Incapacitating Injury -- woe is me!

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Woe is me! Never have I been so incapacitated.

3 weeks ago I pulled a muscle in my left calf. Strangely, it was not at the beginning of the run,
but near the end of the 5 mile run when I was fully warmed up and fully limber, so it just doesn't
make sense. One of those random sorta things, I guess. I ran the next day, it killed, thus I
realized it was a real injury. Took 4 days off, which for me is an eternity, ran 3 in a row,
aggravated it. Took 5 days off, another eternity, ran a day, took a day off, ran another day,
aggravated it. Took another 5 days off, tried running again Friday nite, couldn't even do a mile
without that pulling tearing pain in my medial left gastrocnemius (posterior calf muscle).

I know, I know, "physician, heal thyself". But what does that crap really mean? I'm no better at
healing than any of you, and I'm no better at taking time off than any of you devoted, hardcore,
committed, dedicated runners.

I am now resigned to doing NO running for at least 2 weeks. Of course, I will go crazy in that much
time, so I am returning to my long ignored Concept II Indoor Rower ergometer, which is a hell of a
workout, but allows the good leg to push for the bad leg. Yeah, I should do total rest, but that
ain't gonna happen. Doctors are well-known for being lousy patients themselves. I am not a bad
patient, but I am not quite a perfectly good patient.

The only race that matters to me is May 3rd, so I've got time to get well, then get in shape, and
get psyched. Wish me luck.

-- Josh Steinberg, Syracuse

Good luck. Couple of years ago I tore a calf muscle during a 10K. Took several weeks before it
healed. I still tend to get knots in the same place. Since then I have been told my left leg is
"significantly" longer than my right which "may" have been main cause of my achilles bursitis. I had
a cortisone shot in the bursa one month ago which seems to have done the trick. I am, however, doing
most of my exercise on a bicycle. dave

Josh Steinberg wrote:
>
> Woe is me! Never have I been so incapacitated.
>
> 3 weeks ago I pulled a muscle in my left calf. Strangely, it was not at the beginning of the run,
> but near the end of the 5 mile run when I was fully warmed up and fully limber, so it just doesn't
> make sense. One of those random sorta things, I guess. I ran the next day, it killed, thus I
> realized it was a real injury. Took 4 days off, which for me is an eternity, ran 3 in a row,
> aggravated it. Took 5 days off, another eternity, ran a day, took a day off, ran another day,
> aggravated it. Took another 5 days off, tried running again Friday nite, couldn't even do a mile
> without that pulling tearing pain in my medial left gastrocnemius (posterior calf muscle).
>
> I know, I know, "physician, heal thyself". But what does that crap really mean? I'm no better at
> healing than any of you, and I'm no better at taking time off than any of you devoted, hardcore,
> committed, dedicated runners.
>
> I am now resigned to doing NO running for at least 2 weeks. Of course, I will go crazy in that
> much time, so I am returning to my long ignored Concept II Indoor Rower ergometer, which is a hell
> of a workout, but allows the good leg to push for the bad leg. Yeah, I should do total rest, but
> that ain't gonna happen. Doctors are well-known for being lousy patients themselves. I am not a
> bad patient, but I am not quite a perfectly good patient.
>
> The only race that matters to me is May 3rd, so I've got time to get well, then get in shape, and
> get psyched. Wish me luck.
>
> -- Josh Steinberg, Syracuse

>3 weeks ago I pulled a muscle in my left calf. Strangely, it was not at the beginning of the run,
>but near the end of the 5 mile run when I was fully warmed up and fully limber, so it just doesn't
>make sense.

Sure it does, if you stretched before you ran. C'mon Josh, spill your guts, you DID stretch before
your run, didn't you?

Bill R.

Josh Steinberg wrote:

> 3 weeks ago I pulled a muscle in my left calf. Strangely, it was not at the beginning of the run,
> but near the end of the 5 mile run when I was fully warmed up and fully limber, so it just doesn't
> make sense. One of those random sorta things, I guess.

