Being sidelined with an injury sucks! Only one week has passed since achieving my goal of cycling more than 5000 miles in a year, a short-lived celebration to say the least. My usual remedy, yoga, has only produced unbearable pain from the bottom of my left hip, through the same knee, and then down the outside of my shin. Interestingly, I seem to have full range of motion, but my left lower side really hurts. It’s a new pain, something very foreign to me, and I'm not sure what to do.
My inquiries have netted a lot of interesting advice. Stop all exercise, decrease activity, take anti-inflammatory medications, avoid them like the plague, stretch, don’t stretch, foam roll, don't foam roll because it's a waste of time, and on and on. One Internet search, from a massage therapist nonetheless, claimed that everything I’m hearing is wrong. Then, he attempted to build the foundation for a case against the conventional wisdom regarding my symptoms. Obviously, he had something to sell, and I’m embarrassed to admit that this “expert” had my attention for more time than I care to confess.
Eventually, I was forced to see my chiropractor. He believes I have ITB Syndrome, but two adjustments and still no luck. My way of thinking leads me to wonder if a chiropractor can do much to cure this particular injury. Obviously, I need to dig around a little, to search for expert advice and seek consensus from multiple sources. Following is a useful strategy I’ve discovered that helps me to find solutions and solace when the waters are murky and the obstacles to be avoided are not easy to see:
Foremost, take a few deep breaths and listen to what your body has to say. Meditation clears the mind and allows your brain and body to connect just enough to think clearly about what to do. Sometimes I’m inclined to rely on logic more than intuition, but experience has taught me the value of using this powerful tool as an equally powerful companion to reason. (I just experienced a strong impression to seek counsel from a medical doctor, something I’m usually not inspired to do.)
Next, take time to research and plan. Reading up on what others with similar circumstances have to say can provide valuable insight. I'm also looking ahead to the next logical steps in this process. Recovery and prevention are two very important considerations in this situation. Another thing I'm doing is the practice of setting positive intentions to see my way through this ordeal. In this case, I'm building a customized training schedule for my winter base miles. Research encourages creativity. Planning takes the mind off of the pain and suffering, which is both mentally and emotionally beneficial.
Last of all, work on other equally important items that normally get overlooked. I've been researching how to properly fit my bikes and making adjustments to them so as to avoid future injuries because some of what I've read tells me this is a potential cause for my current woes. In addition, I'll clean and repair my equipment, which usually prevents more unwanted setbacks. However, the greatest thing I’ll make sure to do is take time and fully engage in what matters most in life, my family. In the end, the are all my reasons and motivations for the crazy stuff I do.
Post Script: I wrote and then forgot to post this. My situation became worst, and I ended up seeing an orthopedic specialist. More on that to come.
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