Emergency PT & the Incident of the Unhappy Quad

I am not going to lie.  Every time something that shouldn’t be twinging at me makes any sort of unhappy pain or unusual pain…or just pain…I get a little freaked out.  Hard to imagine, I know! *sarcasm*

Hey, after the past year of pain that wouldn’t go away and injury after injury after injury…I am more than a little anxious when my body is doing something that it shouldn’t.  Two weeks ago, after my physical therapy session and just before my sister came into town (and right before my first double-digit run since August 2015), my left quad (yes…the quad on the leg that doesn’t have a torn hip labrum) had a knot of pain near the top.  Not at the hip…but at the front of the leg.  I freaked out (a little) and e-mailed my physical therapist.  She told me that it sounded like a muscle strain and to just roll it and stretch.  And to keep runs on ground as flat as possible.

Easier said than done in this area.  And, wouldn’t you know it, the group run that Saturday (for 10 miles), was straight up to the top of Iroquois Park.  I actually got through the run without problems, and failed to stretch or roll any of that weekend because I was hanging out with my sister and nephew, which was WAY more important.  But…I was doing good.  I just had that little knot of pain that would flair up when I’d stand up or…go upstairs.

I rolled, I skipped hill repeats and opted for the mileage on the very flat treadmill (in the sweltering hot gym).  And I even skipped out on The Hard 10 run, which I love doing with my favorite peeps from my running group, but it would have been another stint all the way to the top of Iroquois Park, and I figured I best obey my therapist and not run that hill again.  It’s a steep one.  A big one.  So, instead I went out and rocked 13.15 miles around Seneca Park.  The quad did fine during the run, and even handled the few hills that I had to get over without even a flare-up.

But I still had that little knot there.  On Tuesday, I went out to Iroquois Park to do hill repeats with group…and came out of that better than I thought.  For one thing, my hip flexor on the right leg wasn’t hurting as much or as tight after the 8 hill repeats I did.  The quad handled it just fine.  And I was doing this all in new shoes (which gave me a blister (GRRR!)…

But when the pain was still there…now 2 weeks later, I decided to get in touch with my physical therapist.  She decided that I needed to come in for a quick assessment, asked me a few questions, and arranged for me to come in this afternoon at 1 p.m.

After doing a little stretching with my left leg, she determined I have a strained Rectus Femoris…probably brought on by all the hills that I am running these days.  No big deal.  Lots of rolling, sticking, and trigger point and it should work out.  And…once again…I am to keep runs as flat as possible.

So, at least there was good news.  I was getting all worked up, because I had visions of this past year and all the trouble and pain and frustration the hip flexor and hip labrum in the right leg. I just knew the same thing was happening now with the left leg.  But…thankfully, that’s not the case.  She added a new stretch for me and sent me on my way.  Easy fix.

YAY!

So…that’s the latest.  I did attempt a few sprint intervals on my 4 mile run this morning, but my legs just aren’t firing fast right now.  It’s frustrating, but I’m sure it will come in time.  For now, I’ll just keep focusing on my form.  The rest will fall into place from there.

…at least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

Guess I’m off to do some foam rolling.