Last week’s visit to Health-Fit Chiro was a fun experience. While there were not any cool gadgets to take pictures of like when I jumped in the BodPod at SMAC a few months ago. Nope, just some BOSU balls, jump stretch bands, yoga mats, and blocks in their play examination area. I went in to get my left ITB looked at since it has been bothering me all month and they confirmed my suspicions: it’s tight and pulling abnormally. Luckily, this visit has double benefits, I get to do some rehab/PT exercises followed up by some active release technique (ART) massage in my lower back. I have only run once since last week and I got roughly a mile into the run before my ITB flared back up, so I have to figure out a way to keep up my cardio activities while I am sidelined.

The doctor diagnosed me with some hip extension issues that look to be related to external hip rotation, so my left hip only has partial range of motion while in extension rather than flexion, which he told me was pretty strange. I believe it is related to tightness and soreness I am starting to experience in my lower back just above the pelvis. It gets extremely tight and sensitive to touch after a run, whether my hip hurts or not, so I think I have a combination ITB and piriformis problem. Or on the flip side, one injury is definitely causing the other, I just cannot identify which way it’s happening first. It is probably something with my running form that is the cause as I do not have the same pain during TRX or other intense activities. My only run last week was a split of grass/trail and pavement and only after a half mile or so on pavement did my hip start to hurt, so I may no longer be able to run solely barefoot on paved surfaces. I had absolutely no issues on the grassy areas, so we will see what the doctor has to say on my next visit. I am just looking forward to the massage, it makes my back feel so much better and I just have not figured out how to replicate that at home, yet. ART may be a bit painful but it is an absolute delight.

This minor injury is annoying since I have three or four races lined up between now and the end of the year that I may not be able to complete which would totally suck. I am going to try my next run either solely on grass or in my huaraches to see how that affects me. I hate cutting off my runs at 1.5 miles just to limp back to the car and feel fine the next day.