Physical Therapy Update (Hamstring Injury)

If you've been a follower over here on the blog or on instagram for any length of time, I'm sure you've noticed my lack of participation in Orangetheory, week day runs, and long runs. Well, the reasoning behind this lack of fitness is not entirely my own.

For a while now (and I mean a long while now), I've been experiencing issues with my right hamstring. It would become irritated, bother me, I would rest/ice it, then it would feel better and I would move on. This cycle occurred once every couple of months, but it definitely continued. After some time had passed, I noticed that the interval between "flareups" was becoming shorter and shorter before one day, the pain stopped going away and began to travel higher - above my hamstring - and started to cause leg stiffness. I decided I would take a 2 week break from running (after Mayhem at Orangetheory was over) and mostly rest while on our cruise - with the exception being National Running Day because...hello, I can't miss that day.

My leg mostly felt ok on the cruise until our formal night when I was trying to waste time and chased Brayden up and down several flights of stairs for 45 minutes in heels. (Dumbest move, ever.) On National Running Day, I ran 2 miles around the ship and although I definitely enjoyed the run, that nagging pain was in my leg the entire time which also led to leg stiffness for the next day or so. It was only then that I decided to push my stubbornness out of the way and call my ortho. They were able to fit me in the following week and before I knew it, I had an order for physical therapy in hand!

Starting on a new physical therapy journey with an entirely new (to me) PT was scary and exciting all at the same time. Lucky for me, the one I chose is a runner, and her office is literally located down the hall from my work space! When I tell you this scenario literally could not have worked out more perfect, I seriously mean it!

This physical therapy center is setup in a one on one type manner. Basically, I have the undivided attention of my physical therapist for the entire 45 minute session and it's wonderful! She focuses on deep tissue, cupping (ouch), and proper technique.

What type of work does she have me doing? Well, on the first day, she introduced the...(insert ominous music here)...theraband...and I actually groaned out loud. For those who attend Orangetheory, I'm sure you feel me on this one! I always avoid theraband days if I can - which is probably why I landed myself in this boat in the first place! Note to self - do not avoid Orangetheory theraband days in the future!

Most of my exercises are centered around glute strengthening and alignment. The body working in a criss-cross manner seriously still blows my mind but I definitely see it here! It amazes me how a muscle weakness on one side of the body can cause the opposite side to overcompensate which then leads to the boat I'm in...injury.

Interestingly enough through all of this - my IT Band has not bothered me AT ALL which is amazing to be honest!

I've officially made it to the 6 week mark of a running/Orangetheory break which also means I've completed 6 weeks of physical therapy thus far. How am I feeling? Well, I the pain has gotten a LOT better. Although the pain is still there, it's not even close to the scale it was prior to starting with PT. I saw my ortho last week for a follow up and he was encouraged with my progress. He re-certified me for an additional round of PT and I'm so grateful! Hopefully with a few additional weeks of visits and strengthening, I'll be able to start running again slowly and we will see where that leads!

I also realize that hamstrings are quirky and can become re-injured at any time. Keeping up with this strength training is going to be ever important for me as I continue on with my running journey. I'm ready!!

So tell me, have you ever dealt with a running related injury? How did you overcome it? Anyone else have a successful hamstring injury story? 

Today, I'm also linking up with KookyRunner and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics!  

Kinesiology Tape

Over the past several years, I've dealt with lots of IT Band issues. It started on my left knee and was followed by my right knee because apparently, the right knee was jealous.

In the mean time, I've learned several tips and tricks for keeping the achiness and IT Band irritation at bay. Along with foam rolling, and my regular PT routine and strengthening exercises, I've also discovered kinesiology tape.

Taping up my IT Band was super easy and after watching several YouTube videos on the application process, I had it down in no time. However, one thing that still plagues me to this day is the stickiness of the tape. I've tried it all - from washing the knee down with soap and water and drying it well to using rubbing alcohol, hairspray, and everything else in between. My final assumption is that the tape just can't hold up to the humidity of the deep south. Either that or the pH of my skin is crazy. It could be the second one...who knows.

