Thanks, I'll check it out - also, I can't find my other attachments right now so stuck using the big ball thingee.
JeffD This is the massager that I bought last Fall after you guys were talking about them. I didn't want to spend a lot --- and didn't. Yet we think this is def powerful enough and like it a lot. You could look at the Specs and see how it compares with yours. Maybe it's more powerful than the one you currently have and would be worth getting. https://www.walmart.com/ip/FitRx-Mini-Pro-Massage-Gun-Handheld-Deep-Tissue-Massager-for-Arms-Shoulders-and-Legs/337484095
JeffD This is the massager that I bought last Fall after you guys were talking about them. I didn't want to spend a lot --- and didn't. Yet we think this is def powerful enough and like it a lot. You could look at the Specs and see how it compares with yours. Maybe it's more powerful than the one you currently have and would be worth getting.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/FitRx-Mini-Pro-Massage-Gun-Handheld-Deep-Tissue-Massager-for-Arms-Shoulders-and-Legs/337484095
i was out in the yard yesterday and picked up a planter box ... wham. My lower back convulsed. Now it's sore enough I couldn't run today it hurt too much. Now I'm using that massager on my lower back (with the soft rubber head). I usually can run again within a couple days when this happens.
KCam Sorry to hear about your back spasm. Hope it resolves quickly.
JeffD Yeah, the big ball attachment does not get deep enough into the muscle to work on tight spots in the hamstring. It's a good one for someone else to roll it around your back for a nice massage because it doesn't bounce off your rib bones and hurt. I also sometimes use it for side of hip when it's too painful for the "thumb" or "prong" attachments.
Hopefully the tennis ball technique will work for your hamstrings. My trigger point massage method (that I got from somewhere so long ago that I've forgotten) is to apply the pressure for a full minute - which presses the blood out of the area; then release - which allows blood flow back into the area. Repeat 3 times. Usually by then, it's feeling better - or you quit because you can't take the pain of it any more :-) This is an effective solution for a tight glute med too, targeted by laying on the ball on the affected hip. Those suckers can wreak havoc for sure.
Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done.
Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.
Hey all! It's been a while since I was a contributor to the message board but I am working my way back from a persistent injury. HappyFeat has been coaching me through my hip pains and I am making very good progress. I am back to being able to throw in 1 min runs into my workouts with no pain. Trying to keep it slow and gradually work back to a solid run. It is interesting going back the last couple weeks to see I am not the only one fighting injuries. I would really like to get back to doing some racing but I think it would be wise to target next spring.
Welcome back - glad to hear you're on the mend. We've all been there - still working on healing up after almost a year of aches and pains.
Best of luck with the come back.
Welcome back heffa! Post updates more often, I think it will help you as well as helping others (I need all the help I can get staying movtivated!).
This morning my Tue AM track group decided the workout was going to be a mile time-trial. Oh boy. After a couple mile warmup we were off and racing. There were two ahead of me who ran about 6 minutes give or take a second or two and one lady who was just a bit ahead of me. She usually destroys me in longer races (we did a 6 mile race last Saturday and she beat me by a minute) so I was just trying to hang on to her for as long as I could. I fully expected to see her walk away from me the entire time. But she didn't, she musta had a bad day because mine wasn't great but I did pass her on the front straight of the last lap. Ran 6:37 and it was so hard. Not even close to the 6:30 I thought I could run. I used to be able to run a marathon at 6:39 pace! I'm not injured or anything - just old! But it is still fun!
kcam - I'm definitely feeling the getting old effect too. My 25 year old son has shown quite a bit of promise in running but hasn't run in years. He was making fun of my recent walk/run workouts and slow pace so I challenged him to keep up with me. He did not take me up on the offer but I'm happy he didn't. He might actually be faster than me now...lol. I would be very happy to knock out a 6:37 mile.
A little more background on my nagging injury. Last June I was on a 10 mile run and about halfway I started getting some pain in my upper hip area (side and back area). I was 5 miles from the house so I just finished my run. The hip pain was still there in the following days so I planned to just take a couple weeks off and let it heal up before I started running again. Several months went by and I tried some short easy runs but every time I tried the hip pain would come back. About 2 months ago I with encouragement from HappyFeat I started a walking routine with some focused exercises on the Total Gym assuming I have a version of Polymyalgia rheumatica hip pain. Since then the pain has improved significantly but I am still keeping it conservative so as not to aggravate the situation.
Had a similar experience last week when doing a HIIT workout on the treadmill. I was set to do 6 sets of 20 seconds hard, 40 second recoveries. I set the treadmill to 10mph (6:00mpm) for the first 4 and they were hard. I did the last two at 11mph and they sucked. I used to be able to do a 5K at close to 6:00 pace and it mentally killed me after the workout thinking that I could barely do 20 seconds at that pace now without sucking wind.
Ran 6:37 and it was so hard. Not even close to the 6:30 I thought I could run. I used to be able to run a marathon at 6:39 pace! I'm not injured or anything - just old! But it is still fun!
I used to be able to do a 5K at close to 6:00 pace and it mentally killed me after the workout thinking that I could barely do 20 seconds at that pace now without sucking wind.
I guess that's what they make age groups for. You would think the masters division would provide some opportunities but there are some fast old guys.
heffa47 I'm happy that your hip pain is responding to exercises and a conservative return to running.
About 2 months ago I with encouragement from HappyFeat I started a walking routine with some focused exercises on the Total Gym assuming I have a version of Polymyalgia rheumatica hip pain.
I must have mistakenly conveyed something wrong though. The info I was sharing was from the Cleveland Clinic on gluteal tendinopathy unrelated to PMR.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22960-gluteal-tendinopathy
Not saying someone with PMR couldn't have that problem, but thank goodness YOU don't.
The info I was sharing was from the Cleveland Clinic on gluteal tendinopathy unrelated to PMR.
I noticed that after posting that I quoted the wrong ailment. The motivating part I had been keying on was in the article on PMR that talked about how inflammation loves stagnant muscles. That was the concept that drove me to focus on daily walks and exercises.
heffa47 Got it. Yes, me too!
Still making good progress. Bumped up my walk/run to 2:30 walk/1:30 run. feeling good. My home improvement project is moving on to the next step. Replacing carpet and hardwood with luxury vinyl. I'll be spending the next couple weeks crawling around on my knees. Hope it doesn't derail my progress.
Excellent news - keep up the good work.
Crawling on my hands and knees for a few days would definitely set me back. I have trouble getting off the floor some days after stretching.
I missed my 10 miler this weekend as my daughter had a soccer tournament at the same time. No big deal - I'm signed up for another one in June. So I started a new training plan for the next 6 weeks. Today was my first speedwork session. I did 4 x 2:00 intervals on the treadmill at around a 7:00 mpm pace. It felt pretty good - the pace actually felt more comfortable than I thought it was going to. I definitely could have run them a bit faster I think, but again not trying to push it too hard right now and flare up my sciatica or knee pain again. I still get some knee pain here and there but fully tolerable, none when I am running - mostly when I sit at my desk too long.
I still get some knee pain here and there but fully tolerable, none when I am running - mostly when I sit at my desk too long.
First thing that comes to mind is that when you are sitting, your hamstring is in a shortened state.
When you stand up, take time to do a ham stretch to lengthen it out again.
Over a few days of doing that, see if that helps the knee.