MRI CONCLUSION: "bilateral right greater than left stress fractures of the symphysis pubis both at the junction with the acetabulum and adjacent to the symphysis pubis explaining the patient's symptoms."
What does this mean? Essentially I have TWO stress fractures in my crotch (insert 5th grade jokes and laughter here). Either this is a result of increasing my running/mileage over the last few years or the result of a wild night with a 300lb vixen. Unless I got really drunk one night, my gut tells me it is the former as this is a repetitive stress injury. The right is more sever than the left, which makes sense since I have ONLY been feeling the right side for the most part (in fact, I really wasn't feeling the left until recently). Due to the stress fracture here, my SI joint is super tight/sore and when I run hard, inflammation occurs throughout the upper thigh/hip area.
How could I have prevented this? I am not sure I could have. USATF just released a study essentially claiming that if you run as much as we do, you'll have to pay the fiddler regardless whether or not you stretch. Sarah would probably argue I should have been stretching certain areas more than others - prescribed stretching. She adds that I "fall down when it comes to stretching, core strength and calcium intake". I agree. Perhaps if I had been doing the stretches Sarah gave me in July for the past 18 months I'd be fine and dandy now? Maybe, maybe not. I accept the fact that injuries are a byproduct of hard work. I had a killer spring (PR'd in every distance from 3k to 10 miles just before turning 30) and the only way I got there was to work harder and run further than I ever had before, but I feel as if I did it smartly (no "stupid" increases or stupid risks). When I look back someday, a long time from today, it will all be worth it. Then again, I ain't done yet...
These begin the darkest days of my running career, but, as you indicate in your kind comments, it's just a hiatus in which I'll return (hopefully) even stronger. I will need to occupy my time and mind with something else in lieu of training.
I've stated this before here, and I'll echo it again now, but when you're in shape, give it your all. You never know what's around the corner and whether you'll be in that type of shape again. I am so glad I ran the gauntlet this past spring.
3 comments:
Well said. When you're fit, use every ounce of it.
Here's to a fast recovery.
As a person who has now been injured and unable to run for more time than I ever could have contemplated, I'm more than happy to lend an ear.
As Mighty Matias pointed out in the other post, as long as you let it heal, it will come back and be stronger. But it's a good time to build the other habits for when you're back in action.
In the meantime, I suggest you get a camera, go to every race you can, and just take pictures of booties.
No coincidence that some runners tend to get injured AFTER a major breakthrough. Perhaps feeling a need to step up the training to continue the rate of progress? I don't know.
Hope you're back in it soon.
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