The doc said I severely strained the muscles from my knees all the way to my lower back. The pain is almost the same as a slipped disc, but the timescale dramatically different. She said it could take 4-6 weeks. And if I didn’t feel noticeably better after 6-8 weeks to go back (and indeed to go back before if necessary). My actual recovery would begin when the pain went away …
She gave me a group of simple exercises to do – oh, and some very strong painkillers. I stayed on the drugs for ten days and for all of that time they were really necessary!
I started the exercises immediately. Within a few days I had a physio appointment too. She was wonderful – stern and warm at the same time. She basically said that such was the state of my calves and hamstrings that I was an accident waiting to happen. Running was great in theory, but this MUST be addressed before I ran again. (And this explains why, though I sometimes enjoyed the runs and found a good steady pace, I never felt totally comfortable.)
So that's what I have been working on.
From doing a pre-injury, half-hearted ten minutes a day, I have gone to twenty minutes, then thirty. On Monday I did fifty minutes, following her regime of once or twice a day prescribed routines. On Tuesday I did a recommended thirty-minute Pilates programme in the morning and then exercises in the afternoon. I’ve been doing the full routine at least once a day for ten days and I can already feel a dramatic difference. I’m not pain free but am looser and more flexible. I’ll need to add new exercises as these focus on my legs, but she said it was a “life prescription” – I need to do these to stay healthy.
Even yesterday when I had a play in London, I did 20 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes before I left, 5 minutes pre-show, 5 minutes in the interval. Plus well over 10,000 steps during the day.
This morning I have done the half-hour pilates and have exercises and walking on my schedule for later.
When I asked the physio when I could run again, she said to listen to my body, but probably 2-3 weeks. (That would be in another week.) I said, “And start at . . . five minutes?” She looked really stern and said, “Two. Maximum.”
My lady has obviously been watching my progress closely and I told her all I did yesterday and how great I felt; "so I might run tomo-" I began.
"Next week," she finished for me. So that's settled then ...
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Gthants
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Ah, this is really positive stuff. Timeframe wise for getting running again and all the exercises too that you are doing. It's great that it wasn't a sipped disc. But listen, stick to safe paths and roads next time!
I was told yesterday that if I can hop on my bad ankle 10 times I can restart C25K - but she also said she expected this in maybe in two weeks. But not long if I'm sensible and keep up with the exercises she has given me. I'm also doing NHS Flex and Strength, some pilates (some good nhs videos on youtube), planking and some specific ITB stretches too. We'll be fit as fiddles after all this won't we!
Weirdly, this may be aa good thing long term. I will never be the definition of flexible, but I am more flexible than I was and I don't feel cut in half any more. Will be interesting when the schools go back and I have to get up for breakfasts and the school run, and as the days get colder, to see if I can start the day as I do now: out of bed and 20-30 minutes of some form of exercise to start the day. I feel great on it now, so keeping it up would be a bonus.
I feel better than I have in years too. Sounds like it is doing you loads of good. All these strength exercises are really going to help our running once we both get back to it. We'll be pushing sub 30mins for 5k I reckon I hope!
I keep meaning to ask too. You have mentioned plays a few times. Are you an actor or just like the theatre lots?
I caption theatre for the deaf. I work mainly for a charity in London, though do work elsewhere too. I do attend a lot of theatre, but I don't actually get to "see" a lot as I'm either head down script-checking or focusing intently on being on point on the night!
Oh wow! That's such a great job. It must feel really rewarding. I love a bit of theatre myself. I live about an hour away from Eden Court Theatre in Inverness and they have some really good plays on there. A few Agatha Christie type murder mysteries and a few comedies. And not really a play, but there was a great production of Rocky Horror on. It would be hard to sign the Timewarp and keep still enough at the same time
"No! I don't want you to do anything so stressful as that to start with."
I ended up re-starting running with 10 minutes repeats of: jogging for 10 seconds and walking for the rest of the minute. After a week of that I could increase the proportion to 20:40, and then gradually increase the duration and the ratio.
By the end of that I was doing an effort equivalent to C25K's week 3, so I resumed C25K at week 4.
And, in a "physician heal thyself" situation was that she had given herself shin splints trying to get up to 10km.
