Sports therapy goes hi-tech

I had my first experience of ultrasound yesterday. No, I'm not pregnant! My sports therapist suggested ultrasound therapy to break down some of the many adhesions (bits of scar tissue) at the top of my hamstring. Apparently, they can cause the muscle to remain contracted, which might explain why it feels tight still. Happily ultrasound is completely pain-free, unlike the 30min sports massage that came before it!

I'm quite happy at the moment as I managed a 25 min run/walk session this week so feel like I'm making some progress at last :-)

Mixed blessings

After attempting a very easy run last week and having to stop after just one mile, I had to face the fact that my injury hasn't healed and I probably won't be able to attempt running for another week or two. On Friday, I took the very difficult - and just a little emotional - decision to inform GSTT charity that I wouldn't be able to do the London marathon. I felt really sad writing the email and everytime I saw a runner over the weekend.

I got a lovely response from the charity on Monday, offering their sympathies and giving me the opportunity to have a charity place in next year's London marathon instead. I'm really excited that I'll have a place for next year, can roll my fundraising over, and won't be letting anyone down!

I'm still planning to do the Dublin marathon in October this year, with a plan to take it easy and just enjoy the experience. In any case, I think I'll need a break from my PhD by then, even if it is just for a long weekend :-)

I'm really itching to get back to running, especially with the current sunny and dry weather!

Trust me - I'm a sports therapist.

It was my second appointment with the sports therapist today. I had some more massage, which although not as painful as I'd feared, has left me with a cluster of bruises on my inner thigh!

Unfortunately, they couldn't give me any advice on training for the marathon other than to have a test run and build up slowly (they're more used to footballers and rugby players). I also lost some confidence in my therapist after she admitted that after having assured me my problem wasn't a bursitis during last week's appointment, she looked it up after I left and had a panic that she'd missed it and made it worse with a sports massage!

Previously, I'd thought that I was ok with the thought that London might not happen for me and had even picked my second choice marathon for the autumn. But as another week's ticked by without training and there's less than seven weeks to go, everytime I see a runner (which is quite often at the moment!) I feel a pang of sadness about how much running I've missed out on and disappointment at the thought of not being able to run London.

I think it's time to consult someone with running expertise to get a more definitive answer and put an end to the "Will I? Won't I?" saga ...

Things you don't want to hear when having a sports massage to the groin:

"Hmm, the muscles are so tight I don't know what else I can do ... unless I use my elbow".

Eek! Yes, Tuesday was my appointment with the sports therapist for the pain in my butt, which has stopped my running for the last 10 days or so. After a very thorough examination, she concluded that as a result of me not rehabilitating my adductors after my earlier groin strain, the other muscles around my hip had started to overcompensate and were pulling on the bottom of the bone in my butt. The solution? Daily stretching and sports massage.

For anyone that hasn't had the pleasure of a sport massage -it is nothing like a regular massage! I regretted making a joke about someone who'd been given a wooden stick to bite down on during a sports massage from a rugby physio, especially when the therapist mentioned using her elbow!

So, no running for yet another week although I am allowed to swim. Unfortunately, I'm still eating the same amount as when I was training so may be carrying a few extra pounds by the time I start running again :-(