Another rehab video

Because I know lots of people have found this blog by searching for 'high hamstring tendinopathy' I thought it'd be worthwhile posting another one of the rehab/strengthening exercises I'm doing.

Because I'm not too keen on starring in my own video, I found this example on YouTube:

If you're a fellow HHT sufferer and you have any rehab, exercises or treatment you're finding is working, you're welcome to post a comment or send me an email at johp.mail@gmail.com - I'll add it to the stuff I'm doing to try and get over this bastard of an injury and I'll share it with everyone else.

Currently my right side is feeling good but my left side played up in the last few minutes when I went for a 40 minute run yesterday. And I'm unfit. It's not a nice feeling.

Ow, my bum

It's been a week since my second lot of PRP injections, and boy, has it been a long and difficult week.

Apparently I did too much after my injections last time so this time Dr Kuah said, very clearly, that I was not to run or ride for two weeks. I could swim but only if I used a pool buoy. He then wrote it all down and underlined the word 'STRICTLY' on it. He was serious.

The purpose of all this is to give the tendons the best possible chance to repair. It makes sense, but that doesn't mean it's easy.

Do you know that swimming using just your arms is boring? And slow?

To be honest, the main thing that has been hard to deal with isn't being told I can't ride or run - yes, that's not fun but I can see it has a purpose. The biggest hurdle I'm facing is coming to terms with everything I'm going to miss this year.

No Canberra Marathon. No SMH Half. No state road 10k. No SMC. No Woodford to Glenbrook (there goes the chance of winning five years in a row). Highly unlikely I'll be able to do M7 Cities Marathon.

It's a bummer alright and I spent quite a few days feeling really down in the dumps. And frustrated. And I probably wasn't the most fun person to be around. (Public apology to my husband and thanks to family who went on a 'cheer up Joh' campaign on Sunday).

Physically, I think the post-injection pain has been a little worse this time. I didn't bruise as much as the first time, but sitting in a car for more than 15 minutes really hurts it. When I'm working on my computer I move around a lot (the joy of laptops) so I'm constantly changing position. I joked with my husband that I think Dr Kuah must have done something different this time in order to stop me running too soon.

I'm back doing rehab exercises and my right side is responding really well - I actually think the right side might have been OK with only one injection. As for the left side, Dr Kuah said he feels it'll probably need a third injection in four weeks, but Brent (physio) will test things out before that date and we will decide from there.

I'm hoping it doesn't need another one so I can start getting into some proper (if modified) training. Another injection means more time spent doing nothing (OK, pool-buoy swimming). Having said that, I'm obviously going to do whatever Dr Kuah and Brent recommend. They're the experts, they've got a lot of experience with high hamstring tendinopathy and I've got a lot of confidence they're giving me the best treatment and advice.

Oh I miss running. Miss, miss, miss it so much.

Everyone's looking for an answer

The amount of people who have stumbled across this blog because they've been Googling "high hamstring tendinopathy" really surprises me. For an injury that's supposedly uncommon there are lots of us searching for a successful way to treat it and get back to our running. 

With that in mind, I thought I'd post another one of the rehab/strengthening exercises I've been doing. I found this example on YouTube. One thing you've got to be aware of (and something I've been doing wrong up until starting physio with Brent) is that you're not supposed to squeeze your butt cheeks together. Instead, you've got to focus more on the outer part of the glute. If you're suffering from HHT (and yours is anything like mine), the area you're supposed to be working is the same area you get relief from when you poke it/massage it, if that makes sense. 

After my injections on Wednesday I developed quite substantial bruising at the injection sites by Friday.  Big and purply/red. Yuk. I have a photo but it's not the greatest angle! The bruises have faded now and, although the injection sites are still a bit tender, everything is feeling much, much better.

I had my first run since the injections yesterday (Sunday), which was only 30 minutes. I ran again tonight for 40 minutes and I really felt great. Much stronger and moving a lot easier. I find it hard to believe that the injections have worked so quickly (they are a gradual thing, although I read somewhere they start doing 'stuff' about 10 minutes after having them), so I'm more inclined to think the rehab exercises are doing their job. I've biked every day since Friday (couldn't do a thing on Thursday). Aero position is great because there's less weight resting on the injection sites.

I miss training. I miss racing. I miss feeling strong. I miss the tired satisfaction of completing a difficult session.

I just want to get back into it.

Struggling

I've been trying to remain very positive whilst treating this injury, but the past weekend broke my spirit a little.

I was entered into Canberra 70.3 - my first half Ironman. Obviously I didn't race.

Even though the focus isn't on triathlon any more (after deciding not to do Ironman next year and to focus on running the best marathon I can), I was still pretty excited about giving the half Ironman a shot. My bike leg wouldn't have been great but I was confident of having a strong run leg given my recent form.

Sunday was also SMC - a series I love and I've done quite well at over the past few years. I missed that too.

I avoided social media because I just didn't want to hear about everyone's race adventures (or mis-adventures). The problem with having lots of athlete friends is that it's hard to avoid talk of training and racing.

I haven't run in 15 days, and I haven't done anything of quality for more than three weeks. I have been poked and prodded and pulled and pushed in all sorts of ways. I'm sick of it now. I feel completely lost - generally my life is guided by routine (it's the only way I can fit everything in) and now I'm left floating without a real sense of direction. I hate that I don't feel like I've achieved anything at the end of the day. I'm bored. I'm frustrated.

Some of the things I've been doing to try and fix this stupid injury include:
massage, physio and physio rehab exercises, hamstring strengthening exercises, chiropractor, Active Release Technique (ART), yoga (for the mind as much as the body).

I've been swimming and riding to keep my fitness up, as well as doing general weight work to increase my upper body and core strength. Every day I think about how all the gains I've made since August are just slipping away. Canberra Marathon is in 16 weeks. I wanted to run sub-2:50. I've got to get this thing fixed so I can get into quality training, otherwise that time is not going to happen.

I'm seeing the physio after work tomorrow and I'm really hoping he says there's been some improvement.

I know that in the big scheme of things my injury troubles hardly rate a mention - there are so many people in the world with real problems and disasters and heartbreak. I acknowledge that - I really do - but personally, keeping in mind my dreams and lifestyle, this is really, really difficult for me.

I'm struggling.