Last Thursday was my first day of physical therapy. Of course my physical therapist is also a runner and was telling me all about running the LA Marathon this year. She just had a baby six months ago via C-Section and is already tackling the big 26.2! Good for her, right? I have to admit that I didn't like her for about five minutes while she talked about running the LA Marathon, which I will have to sit out this year. I started to like her again when she told me that if I get better that I might still be able to run LA, but with minimal training I don't think I want to risk another injury. Just as I convinced myself that I would sit it out, LA Marathon sends out an email with the 6-Week Marathon Training Plan! Very tempting..let me tell you!!
In addition to several strengthening exercises, I will also be given ultrasound therapy which is supposed to reduce the healing time of certain soft tissue injuries. and has many benefits (Source):
- Ultrasound is thought to accelerate the normal resolution time of the inflammatory process by attracting more mast cells to the site of injury. This may cause an increase in blood flow which can be beneficial in the sub-acute phase of tissue injury. As blood flow may be increased it is not advised to use ultrasound immediately after injury
- Ultrasound may also stimulate the production of more collagen- the main protein component in soft tissue such as tendons and ligaments. Hence ultrasound may accelerate the the proliferative phase of tissue healing.
- Ultrasound is thought to improve the extensibility of mature collagen and so can have a positive effect to on fibrous scar tissue which may form after an injury.
Then I just laid in the bed and did some exercises to strengthen my hamstring. I have to do the exercises at home on a daily basis and have the ultrasound therapy for the next five weeks. I am supposed to rest for 4-6 weeks and it has already been two weeks and a day! I will stick to the stationary bike for now and slip in a treadmill workout once in a while. All I can say is that I am dying to go on a run!
I think it is great that your PT is as runner. That would make me feel better. I can imagine how hard it is to resist temptation....
ReplyDeletehang in there!
be good and rest and it will pay off!
did you enter my jewelry giveaway?
I missed your giveaway. Reading these blogs makes me want to run so I have been trying not to read them too much. I hope to be running soon!! Good Luck this weekend!
DeleteI've had the ultrasound therapy done before on my knee and it works like a charm. I had to do it a whole MONTH leading up to my marathon with almost NO RUNNING!! i still ran. It was pain-free for the most part...until the run was over. Then I couldn't walk! But it wasn't my knee that was bothering me. It was my whole body! :-O
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear that the ultrasound therapy actually worked for you. I hope it works for me too! I can't believe you ran without any kind of training four weeks prior! That's pretty amazing!
DeleteI agree ... it's great that you have a runner for a PT ... she is going to understand you and your needs a lot better. Good luck with your therapy...www.dashingdiva.net
ReplyDeleteIt is good but then we get to talking about running and I miss it that much more :( I am hoping the therapy brings me back to where I was!
DeleteUgh, worst feeling in the world, being kept from your love of running :(
ReplyDeleteJust keep on resting up smart and you'll be back out there before you know it!
Sorry to head you're injured! Hope your recovery goes very quickly and smoothly. I did not have success with ultrasound- for me it just felt like wasting time. But, I think also because I was not receiving the best PT i.e. massage, exercises etc. Plus I had ITB issues and perhaps it didn't work for me. I am interested to know how it goes for you. Best of luck! :)
ReplyDelete