Let me play the doctor for a minute. :) Since you did not admit to any traumatic injury like falling
or stepping in a hole, I would suggest the injury is an accumulation issue over days or weeks. Go
back through your log book and see if you have been pushing more hills or more slippery conditions
causing micro tears. While warm muscles are less likely to injure it does not mean you have not
pushed too hard.

I'm sure you have some anatomy knowledge <g> but I would still allow a real "hands on" MT or PT
assess the extent and aid and abet the recovery.

I ran the next day, it killed, thus
> I realized it was a real injury. Took 4 days off, which for me is an eternity, ran 3 in a row,
> aggravated it. Took 5 days off, another eternity, ran a day, took a day off, ran another day,
> aggravated it.

Time off will keep you from screwing it up more but not necessarily the fastest healing. Hopefully
it's just a knot(s) but if you did tear it there will be scar tissue, which is very, very slow to
heal without massage and stretching.

> I know, I know, "physician, heal thyself".

Ok, a loaded question. If I came to you with this problem would you tell me to just stop running and
maybe an NSAID and nothing else? Might you not suggest at PT or MT especially with a type A runner?

> I am now resigned to doing NO running for at least 2 weeks. Of course, I will go crazy in that
> much time, so I am returning to my long ignored Concept II Indoor Rower ergometer, which is a hell
> of a workout, but allows the good leg to push for the bad leg.

Good, now work on creating an imbalance.

> Doctors are well-known for being lousy patients themselves. I am not a bad patient, but I am not
> quite a perfectly good patient.

It's really a toss up between doctors and nurses and who makes the worst patient.

>
> The only race that matters to me is May 3rd, so I've got time to get well, then get in shape, and
> get psyched. Wish me luck.

And to play devils advocate, that race carrot might be exactly what you do not need. Concentrate on
healing the calf - you have lots of years left to run.

--
Caveat Lector "the further you go outside, the further you go inside" - B. McKibben Doug Freese
dfreese@hvc.rr.com

Josh Steinberg <jsteinbe@twcny.rr.com> wrote in message news:<3E46BACA.D4AE2EDB@twcny.rr.com>...
> Woe is me! Never have I been so incapacitated.
>
> 3 weeks ago I pulled a muscle in my left calf. Strangely, it was not at the beginning of the run,
> but near the end of the 5 mile run when I was fully warmed up and fully limber, so it just doesn't
> make sense. One of those random sorta things, I guess. I ran the next day, it killed, thus I
> realized it was a real injury. Took 4 days off, which for me is an eternity, ran 3 in a row,
> aggravated it. Took 5 days off, another eternity, ran a day, took a day off, ran another day,
> aggravated it. Took another 5 days off, tried running again Friday nite, couldn't even do a mile
> without that pulling tearing pain in my medial left gastrocnemius (posterior calf muscle).
>
> I know, I know, "physician, heal thyself". But what does that crap really mean? I'm no better at
> healing than any of you, and I'm no better at taking time off than any of you devoted, hardcore,
> committed, dedicated runners.
>
> I am now resigned to doing NO running for at least 2 weeks. Of course, I will go crazy in that
> much time, so I am returning to my long ignored Concept II Indoor Rower ergometer, which is a hell
> of a workout, but allows the good leg to push for the bad leg. Yeah, I should do total rest, but
> that ain't gonna happen. Doctors are well-known for being lousy patients themselves. I am not a
> bad patient, but I am not quite a perfectly good patient.
>
> The only race that matters to me is May 3rd, so I've got time to get well, then get in shape, and
> get psyched. Wish me luck.
>
> -- Josh Steinberg, Syracuse

Shame on you Josh!! You of all people should know what the recovery time for this kind of injury is.
If you'd taken your medicine three weeks ago when you first needed it, you might have gotten by in
two weeks. As it is, you're now looking at at least that! ;-)

OK, well, good luck and a speedy recovery.

Try long easy sessions SPINNING on a stationary bicycle WITH TOE STRAPS OR CLEATS.
Excellent therapy.

It will be two weeks for me this Thursday. Did some testing yesterday, three or four jogs of 50
steps each with walking breaks (on the way to the nearby gym).