After reviewing the process of taping up my IT Band, I finally decided to stick to one strip of tape vs two - I ditched the "X" piece of tape over the side of the knee and decided to just stick with one long strip from the side of my knee, up my leg. This actually helped the tape stick better and helps with the IT Band issues during my run - win win!

So where my taping process used to look like the photo below....

Source

...I got rid of the blue pieces of tape and now just use the long strip that's shown as a black piece of tape in the photo above.

So, throughout the past several years, I've tried several different brands and type of kinesiology tape and decided I would share my thoughts and opinions on each one with you today!

First up is Loxley Sports.

I was sent two packages of Loxley Tape to try out. This tape is not pre-cut, but I like how the back has measurable squares. It took five large squares to make the amount of tape I needed for my knee. If the tape is not going to be pre-cut, I much rather it have a measurable grid as this one does.

As far as stay power of this tape, I give it a C. It's ok, but I know not to wear it on super hot and humid summer days because it definitely won't do the trick.

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Up next is RockTape.

I ordered two boxes RockTape for a race and even tried a temporary trial of Amazon Prime so I would have the take in time for the race!  I'd heard awesome and amazing things about this tape and I couldn't wait to try it out. To be honest, I wasn't super impressed like I thought I would be. The tape sticks ok but again, I know I can't use it on super hot and humid days. I do rank this tape higher than the previous one mentioned - it stays put better and lasts a bit longer....I give RockTape a B-.

This tape also is not pre-cut, so you can make the strips as long or as short as you'd like. There isn't a way to measure the size of the strips you need to cut, so I had to eyeball this one. Sometimes my strips were too long and sometimes they were too short.

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 Last but not least is KT Tape.

There are two forms of KT Tape - Regular and Pro. I've tried both and out of all of the brands of tape I've tried, the KT Tape Pro is hands down my absolute favorite.

I also love how these strips are pre-cut which is super easy for use with the one strip that's needed for my IT Band. However, I know if you have multiple areas to tape or you need to cut slits in the tape, a pre-cut option might not be your best bet.

As far as stay power goes, I give the regular KT Tape a B+ and the KT Tape Pro an A-.

 These also come in a wide variety of colors and patterns!

After having so many issues in the beginning, I did a little research on the KT Tape spray and eventually discovered that hair spray did the trick 90% of the time, so I never went any further with the KT Tape spray. Has anyone had any luck with it?

Have you ever needed kinesiology tape? If so, what has been your favorite brand? Do you have trouble getting the tape to stick?

Why Do We Get Injured?

I don’t know about you, but I’m loving all of the tips we’ve received from Jeff Galloway over the past month or so! The tips that focus on injury and injury prevention are definitely my favorite because it seems to be what I struggle with the most in my running journey.



Why do we get injured?

1.  Be aware of irritation of weak links.

• The Key Weak Links are body parts where my runners tend to experience injuries: Knees - Feet -Calf - Achilles -Hip - Glute/piriformis/sciaticia
• The body parts that YOU need to be aware of are the sites where you are injured or suffer more aches and pains.
• If you're sensitive to the first indication of irritation in these areas and take immediate action, it's possible to avoid injury. (I love to hear that…just means you have to be careful and not continue running through irritation – don’t be stubborn!)

2.  Stress buildup due to the way we train.

• Training schedule is too intense-not enough rest between stress.
• Adverse Training Components-speed is too fast or has too much, too soon.
• Running form-too long a stride, forward lean, bouncing too high off the ground.

Staying focused on the way one runs and following these guidelines can often allow runners to maintain a manageable increase without injury.
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Top 5 ways to avoid stress buildup-and avoid injuries
1.  Take walk breaks more frequently, and run shorter run segments
2.  Form: shorter stride, feet low to the ground
3.  Slower long runs, with more walk breaks
4.  Avoid Stretching
5.  Be careful when running speed sessions
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I’m going to pay closer attention to my form this afternoon when I go for a run. While “in the zone”, I have a habit of getting comfortable and not paying attention to anything…so yes, I’m definitely going to do do this today!

