Newbie Pain Question

[Sofargoner]

Hi all

After my slightly elated post of yesterday, today's hurts. Literally.

After getting up from the couch last night (ironically) my back on the left hand side only lower down (just above my hip) was very sore. This increased to real agony and sleeplessness during the night culminating in 4am ibuprofen and only partial sleep.

In my 40s I knew I would get stiffness/aches etc generally but I wondered if this is linked to starting C25K? Two weeks ago I got a very, very sore neck but it went away after a day and a new (memory foam) pillow.

I'm not a hypochondriac (honest) have never had any back problems apart from a twist/spasm turning over in bed about a year ago (which again went away after a day) and the only change to my physical exercise routine is C25K. At work today it is still very sore - if, for example right now I move or lift my left leg.

Any advice or thoughts welcome, knowing its not classed as medical advice and I wont sue you. Just wondering if its linked to my new hobby......

[misswobble Graduate]

I dare say it will be exercise related as your body gets used to higher levels of exertions. Your body is sitting up and taking notice, making its presence felt. I took it as a sure sign that things were changing. I was kept awake by my "electric legs". Thankfully things settle down as we get stronger. Takes some time mind. Take an extra day or two's rest if needs be. When you do run again be sure to go steady ☺

Hopefully after a rest you will be ok to continue. I always have a 20 minute soak in an epsom salts bath post run as it's said it reduces inflammation. Feels good too 😊

[McFitty Graduate]

Have no idea if it's related to c25k but it sounds like your sacroiliac joint. Try lying on the floor, this is hard to explain! with a chair in front of you, so your bum is against the front legs of the chair and your lower legs on the seat of it, sort of like you're squatting only lying down. If that eases the pain then it's your SI joint. I'm not a medical bod but have had trouble with my right SI joint for years and the pain you describe sounds identical. Having said that it could just be mild strain but seeing the words 'real agony' in your post, I'd be very tempted to have a chat with your GP. Really hope it's nothing and you'll be back to 100% after a day or so's rest. Sending hugs

[Sofargoner Graduate in reply to McFitty]

Thanks mcfitty. I'm going to have to consult doc tomorrow. Pain got worse throughout day at work and on my drive home I was wincing in pain lifting my left foot to use the clutch. I'm a bit sad.

[Sofargoner Graduate in reply to McFitty]

UPDATE - saw a doc. it IS my SI joint. I can't type/spell it. I took ibuprofen all of yesterday and used the deep heat cold spray. She explained I am good to go once the inflammation has gone down. So I feel it better today so am going to have an extra day's rest then try again. Thought I would also do the strength and flex podcast and wonder if I should take AnnieM's tip about another pair of new shoes? Trying not to feel guilty - would this not happen if I was not obese? Trying to tell myself at least I am doing something about it but I can totally understand why overweight people trying something new give up and go back to the couch if they get pain.

[McFitty Graduate in reply to Sofargoner]

SI joint strain is 'usually' caused by lack of core strength and imbalance of the pelvis, so some core muscle strengthening exercises would probably help going forward. Glad you're on the mend!

[pollyp1 Graduate in reply to McFitty]

Good to know that doctors now recognise S.I. joint issues. 23 years ago a consultant told me, rather irately, that S.I. issues ONLY happened following high speed, high impact accidents and I was stupid for listening to my chiropractor (nope, not paraphrasing) - and this was after I'd been in a car crash that involved going through a dry stone wall at 65 mph...

[McFitty Graduate in reply to pollyp1]

😲unbelievable!

[pollyp1 Graduate in reply to McFitty]

This was just after he'd waved my x-rays at me in his clenched fist because I'd asked him if my S.I. joint had been x-rayed (no, was the answer)... if only I had the confidence then that I have now!!

[McFitty Graduate in reply to pollyp1]

Total nightmare. Is it fine now? It was years after a bad fall and complaining of pain in SI that they finally found mine had started to fuse due to misaligned pelvis, so now I have one leg marginally shorter than the other! I'm a bit passionate about anything SI joint related now!

[pollyp1 Graduate in reply to McFitty]

Oh I know that feeling. Hope yours is settled now. It's more or less ok, thanks - these days I can go months without thinking about it, where-as there was a time when running for a bus would put me in bed with unable to stand upright sciatica for a fortnight. Now running seems to smooth out all the niggles... (I am many stone lighter tho!)

[pollyp1 Graduate in reply to Sofargoner]

Keep focusing on the 'at least I'm doing something about it'. 7.5 stone later and I feel soooooo much healthier. It's taken years mind you.

[davelinks Graduate]

Go with misswobble, probably body getting used to the excercise, I had odd aches and pains and so did my wife when we first started at 60.

Maybe have extra rest days and you must take it slow & steady, and stretch after your runs, see how it goes, no need for doctor's at the moment...😊

[OldPossum]

I had back ache when I started although in my case I think it was triggered by yoga. It has gone away but I'm very careful to stretch my back too after a run. In fact I stretch neck, shoulders and arms too. Hope it eases soon.

[Anniemurph Graduate]

I'm sorry to hear you're in pain I would definitely get it checked out, but I have a question: what trainers are you running in? Apologies if I've missed previous posts and you've already had advice and you're running in the correct shoes. They are so important though. I've just come back from my trial run in my new shoes and ta-da - no hip niggles, which was the signal to me that my old shoes were starting to run out of puff.

I hope you can get the problem fixed, whatever it may be.

[Sofargoner Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

hiya , helpful post thanks. I am totally new to all of this. I do have new trainers, some kind of Nike running shoes that I bought in a sale, they are only a few weeks old....should I be getting fitted for running shoes, do you think? I do want to take this seriously. I have heard that some shops analyse your gait but I would be mortified to run in front of the staff!

[OldPossum in reply to Sofargoner]

Gait Analysis is nowhere near as scary as you think. You don't have to run for very long and the staff don't really watch you as there is a camera trained on your feet which they play back in slow motion to see how your feet land. Or at least that's how they did it at Go Outdoors. It would identify if you need any additional support because you are over or under pronating. Hopefully you will not be like me - I ran on my toes and they had difficulty working out what my feet were doing at all !!

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to Sofargoner]

First of all, get your back checked just to make sure you're okay. Then, yes I would heartily recommend gait analysis. Some people don't recommend it but all I can say is that I started in the trainers I had and by week 3 I was crying because of the pain in my shins. One pair of new shoes later - no pain! I would recommend finding an independent sports shop near you, personally I wouldn't go near Sweatshop since they were taken over by Sports Direct but that's a personal gripe to do with the previous shoes they sold me Ask around on here for recommendations near where you are. I promise you, a good local shop will not laugh at you. You will have to pay quite a lot of money for your first pair, but you never know, you might need an ordinary neutral shoe in which case you have the greatest choice.

I had never run on a treadmill before and was only on week 3, was 4 stone overweight, polled up in jeans, ran clutching the handles of the treadmill It's only for a very short time so they can see what happens with your feet, ankles, knees etc.

Good luck!

[Sofargoner Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

AnnieM I have just read a webpage on different kinds of running shoes - agh!! Confusing stuff.