I felt the initial sharp twinge in the calf after running 45 minutes or more and stopped
immediately. Walking was not natural for a while. After a few days, walking was uninhibited,
especially if dorsiflexing the foot to overcome the stretch reflex. Location of the tear about mid
bone, just below the upper belly of the calf muscle.

Can now stretch out the calf but initially had to use a contract-release-antagonist-contract method
(CR, CRAC, PNF) to overcome the stretch reflex.

Treatment: vigorous massage before weight bearing in the AM so that it is never aggravated after the
initial injury, exaggerated heel strike while walking to overcome the stretch reflex, and,
stationary spinning for long sessions on the indoor bicycles, using cleats or toe straps. The
cycling does miracles for the lower legs! I did 2+ hours the last two Saturday mornings--back to
back spinning classes at the gym--and other nonimpact machines during the week. Did the yoga class
yesterday evening with no symptoms and expect to begin running again Thursday.

Cause: depleted and cold calf muscles from some lifting immediately prior to the run, with too much
emphasis on the concentric contraction instead of the eccentric. I take the bus out to the next town
and run back along the bridle path, and during the ride calf muscles can get stiff. Uneven ground
adds to the risk in this instance, though this has not been a problem in the past.

Injury occurred previously in the other leg about 20 months ago from too much rope skipping.

Doug Freese <dfreese@hvc.rr.com> wrote in message news:<3E47BC94.5010207@hvc.rr.com>...
> Josh Steinberg wrote:
>
> > 3 weeks ago I pulled a muscle in my left calf. Strangely, it was not at the beginning of the
> > run, but near the end of the 5 mile run when I was fully warmed up and fully limber, so it just
> > doesn't make sense. One of those random sorta things, I guess.
>
> Let me play the doctor for a minute. :) Since you did not admit to any traumatic injury like
> falling or stepping in a hole, I would suggest the injury is an accumulation issue over days or
> weeks. Go back through your log book and see if you have been pushing more hills or more slippery
> conditions causing micro tears. While warm muscles are less likely to injure it does not mean you
> have not pushed too hard.
>
> I'm sure you have some anatomy knowledge <g> but I would still allow a real "hands on" MT or PT
> assess the extent and aid and abet the recovery.
>
>
>
>
> I ran the next day, it killed, thus
> > I realized it was a real injury. Took 4 days off, which for me is an eternity, ran 3 in a row,
> > aggravated it. Took 5 days off, another eternity, ran a day, took a day off, ran another day,
> > aggravated it.
>
> Time off will keep you from screwing it up more but not necessarily the fastest healing. Hopefully
> it's just a knot(s) but if you did tear it there will be scar tissue, which is very, very slow to
> heal without massage and stretching.
>
> > I know, I know, "physician, heal thyself".
>
> Ok, a loaded question. If I came to you with this problem would you tell me to just stop
> running and maybe an NSAID and nothing else? Might you not suggest at PT or MT especially with
> a type A runner?
>
> > I am now resigned to doing NO running for at least 2 weeks. Of course, I will go crazy in that
> > much time, so I am returning to my long ignored Concept II Indoor Rower ergometer, which is a
> > hell of a workout, but allows the good leg to push for the bad leg.
>
> Good, now work on creating an imbalance.
>
>
>
> > Doctors are well-known for being lousy patients themselves. I am not a bad patient, but I am
> > not quite a perfectly good patient.
>
> It's really a toss up between doctors and nurses and who makes the worst patient.
>
> >
> > The only race that matters to me is May 3rd, so I've got time to get well, then get in shape,
> > and get psyched. Wish me luck.
>
> And to play devils advocate, that race carrot might be exactly what you do not need. Concentrate
> on healing the calf - you have lots of years left to run.

Josh Steinberg <jsteinbe@twcny.rr.com> wrote in message news:<3E4A5CDF.DE969096@twcny.rr.com>...
> amh wrote:
>
> > I feel your pain and raise you bruised ribs. Otherwise I feel fine, except for sneezing and
> > laughing. I walk around thinking I'm ready to run but the first step I take I feel as though
> > being hit in the ribs with a bat. I can't even ski and we are finally having winter here in NYC.
>
> ouch, the ribs are bad. Those rib muscle strains sideline pitchers and hitters on the baseball
> disabled list for weeks. Speedy recovery to you! -- Josh

Thanks for the wishes and back at you too.