Interested in running the Jeff Galloway 13.1 in Atlanta? Keep reading!! :)

Register now for the Jeff Galloway 13.1!  The 2nd annual half marathon on Dec. 13, 2015 is currently $95. You can sign up with no risk! Take advantage of this low price, and if you can't make it, you can roll into the virtual option with no extra charge!

Disclaimer: As a Jeff Galloway blogger, I’ve been provided with these tips to share with you – no compensation was given in return. 

Fitness Friday–7/18 & Injury Prevention

Currently training for: Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon
 
Saturday – Baby Shower Day (a friend’s, not mine), no run
Sunday – 5 mile run in the rain (I enjoyed it!)
Monday –  3 mile run – low humidity! YAY
Tuesday –   2.5 miles with Jason
Wednesday – Rest day, although it wasn’t actually a “rest”…no down time after work…long story, even longer day.
Thursday – 3 mile run
Friday – Haven’t decided yet – getting off of work early, going to see how I feel.

This weekend, I plan on catching up on sleep. Last week and the weekend completely wore me out, so I’m hoping to have a chance to sleep in at least one day this weekend!

Recently, I began training for Fall/Spring marathon season. With new rounds of training comes new potential injuries. My goal this year is to run my races pain free and I’m doing everything in my power to reach this goal!

My number one running necessity is a foam roller. Without a roller, I’m not running.



My foam roller collection consists of:

• Mini travel sized foam roller (fits perfectly in my suitcase for plane rides)
• BCG Fitness foam roller (resides in the back of my car, permanently)
• Rumble Roller, large size. I plan on adding the mini travel sized roller to my collection soon 

After using foam rollers for the past two years, I finally found one that WORKS for me. Some people swear by The Stick – I swear by the Rumble Roller. Last year, I randomly stumbled upon this roller at Dick’s Sporting Goods and tested it out in the store (yes, I’m one of those)…

I’m not gonna lie, this foam roller HURTS…but it’s a “hurts so good” kind of hurt…and after testing it out, I knew I had to have one. Jason bought a Rumble Roller for me for Christmas…you know you’re a runner when….yeah.

Never foam rolled before? No worries – prior to my first experience with the foam roller, I googled and researched to ensure proper form. My running coach once said, “If it hurts like crazy, you’re doing it right!”

Here’s a few sites I found helpful to me

• Runners World Tips on foam rolling
• Runners World 8 Part foam rolling video series

Another necessity in injury prevention is an ice pack. Recently, I was contacted by the guys at TheraPearl to review their hot/cold sports pack.

Prior to using TheraPearl, I relied on bulky ice packs and frozen reusable cold packs that never stayed in place. I often fall asleep with an ice pack around my knee, so I was excited to test the TheraPearl, complete with sports strap!



I love that the TheraPearl is movable and forms to the area of the body it’s placed on (even frozen)! Another feature I love about the TheraPearl (I’m totally a nurse-geek for this one) is the fact that it holds heat/cold for the recommended 20 minute time span!



Guess what? This product is available at Target stores nationwide! TheraPearl is also available for purchase at Amazon.com.

Last but not least, my third and final running necessity is a good sports cream. I’ve tried everything from Icy Hot to Bengay patches to BioFreeze and Atomic Balm.

The aforementioned creams/gels all have a certain odor to them – which works in the sports realm. However, said odor does not work in the professional work force realm, especially when dealing with cancer patients who might have an aversion to certain smells.

Enter REgel. A few weeks ago, REgel contacted me for a review of their product and I agreed.



REgel is not just a pain reliving cream, it was created to help relieve pain, repair damage, and help athletes recover from soreness after a workout.



Guess what? REgel does NOT have an odor at all, which means I can use it while at work! Apart from relieving symptoms, REgel helps promote healing and long term recovery. All right up my alley, and it works. I love this stuff!

Along with a product sample, Thach (the creator of REgel) also offered a few extra IT Band exercises to add to my normal routine which was incredibly nice of him! I plan on sharing my entire IT Band exercise routine with you guys next week.

Thanks TheraPearl and REgel for this opportunity!

Disclaimer: I was supplied product from TheraPearl and REgel at no cost of my own. Even so, all opinions stated above are original and belong to me. 


What’s your favorite injury prevention tip? Have you found something that works well for you? Please share!