Good on her for coming clean and fessing up to that! I jogged down the garden today - just for about 40 metres and at a positively Japanese-esqe pace, but it felt very easy indeed. I reckon it makes sense to go back to C25K but in my mind I have something like your suggestion planned. I walk at a fast pace anyway and am walking for 30 minutes with (relative) ease. So if I go for a 20 minute walk and run for one minute of that near the beginning and one minute near the end, that should be fine. I will see how it feels and take it from there ...
Yes - a nice, gentle way to start. I am getting impatient now and I know I still have much of the fitness I had three and a half weeks ago. I could do 20 minutes. But I am scared of what that 20 minutes might do to me. So, logically, I know I actually CAN'T do 20 minutes! 🤣 I am (probably 😬) going to be sensible and build back up, even if I'll lose a week or so on the way ...
It is great fun to watch. I find it incredibly funny too no matter how many times I see it. The stage productions are always so clever and each one puts its own spin on it or does something just a bit different. But there's only one Tim Curry
Until Spitting Image yesterday it was one of the rudest shows I had captioned - as I also have inserts ready for audience shoutouts ... and narrator comebacks!
haha Oh yes. The audiences tend to be very witty don't they. And the show narrator, they must have heard most of it before but they do come back with some absolute belters
Oh, I remember Spitting Image in the days of Thatcher. It used to be a riot
Do you read a lot? I know you recommended the Vicarious Running book. I listened to his podcast the other day, it's quite funny hearing him trying to speak and run at the same time Anyway, I was thinking you might like The Understudy by David Nicholls, if you haven't read it already. It's humorous fiction, I really liked it.
I really like his earlier books up to One Day. That book broke me. Don't think I've cried over a novel before. Though I came close with "A Little Life". I've always written a lot too and studied Creative Writing with the OU. Very interesting course. But since then, I just can't seem to make time for it. But it's a great way to escape the world for a bit - both reading and writing.
I made a living as an advertising writer for years but always hankered for my own words. I wrote and self-published a novel during lockdown. Now working on something new.
Oh good luck with it! We enjoy reading your posts on here, not the same I know. Wish I could make time, just so tired all the time with my blood pressure issues and pulse. But the new meds are really starting to help. My problem isn't so much as writing a novel, but rewriting them. That's where the hard work comes in and I don't appear to have the patience. That was the good thing about the OU, it forced me to create actual finished pieces . So yeah, with my general laziness and BP issues it's a no go just now. But I have this really strong idea kicking around so you never know. Post a link to your book on here. I'm sure people will be interested
Phew, you must be so relieved it's not a slipped disc, but the road to recovery sounds intense. It sounds like you're really determined to see this through back to running which is wonderful and inspiring. We'll be cheering you on when you return.
Thanks for the update, Gthants ! How wonderful that the physical therapy is helping you build a good foundation for your running when you're allowed to try it again.
I am curious what kind of Pilates they have you do. Are these videos you could share? I go to a fully equipped studio three times per week and do some Pilates for Runners videos on several other days.
Positive stuff... Slow and steady and stick with those exercises for the calves and hams! You have got her exercises and there are loads on S and F too!
This is fantastic news. Bravo for sticking to the routines you were given by the physio. It’s clearly paid off. Good luck on your short run too. I’d start with a Jeff if it was me.
That sounds like a gruelling exercise regime- well done for sticking with it! I’m glad you’re feeling the benefits and I do hope you get to do your run next week without pain. 😊
Such a lovely positive post. It’s great news you haven’t slipped a disc. And your determination and motivation is inspiring! Massive effort going on there, and you are doing so well. Wishing you a continued speedy recovery! X
Glad to hear it wasn’t as bad as you thought. That sounds like a fierce exercise regime.. I hope you can keep it up and also be pain free very soon. My foot is pain free now so I’ve started thinking about what exercise I should be attempting, apart from walking the dog. Need to flatten my tummy again, as after only a few weeks limited activity it’s gone blobby.. so I’ve got the hula hoop out..😊
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RED February completed 🥳🥳
Just when I thought I was back on track...
NRC 10k plan: 6k run (week 3 long run) aka “when the fun starts”