We'll be running soon enough.

Andy

Doug Freese wrote:

> What is the likeliness that while imbalance within rowing is normal, yet with sports like running
> may possibly cause problems over time. This notion of imbalance and muscles makes me
> uncomfortable. Don't you ever switch sides when rowing? If not, why not?

Short answer: No. Sweep rowers are either port or starboard. It's a whole body handedness kinda
thing. The outside arm is the power arm, the inside arm feathers the oar in and out of the water
requiring the finer coordination. And since one rows with one's legs and back far more than one's
arms, the asymmetries of where one's natural coordination and power and "linkage" from oar to hands
to shoulders to back to butt to legs to the boat is a big deal.

That being said, I switch sides. Not because I want to but because my team needs me to. My natural
and stronger side is port, but when we've got one too many port oarsmen and one too few starboard
oarsmen, I take one for the team and switch. The others simply can't but I can because I'm somewhat
ambidextrous. But I'm downright lousy rowing starboard. Can't apply power as smoothly, can't keep as
finely in tune with everyone else's stroke pace and cadence harmony as I can rowing port. When I'm
rowing port and the coxswain yells at me to get in sync and give more power, I humbly improve my
concentration and give it my best. When I'm rowing starboard for the sake of the team and not
enjoying my mediocrity and uncoordination very much and the cox yells at me, I break the silence
rule and tell him to **** himself.

By the way, there's two types of athletic rowing. Sweep rowing is what teams of collegians generally
do, where in boats of 2, 4 or 8, rowers 1, 3, 5, and 7 row a starboard oar and rowers 2, 4, 6, and 8
row a port oar. Then there's sculling in boats of 1, 2, 4, or even 8 where every oarsman has two
oars, one on either side in each hand independently. For sculling, the stroke is much more
symmetric. I find it VERY difficult, given that my natural handedness makes controlling one oar easy
and the other oar hard. If I could concentrate on 1 oar at a time, I could probably do it ok, but I
have to concentrate on both at once. Thus I suck bigtime sculling and make a habit never to do it
more than once a year. My team begs me to scull all the time. I shock them by saying yes no more
than once a year. Gotta keep 'em guessing.

-- Josh

Josh Steinberg wrote:

> That being said, I switch sides. Not because I want to but because my team needs me to. My natural
> and stronger side is port, but when we've got one too many port oarsmen and one too few starboard
> oarsmen, I take one for the team and switch.

You heard it here, Josh is a switch hitter.

I'm having a hard time convincing myself that "one sided" rowing and running are symbiotic.

> Then there's sculling in boats of 1, 2, 4, or even 8 where every oarsman has two oars, one on
> either side in each hand independently.

Now this fits my view of staying balanced.

For
> sculling, the stroke is much more symmetric. I find it VERY difficult, given that my natural
> handedness makes controlling one oar easy and the other oar hard. If I could concentrate on 1 oar
> at a time, I could probably do it ok, but I have to concentrate on both at once. Thus I suck
> bigtime sculling and make a habit never to do it more than once a year.

We all sucked at running fast, uphill, or more than a few miles when we first started. After some
practice we overcome these weaknesses. Do your one sided rowing on your weak side and then become a
world class skuller with physical balance. We can ignore the mental capacity for now. ;)

--
Caveat Lector "the further you go outside, the further you go inside" - B. McKibben Doug Freese
dfreese@hvc.rr.com

Doug Freese wrote:

> You heard it here, Josh is a switch hitter.

Actually, it is a benefit from running. I'm ambidextrous. I run with both legs!

> We all sucked at running fast, uphill, or more than a few miles when we first started. After some
> practice we overcome these weaknesses. Do your one sided rowing on your weak side and then become
> a world class skuller with physical balance. We can ignore the mental capacity for now. ;)

Now why would I want to waste all that time achieving competent sculling skill when I could be out
running instead???

