Friday Ramble 11/12/21
This week: The problems -- and possible solutions -- in self-diagnosis, strength training for the gluteus medius, and a welcome to our new friend—the spin bike.
Something awesome happened on a little 5-mile run I did this week. Or maybe I should say that it was awesome when something didn’t happen. From the first few steps to the final stride, nothing hurt. That was a wonderful feeling because my runs have recently been marred by two persistent physical issues.
The first is right hip/ITB tightness leading to a touch of runner’s knee that I wrote about a few weeks ago. Longtime readers know this has been a trouble spot for as long as I’ve been writing this newsletter and many years before that.
The other problem is a bit harder to pin down. I used to refer to it as an ankle issue, but I don’t think that’s quite right. It could more accurately be described as a low-level throb on the outside of my left foot. Sometimes it hurts a lot for reasons I don’t particularly understand, but it usually settles down after I get warmed up and start moving.
Lately, however, it’s been a bit more severe. At its worst, the pain causes instability and forces me to alter my foot’s landing pattern. That throws off my gate and certainly doesn’t help Issue No. 1 at all.
In those moments, I think all kinds of horrible thoughts, like: What if I have a stress fracture and: What if this never gets better?
Despite our tendency to indulge in the worst possible outcome whenever something hurts, it’s been my experience that running injuries are usually manageable with proactive measures like rest, stretching, massage therapy, and strength training. If I went to the doctor every time something didn’t feel right on my runs, I’d go to the doctor every other week.
All of which is to say that maintaining a consistent running schedule in middle age practically requires that we also become amateur physical therapist, and that involves taking a trip down the running injury internet rabbit hole. Friends, it can be scary in there. Here are a few tips and tricks to navigate these confusing currents of information.
