I don’t have alot of time to go into detail now but I will right more tommorrow. Those that have been helping me will know I have had injury problems. The chiropractor I saw in Brisbane, who is ART certified, said I had very tight glute medius, lower back region, and IT band. Also a tight rhomboid on the right side. He gave me some treatment and got me to train to see how I responded. I tightened up very quickly in my problems areas, and he got an exercise physiologist to have a look at me. Apparently my core is to weak and my hip flexors overdeveloped. Also I described the sharp pains I get in my gluteal regions [both sides] and under my pubic region. He said it was probably tendonitis and very difficult to remedy. He said I could train, just to be careful. I got about 4 treatments from him while I was away, which helped loosen my problem areas temporarily, but they always tightened back up within 24 hours, and now a week or so later, I am the same as i was before I saw him.
I have been researching tendonitis, Bursitis, Ostetis Pubis on the net and have found out it is very bad news, if that is indeed what I have.
I use self Myofascial release to help my tight areas [where possible], and I will be getting weekly therapy, most likely deep tissue massage once a week focusing on Glute medius, lower back area, glutes, adductors, It band and hamstrings. And I’m working on my core strength, but all this is only going to help prevent future injuries. I NEED TO GET RID OF WHATEVER IT IS I HAVE! NOW! So the impression I got from the chiro was he was good at treating my overall condition - fixing my flexibility problems etc but not so good at treating my ‘tendonitis.’ In fact he didn’t help my ‘tendonitis’ at all! So I have a few questions about what sounds like my best options:
Would an MRI of the ischial and pubic areas be the best diagnostic tool?
If the MRI revealed no problems, would it be just a minor twinge and nothing bad? Basically if I got an MRI on all the areas where I have had this sharp pain before, would the MRI show if there was a problem? If the MRI revealed nothing would it mean it wasn’t any of the possible conditions I listed?
This time last year, I had the same sharp pain on my left side as i do now [at this point it should be noted I was severely overtraining]. I didn’t know what it was, but I kept trying to train on it unsuccessfully for 8 weeks. Eventually I took a full week off before seeing this guy about it in my area. He ran this sharp pointy thing over all my ‘energy lines’ as he called them and inserted this pointy gun thing onto my body in a few areas and shot it into me. The next day I played at maximun effort and it only twinged once. The day after it was completely gone. For the rest of the year I didn’t really have it, except some ocassional pain under my pubic region. It started to come back in december, on the left side and under the pubic region, and in early january when I was walking a dog, the dog pulled across me. It was slippery, and my right leg got pulled across in front of me. I got a sharp pain at the top of my hamstring region - I now had ‘tendonitis’ on both sides. Anyway what I want to know is does my condition sound that bad? I mean I didn’t really have any reoccurence for almost a year [apart from ocassional pain in the pubic region that was only ever a few twinges now and then] so if I fix all my strength imbalances [weak core, strong hip flexors] and flexibilty problems [tight glute medius etc] I should be able to prevent it reoccuring shouldn’t I? And my current ‘tendonitis’ isn’t chronic is it, just because it has reoccured? [I have read many internet horror stories about what happens when these problems become chronic]. I mean do I SOUND fixable and able to prevent reoccurence?
Is there anyone, or anything, I should look into to find out what it is, and to get a diagnosis and then treatment? Any specialists who sound like they could help me? Or should I just do the MRI on the ischial and pubic areas and then that would tell me if there was any problems.
Sorry for an overly long description, but I really needed to vent and get some opinions. I really feel like I have no where to turn. I know what my strength imbalances are and my flexibility problems are. They are fixable I am not worried about them, but I have this ‘thing.’ This tendonitis or bursitis or whatever the fuck it is. I want to get rid of it. I want to get a proper diagnosis and treatment to fix it. Then I want to PREVENT it coming back. The chiro I saw [who was very helpful and kind, but I feel these conditions weren’t his strength] said these conditions could be likened to tennis elbow / lateral tendonitis / Osteitis pubis and are very difficult to rememdy if at all. He said you cannot prevent them reoccuring and they can do so at any time. But surely I can prevent them coming back? I pray that you can anyway. Thanks for any help, and reassurance that I’m not doomed to a lifetime of tendonitis.
Of course it can be fixed. And the only way to do it permanently is to take care of those imbalances as you say. MRI’s are a great diagnostical tool, but unfortunately just that. They show you the symptom, not the cause of the symptom. First go for the obvious and fix your posture and if that doesn’t help then do more diagnosing.
A good place to start is at www.egoscue.com where you can find several options. There are general programs for free, but a personalized approach is always more efficient. What ever you decide to do, remember to ask the next locigal question: WHY is it hurting? Why is there a tendinitis? As an example, a client went to a doctor because of left hip pain and the MRI showed no cartilage left in either hip. So why only one hip was hurting? So the usual explanation for hip pain, it’s because of your age/lack of cartilage/etc., isn’t really convincing, is it. Always be critical of what the experts tell you. Especially me (although I don’t consider myself quite an expert)
Thanks for the good advice jumpman. I think the best way to fix and prevent the tendonitis or whatever it is is to merely work on my imbalances. And to train lightly until the tendonitis dissapates on its own. I don’t need professional therapy to release my tight areas do I? Can’t I just do self myofascial release, and get my dad to give me a 40 minute deep tissue every second day or so?
To be realistic though, this may be all you have, so use what is available. It can work well, but skilled therapists are the best. Maybe you could go once or twice a month?