-- Josh

I developed achilles bursitis (L) a fortnight ago, four days into a cycletour in south-east NSW, apparently from not adequate stretching of the gastrocs and solanus. On a chiropractor's advice, I stretched and massaged the muscles while still warm (ie every rest break), and was told all would be back to normal in 2 days, even continuing the ride. 5 days riding later (70-80k/day) I had to stop.

Back home, cycling is out, even walking is painful - so I'm swimming and continuing the stretching. However, I've read that massage can damage, healing can be lengthy, and RICE is the best thing to do now.

Am seeing a different chiropractor this week for reassessment. As I am not interested in bursa injections - as David has had - I'd like to know others' treatment experiences. Good luck with your experiments Josh. Hope you heal up soon.


[QUOTE]Originally posted by David Forbes
[B]Good luck. Couple of years ago I tore a calf muscle during a 10K. Took several weeks before it
healed. I still tend to get knots in the same place. Since then I have been told my left leg is
"significantly" longer than my right which "may" have been main cause of my achilles bursitis. I had
a cortisone shot in the bursa one month ago which seems to have done the trick. I am, however, doing
most of my exercise on a bicycle. dave

[[ This message was both posted and mailed: see the "To," "Cc," and "Newsgroups" headers for
details. ]]

Ven,

I'd look at the picture http://www.mindfulness.com/of1.asp The process is transverse friction to
gradually release the fascia so that the muscles can once again go through a larger range of motion
and therefore take the pressure off of your Achilles. Some use the words, releasing adhesions and
breaking down scar tissue.

Let us know how it goes. Oh, the issue may be due to the fact that you need to let your anterior
tibialis to leg go. Face a railing and turn 45 degrees so the leg you want to work is closest the
bar. Place your shin on the upper bar if you can reach or the lower bar if you can. (you can use any
rounded edge). Make a small circle with the heel of the foot and slide the shin down the
bar/railing. Small circles as if your circles are jerky they you're straining the tendon on the
anterior tibialis and not releasing the fascia or loosening the muscle.

Oh, and the problem may be due to the collapse of your arch.

Go to http://www.abe.com (http://www.abe.com/). Put in Mensendieck or the Title Look Better Feel Better. Buy the book.
It's from the mid 50's.

Do the exercises that Bess shows regarding strengthening the ankles, which is actually working on
the stirrup muscles: posterior tibialis and the peroneus longus/medius/brevis. Those muscles are the
posture muscles that help keep the arch active so that you don't stress the plantar fascia.

In health and on the run, Ozzie Gontang Maintainer - rec.running FAQ Director, San Diego Marathon
Clinic, est. 1975

Mindful Running: http://www.mindfulness.com/mr.asp http://www.faqs.org/faqs/running-faq/

In article <3f908f09$1_2@news.chariot.net.au>, ven <usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> wrote:

> I developed achilles bursitis (L) a fortnight ago, four days into a cycletour in south-east NSW,
> apparently from not adequate stretching of the gastrocs and solanus. On a chiropractor's advice,
> I stretched and massaged the muscles while still warm (ie every rest break), and was told all
> would be back to normal in 2 days, even continuing the ride. 5 days riding later (70-80k/day) I
> had to stop.
>
> Back home, cycling is out, even walking is painful - so I'm swimming and continuing the
> stretching. However, I've read that massage can damage, healing can be lengthy, and RICE is the
> best thing to do now.
>
> Am seeing a different chiropractor this week for reassessment. As I am not interested in bursa
> injections - as David has had - I'd like to know others' treatment experiences. Good luck with
> your experiments Josh. Hope you heal up soon.
>
>
> Originally posted by David Forbes Good luck. Couple of years ago I tore a calf muscle during a
> 10K. Took several weeks before it healed. I still tend to get knots in the same place. Since then
> I have been told my left leg is "significantly" longer than my right which "may" have been main
> cause of my achilles bursitis. I had a cortisone shot in the bursa one month ago which seems to
> have done the trick. I am, however, doing most of my exercise on a bicycle. dave
>
>
>
> --
> -