I haven’t written much about my ITB/piriformis lately. I wish that were because it hasn’t been bothering me, but sadly that’s not the case. After months of do-it-yourself rehab with at-home strength workouts, my foam roller and one of my son’s lacrosse balls, I sought professional help and went to a chiropractor. She diagnosed various imbalances, treated me with chiropractic corrections and deep tissue massage, and kept me running through my trio of spring races.
(Does anyone else think this is a creepy chiropractor picture?)
I was happy to be running, but she was not happy that every week or so she could measure a 3 cm difference in my leg length. And, while she could relieve that nagging tightness in my SI/piriformis/ITB, it always returned between appointments. Still, at my last appointment I was surprised when my chiropractor fired me. Of course, she told me that I was welcome to continue treatment, but she said that she shouldn’t have to be adjusting me week in and week out, and suggested that I get an evaluation to see if there is something else that is persistently making my right leg pull short.
(1956 Chiropractor Beauty Contest from the LIFE photo archive)
I asked around, did some Google research, and found a marathon running doctor who seemed to fit the bill. (I prefer to see doctors who are runners because they tend to understand runners and running-related injuries more than others!) My initial assessment was anticlimactic–he confirmed the muscle imbalance that a few reps of single-leg squats and leg lifts had told me months ago–and suggested that I start with 6 weeks of physical therapy before undergoing any more expensive/invasive diagnostic tests.
So, that’s where I am. I’ve booked my physical therapy appointments, but they don’t start until mid-June. Until then, I’m still doing my strength routine, using my foam roller, and trying to keep running.
When you have a sports injury, do you try to find a doctor who also is an athlete?
Do you see a chiropractor?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
man. I really had thought you were allll healed. I should know youre like I am 🙂 no mention doesnt mean healed. xo
Alas, I did too for a few weeks.
I do go to a chiropractor regularly & have for years. He's very supportive of my running & i'm very thankful for that. I usually go in once a month for an adjustment, but this month added a pre-race & post-race adjustment as well.
I hope the physical therapy is helpful!
My degree is in Kinesiology, and while I was doing that I concurrently completed an Athletic Therapy certificate program, though I did not go on to write my AT certification exams (NATA and CATA) because I realised by the end of my program that I had no interest in persuing it as a career. That said, whenever I get injured, I visit one of my classmates who is a practicing athletic therapist. She also went on to obtain her Physiotherapy degree but she only did that because PT`s can bill insurance plans while AT`s can`t. (I didn`t have the $$ after my 6 yrs in school to do another 2 yrs for a B.PT). She`s been great at getting me back to running again. When it comes to treating injuries – you need to treat the cause, not the symptoms – the muscle imbalances are very likely to be the cause, as are things like gait, running surfaces, shoes, how often, and how far you run. Hugs and good luck!!
Thanks. The trick for me has been finding the cause. Hopefully PT will sort that out.
"Does anyone else think this is a creepy chiropractor picture?" <- – Yes, totally creepy.
I hope PT helps and you'll be back to running injury free soon. Do you cross-train in the meantime?
I hope with your next experience, they take a look at your body's foundation — your feet. That's where the problems start. Whether that means custom orthotics or a different line of shoes, once that is straightened out, everything else should balance itself out. You should get your gait analyzed too, which will help figure out what's going on. I wish you the best of luck in figuring all this out. I know from being injured a few times, and going to a chiropractor myself, it takes a ton of patience.
I always look for someone who at least plays sports. They just get it.
If you have insurance for your PT make sure you have them check to see how much you are covered, my people swore to me it was only 20$ a visit. 4X a week for 2 months later I got a huge bill and I had good insurance at the time.
Yes, creepy picture. Very creepy.
I try to look for someone who runs too. They seem to get it. Good luck, the nagging recurrence is awful.
Chiropractic care has made a resurgence in growth lately This is because of the great advantages it has over other forms of treatment. It is non-invasive, unlike surgery, so it is being recommended more often. Chiropractic methods seem to focus on the natural healing properties of the body. All this has led to a huge gain in popularity of chiropractic treatment.
Aww, sorry to hear you've been fired. Have you tried finding a different one? It took me several chiropractors to find the right one. At first I saw mine every week, then down to every other, and now I only call when I think I need to, and I haven't called since April. It's weird how different each chiropractor is.
Hope you're able to get back in balance!
Pingback: Half Calf | Running With Perseverance
Pingback: Getting To The Core Of The Problem | Running With Perseverance
Pingback: My ITB Is A B*TCH | Running With Perseverance
My son has had various running injuries and we always feel so much better with a doctor who is a runner. There’s no comparison whatsoever. We find it absolutely necessary.
I pay my kids $2 per session for stepping on my back. I can send them right over to help you out. Yes?
Awesome article. Thanks for sharing. If you ever need some help on fixing your backs then why not give us a call. Visit our site for more information.