I know, I know. The best option would be to get proffessional therapy every day!! Imagine getting ART, Accupunctre, Rolfing, deep tissue etc done on a daily basis! But you see here is my problem. I could easily afford a weekly massage. And to go say every 2 weeks to the chiro. But my parents think I am becoming obessive compulsive. They think I have this mind problem, because I spent last year going to all these physios to fix my problems [who were all crap] and that I think I’m like someone who thinks his sick but his not, or someone who thinks his injured but his not. They basically think, that I think I need to always get proffessional work done because I have problems. I tried to explain that I only need to get proffessional work done reguarly until I’m 100%, then just a maintenance session to the chiro every 2 weeks or so. [a weekly deep tissue massage in my area would have been good, but my dad will be giving me almost daily deep tissues for around half an hour so thats no to bad].
It’s really unfortunate, because I can see where they are coming from, they just don’t understand the importance of therapy!! They really love me and care about me, and they actually think they are helping me by doing this!! Thats my prob at the moment. But I can still fix my current tendonitis [or whatever it is]. And then get my body to 100%. It’s important that I believe that and stay positive.
That’s the right attitude, man. You know, you can be your own professional therapist by doing the correct exercises every day. That’s the way I did it (and continue to do) and encourage everyone else to do the same. Haven’t been to a chiro or massage in almost two years. Just don’t seem to need that anymore because the muscles are taking care of themselves.
There’s no harm in getting regular massage though so keep it up, and let us know how it goes. Remember good nutrition and hydration are also key to healthy muscles and tendons.
Thanks for the kind words. Yeah my diet is good, and I take omega 3 fish oils, magnesium and a drink my natropath gave me which has glucosamine sulphate and MSM. I drink plenty of water.
By the correct exercises, do you mean self myofascial release? Just not sure what are the ‘correct’ exercises for my condition? Do you mean just to train sensibly until the tendonitis dissapates?
Thanks for the encouragement and advice. I feel optimistic about my situation!
Sorry about not going to specifics, but the ‘correct exercises for your condition’ are going to be determined by your dysfunctions and compensations, or postural deviations and possibly some functional tests. See the web link I provided for examples (free menu updates). There are three generic programs there for three basic conditions with different dysfunctions. Obviously you would first want to work on any side to side imbalances (rotation, elevation, etc) and then move on to front to back issues (such as anterior pelvic tilt). Ideally you should get evaluated inperson so that your specific dysfunctions could be addressed while taking care of any possible compensations at the same time. There are many ways to skin a cat, but taking the Egoscue way you should go for a clinic visit (expensive, but effective) or use the online therapy option by sending in your postural photos for evaluation (cheaper, but less effective because you get no functional testing or inperson education of the correct exercise form etc).
Self myofascial release might be used in conjunction, but remember to treat the body as a unit. Unless all the underlying issues are dealt with the muscles will keep tightening up. Sensible training is a must. Don’t push it if something causes pain as rule of thumb. Hope this helps.
This makes me feel bad though. I have been everywere about my injuries, but no one addressed those things you talk of… My parents won’t take me anywere else as they think its in my head since all the ‘physios’ say I’m fine. I will have a good look at the website. Thanks for your advice.
EDIT: would tight glute medius, weak core, tight IT bands etc be considered those things you talk of? No one I have seen has even mentioned ‘pelvic tilt’
Good question. Those things are absolutely the things I’m talking about, and can cause pelvic tilts and/or rotation/elevation in the hips and/or torso/shoulders. These deviations also have effects in distant places such as ankles (pronation/supination). Everything is linked. The ‘core’ is the whole body working in coordination. The strength comes from everything working together.
Where do the centers of your kneecaps point when you stand relaxed (in, out, straight)? Different left to right?
Well to me the kneecaps look straight, but I do remember the chiro looking at them.
My hips and IT bands are coming along well.
My tendonitis is gone!! I can’t feel it at all!
But when I train with my team my adductors tighten up. Right up the top of them. Would this be caused by having tight glute medius and IT bands? I really hope it is the reason, as I have always had problems with my adductors tightening up. I am taking training lightly, easing back into it, and I can feel my fitness increasing! But the adductors keep tightening up. Also last night I was having a nightmare that I was getting chased by tigers. I woke up with an awful cramp in my right calf. It is sore today but my dad gave it a really deep massage which has really helped. I think the cramp just came from being so uptight and being in a negative mood before I went to bed.
But I just want to know is it the hips and IT band that cause the adductors to tighten and strain?
Good to hear that you are feeling better. What have you done to make it happen?
The IT band, gluteus medius (abductors) and adductors are tightening up because they are desparately trying to stabilize your hips. This is because the primary hip flexors (among others) aren’t doing their job properly. This is very common and a good sign of this are everted (turned out) feet. When you walk like a duck it’s almost certain that compensating muscles are doing the work to swing the leg forward and back.
Your kneecaps may be pointing straight ahead (which I doubt :), but do your feet point in the same direction (as you stand/walk/run)?
No my feet go all over the place. If our camera gets fixed I will upload a clip.
I’m glad to hear that the reason my adductors keep ‘locking’ up is from my glute medius, It band, core. When it happens I am doing football training. Usually when I start to fatigue slightly.
My hips are really improving, which is great. Thanks for the support, I should be 100% in a few weeks once my IT band and hips are loose and my core is stronger.
Yeah the adductors especially the left just keep tightening up.
The prob I have is, I have to push myself a bit, because I am currently trialing for my club. My condition is improving though, so hopefully it will only be a few weeks before I am 100%. I don’t know when our camera will be fixed unfortunatly.
