If anyone remembers - I restarted c25k again 3 months ago (re-re-started?) after breaking my ankle, but 3 weeks in, the joint swelled up and I had to stop again. I went back to my NHS physio - luckily they hadn't signed me off - and after some exercises at home she called me in for a face-to face. It's all down to my pesky hip folks, I do the exercises properly, it all looks good, but as soon as I walk any distance (or attempt to run) I lose form, and the ankle is taking too much strain. So it's back to ankle strengthening, hip strengthening, and trying to fire up the muscles that are going into hiding.
There's something odd going on. When I stand up after sitting for any length of time, I can *feel* that something in my bum isn't working and it takes a few steps before it fires up. Is this familiar to anyone?
Anyway, back to the physio in 2 weeks.
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grumpyoldgirl
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Soooo frustrating - I thought I was nearly there! It's been nice to see that you are making a bit of progress on your new leg, so that's inspired me not to give up (although February was a bit gloomy... staying that way gets you nowhere!)
May be worth looking up exercises to help with piriformis issues. Also agree with comment above re: weak glutes. Also exercises to help TFL and IT band and Psoas - they are all connected in one way or another. Strangely enough, even a shoulder issue can affect the lower half of your body sometimes. I used to see a brilliant sports massage therapist who used to keep me beautifully in balance before lockdown, but from all I learnt from her, (wish I'd had that knowledge when I was in my 20s), plus online stuff (use with caution!) and listening and getting to know my own body I have managed to keep myself in good working order over the last year. Inactivity, especially sitting for too long, is very bad for you!
Don't give up, you will fix yourself - hope you are feeling better soon.
Hello to you not grumpy, I am so sorry that you are continuing to have problems. I hope that your physio is able to help.My physio(s) (my first one was redeployed because of Covid, so I was given second one) both had me doing exercises for my glutes. I have never been very good at 'feeling' my muscles and one of the exercises I still can't feel my glutei in action. I think a number of my exercises are not knee specific, even though it was my knee that I broke. The idea being that if my other muscles are doing a great job, presumably there will not be so much strain on my knee.
Do you wear an ankle support at all?
I do hope that your exercises pay off and that your physio appointment is helpful.
PS
Did the areas of your garden suffering from honey something fungi recover? Sorry forgotten the name.
Hello stilltrying, nice to hear from you, yes I was given hip exercises but it looks like I wasn't doing them properly because the glutes weren't firing, so too much strain on the ankle joint. You've probably experienced this too, but until I could actually feel it firing up, I had no idea that it hadn't been doing it before, so I couldn't tell there was anything wrong. Physio could only tell with a face to face.
Not got any ankle support - seems some people think you're better off without them and building up the joint, neither of my physios were keen although the a&e doctor suggested it - but couldn't recommend one, so I was none the wiser.
I think the exercises are beginning to work, because my butt aches! so something must be happening!
I still get that weird thing though sometimes, that when I get up from sitting, it can take a few minutes before everything engages properly. I have to really focus on it until I can feel it engage.
Garden is still full of honey fungus, there's no way of getting rid when it's spread everywhere under the surface. I lost a buddleia to it this month - went out to prune it, and it was rotten at the base. I've now got a list of plants with some resistance, so I'll gradually fill in the gaps. I've got some lovely white daffodils that I planted in one of the gaps, so every cloud. Some things seem to shrug it off, luckily, so I've got two little magnolias that are looking lovely. Fingers crossed.
When I told (all conversations have been via the telephone) my physio that I couldn't feel anything happening in my glutes while carrying out my attempt at my exercise called glute walk, she just said that she expected that I was engaging my glutes even if I could't feel it. I can definitely feel them in my bridge with hip external rotation exercise. Not had any aches in my glutes though, so perhaps I still not performing the exercises as I should.
It was a long time after my fall that I just felt that my knee was asking for support. I wear my knee compression support sleeve for running and gardening. I confess I did wear it for my physio exercises, but even as I was explaining this to my physio I had an oops moment and obviously realised that if the exercises are trying to build up certain muscles, the support would limit the effectiveness, so no support for physio exercises.
I have noticed that my knee used to really know that it had a serious work out after the physio exercises, but now I don't feel anything. I think that is a positive sign.
I haven't seen any more honey fungus apart from the two areas last year. I have a buddleia that has completely outgrown its position. I am attempting to dig it up, pity the honey fungus didn't go for that! Sadly the magnolias that we appreciate even though they are in neighbours' gardens have had this year's petals ruined by the frosts. 😞
Some years ago my ankle problem was a result of weak hips. When treating my injury, my physio pointed at the issue concerning my underdeveloped core/abductors, adductors and gluteus maximus. Her words, not mine. Ideally, your physio should be somebody who understands running injuries.
Basically my hips were suffering from decades of poor activity. By working on those areas through specific exercises I increased not only the stability in my hips but also in both legs, all the way down to my ankles, further protecting and strengthening the knees as well. My body was much better balanced as a result.
The idea is to gain balance in your muscles. No balance and you’ll lose the symmetry. No symmetry and you are in trouble as I was before I learned how to deal with it. Until that's sorted, the problem will simply keep coming back.
Thanks mrrun, that's really helpful. It sounds like the same situation. I suspect I'll have to find another physio who I can see face to face more often. The NHS one I'm seeing is really good, but it's understandably a limited service at the moment, and most sessions have been over video.The stability all the way down to the ankles that you mention, that's what's missing with me. I had a lot of sciatica in that hip about ten years ago, and now I wonder if the pain from that is what turned the muscles off - I've been googling, and it's a known response to pain apparently. I'm seeing the physio next week, I'll have lots of questions for her!
That's the key. Ask questions and follow your instincts. If you feel the physio is struggling to understand what's causing the issue and how to fix it, get another physio. I've changed three. My osteopath? She is a wizard and should be employed as a government Health Advisor for Runners And Knee & Shoulder Fixer. My latest physio will get my marks on Monday when she examines my foot. A niggle that's annoying me. Bottom line and joking aside, we want our bodies to work to the best of our ability.
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Ideally, your physio should be somebody who understands running injuries.
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