ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY -- THE NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE UNDONE

I am now nearing the end of my sixth week with hamstring pain. This has been one of my worst injuries in the last ten years of running. It started as a bad cramp at the end of a half marathon in Columbus and progressively got worse as the weeks went by. We've tried rest and ASTYM therapy, but neither offered a quick remedy to my problem. December and the kick off of Boston Marathon training is coming quickly. Unfortunately, my hamstring is not ready to get the party started.

My symptoms: I can run about two miles pain free, and then discomfort begins. If I push through the discomfort, the hamstring will strain and will hurt for about week. If I stop and walk before it strains, the hamstring feels sore for about a day, and then I'm pain free again. I usually don't run for a week, even though I may be pain free, but the cycle repeats.

Yesterday, my physical therapist, Justin Kiger at Mountain River Physical Therapy, tried an alternative treatment--acupuncture therapy. Basically, Justin turned me into a pin cushion or perhaps a voodoo doll. He inserted a series of needles from my lower back, into my buttocks, hamstring and calf. I must confess, this was not a painless procedure. However, I endured it and didn't cry like a baby. It was more like a steady whimper. He hopes to accelerate healing and determine whether the source of the problem is more neurological or muscular. I've had sciatica problems in the past.

I limped around the rest of the day, but Justin warned me I'd have some muscle pain from the invasive needles. Today I feel fine. My hamstring is still a little tight from yesterday's two-mile easy run, but not bad. He wants me try another easy run on Saturday to see if there is any improvement. I'll probably go through another round of acupuncture therapy on Tuesday. I'll update the blog then to let you know what happens.

Here's an article proclaiming the effectiveness of acupuncture on hamstring injuries:
http://momentummedia.uberflip.com/i/397072/15?referer=45683aa20c295ce9ecaccf337983d9c6

Hopefully, this needling will do the trick. If not, I might have to make an appointment with a psychoanalyst or maybe a whole team of psychologists.

Happy running,

Joe C. Ellis



CURSED HAMSTRING

While running the Columbus Half Marathon on October 19, I encountered some hamstring pain. The discomfort began at about the ten-mile mark, but I kept pushing it to the end. The next day I definitely felt that I had strained something back there. I continued to train for the next week and a half, but the hamstring pain worsened. I wasn't going to let this stop me. No way. But it hurt too much to run.

I decided to take a week off and let it rest. Then I tried an easy six miler. Not a good idea. I only made it through two miles before the pain began again. At two and a half I had to stop and walk home. I took two weeks off and made an appointment with a physical therapist, Justin Kiger at Mountain River Physical Therapy in St. Clarisville, Ohio.. After two sessions of ASTYM treatments, stretching and strengthening exercises, and massage with a Styrofoam roller, I convinced Justin to let me jog a few miles. With some reservation he approved.

The next day I attempted an easy six miler. The first three were pain free. At about three and a half, tightness and discomfort returned so I walked the rest of the way back. Today the hamstring is sore again. Running the Turkey Trot next week in Wheeling, WV is out of the question. Isn't it?  Now I'm seriously wondering how much this injury may impact my Boston training scheduled to begin in December. CURSED HAMSTRING!

The moral of the story: Some running injuries, especially certain hamstring strains and tears, require a long period of non-running. The pain may go completely away, but if you start back too soon, chances are you will reinjure yourself. Don't be foolish (like me). Take the time off and let it heal completely.

I've missed the last two local races, but I keep telling myself: I have bigger fish to fry. Boston training starts soon. If I'm not careful, I could screw up the month of December. I keep telling myself, "You won't go crazy if you take some time off. No. No crazy. No way. Hahahahaa. No way. I'm not crazy! Is that a purple monkey sitting next to me?"