Of course, I'm not a doctor and don't play one on TV.
But did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night?
Dave
Since the hard foam rolling seemed to help, I would second the recommendation to get a good sports massage if you can. I was skeptical of how much it would help, but when I started feeling some extreme pain at the back of my knee 2 weeks before my last marathon (without enough time to see a doctor/get a referral to a sports specialist/ go through that whole thing) I got a really good sports massage and told the massage therapist exactly where I was experiencing pain and in what circumstances. The massage was on the painful side but the next day my pain was extremely minimal and by marathon time it was gone entirely. It didn't flare up once during or after the marathon, and I haven't experienced it since.
I do not have anything to offer other than to say it is hurtin' season for marathon runners.
If you are training for a marathon and are not hurtin', you are either lucky, or one bad mutha shut yo mouth!
I hope you get better, Brad! Good thoughts sent your way.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
I've had ITBS that hurt high like that, though usually it hurts lower. The other thing that can hurt in that area is the pyriformis - butt and hip pain. Check that out on google and see if it matches what you are feeling.
Former Bad Ass
I do not have anything to offer other than to say it is hurtin' season for marathon runners. If you are training for a marathon and are not hurtin', you are either lucky, or one bad mutha shut yo mouth!
Ahem?
Damaris
I would check to see if there is an ART provider in your area who can do a massage on you. ART doctors don't care if you keep running (that's their goal, in fact) and they might be able to help. The last time I was injured my quad seized up and my ART doctor was able to identify the fact that the quad was a secondary injury - the quad compensated for the real weakness, which was my butt. Anyway, she fixed me right up.
I do occasional yoga on a maintenance basis to help prevent this kind of thing. Hope you are feeling better soon.
Upcoming:
July 27 - San Francisco marathon
delicate flower
I have no advice, but I am here to offer E-HUGS.
<3
race obsessed
Eek...
Sports massage and keep rolling. I tend to think ITBS as well even though you may be leaning away from it.
When I came down with it, the pain was a switch: a little sore then *bam* mid run so painful my leg wouldn't move and I couldn't put weight on it. Which was a joy to stop my momentum hopping on the other leg. Walking was perfect pain free, no issues, running was impossible. (even with a gun to my head ) though I could hop if I had too.
Unfortunately you have a goal race: but I would still suggest 2 weeks off starting today, then do a couple of days of easy runs and strides to check the leg, then hit your goal race as best as possible.
Worse case scenario is you F up your leg and cant run the race and/ or are down longer than you should be or you run and miss your goal.
Pull your head out of the race and try analyze yourself as if you were helping a buddy. What is the smartest course of action?
Good Luck, whatever your decision.
Oh hell, I know good and well what the wisest course of action is. Knowing that, I did a 20 mile progression run this afternoon. 5 miles @ recovery pace + 5 miles @ easy pace + 5 miles @ steady state pace + 5 miles @ marathon pace. There were times I was completely pain free and times I wanted to cry it hurt so badly. Honestly, what Susan said about Pyriformis caused me to do a smidgen of research and it is entirely possible that's what I'm experiencing. One bit of good news is that one of the treatments for Pyriformis is core strengthening and I have just started doing core exercises.
I gave some thought about what I should do at one particularly painful moment in the run. Here is what I know about myself. If I take time off, I can toss my sub 3:00 goal in the trash can. I simply can't afford to take time off if I'm going to make that goal. OTOH, if I don't take some time off I could end up hurt badly enough that I take a DNS. I'm OK with that. I'd rather continue training my ass off and take a DNS than jog the damn race. If I do DNS, then at least I'll go down knowing I gave it everything I had. Probably not the wisest course of action but at least I'm going into it with my eyes open. The other bit of good news is that neither ITBS nor Pyriformis do any long lasting damage to you - they just hurt like hell.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Hip Redux
Why don't you go to the doctor and get diagnosed for sure as being piriformis? At least then you know and know what the limits are or aren't and can start the treatment concurrently to training. Otherwise you could be pounding yourself into a serious injury that will be a long term hassle.
Healed Hammy
Sorry for the frustrating pain, we all share in your misery.
I'm sure this is not the only place you have looked for advise, just be careful not to jump on the first remedy that you read. Take time to look at all the possible solutions.
My suggestion is take Advil for 2 days. Sounds like a soft tissue, muscle or tendon matter. Anti-inflamatory should help, so long as it is not structural. Given the length and volume of your running, I would think structural issues would have surfaced by now. Perhaps skip one recovery run, take one URD with the NASID and see if that helps.
Drink up moho's!!
You mentioned Pyriformis in the team thread but my experience that is at the top of the leg in the back of the thigh almost at the hip. Discomfort but not extreme pain. Usually fine at a jogging pace, just discomfort at faster paces.
classic symptoms of a twerking injury.
~~~~~~~
Traci
We have a winner.