Karen writes: Sore Arm
I am paying for my crack about trying all sorts of other things before medical science, but to be fair, at that point I was talking about sports injuries which may or may not respond to things other than the standard treatments of stopping running and taking pills. Anyway, on this occasion my brush with medicine wasn't for a sports injury, but boy does it impact on my sport.
Yesterday we spent the day with my brother and his whanau doing the 7yo birthday celebration thing. On the way into town in the car I reached into the back seat to pick something up off the floor, and my right arm hurt a bit. By the end of the day I was holding my arm close to my body, couldn't lift it or move it without using the other arm, and was in tears with the pain. Today the sympathetic GP thought it was likely to be either (best option - recovery in months) rotator cuff tear, or (worst option - recovery in years) 'frozen shoulder'. I came out with a prescription for voltaren, referral to physio, and of course the suggestion that running while it hurts so much, let alone cycling or swimming aren't really an option!
My brain immediately went into overdrive to try to convince myself that I can get around this thing... like reminding myself I have a month of rest due after the marathon we ran a week ago. Since I wasn't planning on really resting then perhaps if I actually do take the time off and do as I am told (maybe just a bit of light spin with my arm in a sling?) plus get some serious physio, maybe the problem will disappear? I further reasoned that if it didn't go away completely in that month, perhaps I could do a reduced 12 week running programme to get ready for the next planned marathon...and here is the key point...just not swing my right arm while I run?
The thought processes got more tortuous when I thought about swimming...I wondered if I could get away with not swimming until early November, and if the worst came to worse could I swim with one arm? My mother pointed out the flaws in the swimming plan, even if I could figure out a way to maintain forward motion on top of the water with one arm (when I usually struggle enough with two), getting in and out of a wetsuit might be a problem. She was right of course, especially when I paused to think about the fact that right now getting into the easiest of clothes one-handed is an exercise of houdini-like proportions, let alone managing firm fitting sporty outfits. And of course it HURTS.
So I have just been online doing my usual google check out of what other people do. I have found...as usual...lots of conflicting advice from those who do try to run with these problems and from those who don't. There are good news stories and dire warnings and everything in between. What it means...as usual...is that only weighing all the information up and trying things out for myself will determine how this latest, most challenging new speedbump in my endurance career will turn out.
At the end of the day, whether current plans for events like marathons and triathlons turn out exactly as expected in the 9 month lead-up to Ironman 2013, stopping exercising in some form or other is absolutely not an option. This is partly because it would be just so hard to even contemplate getting back to this level again from scratch, partly because I enjoy it so much, but also because the exercise keeps me well enough with my thyroid condition to manage and enjoy my busy life. There is also our fundraising for our Christchurch colleagues, that doesn't feel finished and I think it will take the Ironman next year to do that. Will just have to see what tomorrow brings, so far the crystal ball shows more voltaren, heat packs, and finding a highly recommended physiotherapist.
Yesterday we spent the day with my brother and his whanau doing the 7yo birthday celebration thing. On the way into town in the car I reached into the back seat to pick something up off the floor, and my right arm hurt a bit. By the end of the day I was holding my arm close to my body, couldn't lift it or move it without using the other arm, and was in tears with the pain. Today the sympathetic GP thought it was likely to be either (best option - recovery in months) rotator cuff tear, or (worst option - recovery in years) 'frozen shoulder'. I came out with a prescription for voltaren, referral to physio, and of course the suggestion that running while it hurts so much, let alone cycling or swimming aren't really an option!
My brain immediately went into overdrive to try to convince myself that I can get around this thing... like reminding myself I have a month of rest due after the marathon we ran a week ago. Since I wasn't planning on really resting then perhaps if I actually do take the time off and do as I am told (maybe just a bit of light spin with my arm in a sling?) plus get some serious physio, maybe the problem will disappear? I further reasoned that if it didn't go away completely in that month, perhaps I could do a reduced 12 week running programme to get ready for the next planned marathon...and here is the key point...just not swing my right arm while I run?
The thought processes got more tortuous when I thought about swimming...I wondered if I could get away with not swimming until early November, and if the worst came to worse could I swim with one arm? My mother pointed out the flaws in the swimming plan, even if I could figure out a way to maintain forward motion on top of the water with one arm (when I usually struggle enough with two), getting in and out of a wetsuit might be a problem. She was right of course, especially when I paused to think about the fact that right now getting into the easiest of clothes one-handed is an exercise of houdini-like proportions, let alone managing firm fitting sporty outfits. And of course it HURTS.
So I have just been online doing my usual google check out of what other people do. I have found...as usual...lots of conflicting advice from those who do try to run with these problems and from those who don't. There are good news stories and dire warnings and everything in between. What it means...as usual...is that only weighing all the information up and trying things out for myself will determine how this latest, most challenging new speedbump in my endurance career will turn out.
At the end of the day, whether current plans for events like marathons and triathlons turn out exactly as expected in the 9 month lead-up to Ironman 2013, stopping exercising in some form or other is absolutely not an option. This is partly because it would be just so hard to even contemplate getting back to this level again from scratch, partly because I enjoy it so much, but also because the exercise keeps me well enough with my thyroid condition to manage and enjoy my busy life. There is also our fundraising for our Christchurch colleagues, that doesn't feel finished and I think it will take the Ironman next year to do that. Will just have to see what tomorrow brings, so far the crystal ball shows more voltaren, heat packs, and finding a highly recommended physiotherapist.
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