs, but thought I'd open a thread dedicated to it, in case there are others with the same problem, and we can air our concerns here.Just to recapitulate - in about November last year (I started running in May 2007, but in earnest from September 2007), I started noticing a dull ache, deep within my upper right leg. I feared a stress fracture, and sought medical advice from my orthopaedic specialist. After all sorts of misdiagnoses and meds, it was finally ascertained, from a bone scan and MRI, that I have a highly inflammed Iliopsoas tendon at the point where the Iliacus and Psoas muscles join the femur bone at the lesser Trochanter.
The pain itself has been excrutiating at times, to the extent, that I have cried out in agony every so often. When actually running most of the time, the pain would appear to diminish; upon immediate cessation of running, my upper leg would become stiff and hurt like hell; further perambulation was only possible with limping. Getting up from a bed or chair was also very tedious.
About three weeks ago, my specialist finally convinced me to have a break from running of any form, take Ecofénac (a strong anti-inflammatory medication), and, in fact cease any sport or activity to do with the legs (other than normal walking). Reluctantly, I did as he suggested, and the pain subsided to negligible. On Thursday last week, I began running again, admittedly probably too far after the lay-off I'd had, and the pain came back with a vengeance.
Yesterday, in utter desperation, I did an Internet search for sports doctors in Switzerland, and discovered, that there is actually a medical practice right here in Chur, staffed by doctors who are affiliated with the support group for the Swiss Olympic Team. I immediately telephoned for an appointment, and got one at 11 o'clock today.
It turned out to be the best (and hardest) decision I would make. Whilst my orthopaedic specialist is a wonderful and trustworthy man, he is getting on, and doesn't actually treat sports injuries per se anymore, other than me. He's more specialised in rheumatology and that area. The young doctor I saw today, actually runs himself, is sporty and very active, and knew immediately what I was talking about. He gave me a very thorough examination, finally confirming the diagnosis of Iliopsoas Tendinitis, but also added, that the whole Iliopsoas muscle group on my right side is injured. What he cannot understand, is why it is confined to the right side, and that the left is injury-free. He checked my gait and all sorts of other things, and found absolutely everything to be in perfect order.
I have to see him again in a week's time, and take along my Nike running shoes with me, so he can check to see if the problem might lie in them!!!!! - but, here again, why only on the one side???? It is an enigma.
The next step (which hurt like merry hell when he told me) - no running until early summer!!!!!!!! How can you tell that to a runner???? It's vicious.
He explained to me, that only full rest from running will allow the muscle time to heal. The runs I did last week make no difference at all, because even if I had waited another month, and ran a mere 5 km, the pain would have returned. The muscle itself is actually inflamed up to the insertion points on the spine at the intervertebral discs T12 to L4. Further running would only exacerbate the injury, and could eventually cause permanent damage to the muscle. Further running would be highly foolish.
Subsequently, no running for me until at least early July. I haven't really had time yet to assimilate the impact of this upon my immediate future, bearing in mind, that running has become an almost obsessive passion in my life, taking up a lot of my spare time and energy (physical and mental).
However, a dark cloud usually has a silver lining, and this bright side is, that I may most definitely (and MUST) get involved in cross-training, the relevant activities for me being cycling, swimming and aqua-jogging. I forgot to ask, if I may partake in skiing and mountain hiking (I'll ask him next week), both of which, additionally, will assist in keeping up my fitness level, and building stamina for the final goal - the Marathon des Sables in 2010 (by the way, the doctor was very interested in my decision to take part in this race, and knew of it immediately when I mentioned it). He also encouraged me to keep up my workouts at gym, and build up a solid set of core muscles for my return to running in summer, all of which will have obvious advantages for future injury prevention.
So, there it is. I'm trying to be philosophical about it all, accepting my injury, and preparing to work on my recovery through alternative activities, particularly mountain hiking (when the snow melts), mountain biking and gym workouts. However, no amount of rationalisation or philosophising will detract from the fact, that I cannot run for another four to five months. I doubt I will lose my passion for the sport, because it is far too deep and ingrained within me to simply vanish; it's the furtration of not being able to actually DO it, that is difficult. I'm not the most patient of people when it comes to being denied something that means so very much to me (I'm the epitome of patience when it comes to paying tax bills; I'm the antithesis of patience when a cessation of running is required).
With regard to my participation in the MdS, I still have two years (minus four months of non-training) ahead of me before it's my turn to enter the Sahara Desert, so that shouldn't have much of a bearing on the race for me. My training blogs and reports are going to be zero for running, and more concentrated on other activities.
If anyone else has this problem, too, I'd be pleased to hear from you in terms of sharing experiences, etc. Other than that, my energies will now be focussed more on alternative training (which won't hurt at all; au contraire) and healing my right-side Iliopsoas muscle group.
Cheers,
Craig-with-right-leg-for-sale
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