walkers...maybe you can learn from my mistakes

[ohMom]

hey i'm no expert but after the Oct 21 half-marathon in which i rocked (i'm still gloating ) after utilzing my new Garmin with speed/interval work and shaved 20 mins off my last 1/2 in April. Anyhow -- apparently my hip joint didn't get the memo regarding the plan here and i have bursitis which i'm nursing now. I thought i'd share an A-HA moment i had with my PT gal this week. I know part of it is not stretching my hip flexor enough...but she told me that i'm unbalanced....very strong in the front and weak in the back. which is pulling the ball of the hip joint forward and grinding. strenghtening my gluts will help stabilize and pull it back where it belongs. huh? who knew? i admited i have not done glut exercises in my strength routine for a while, but she already knew that she also mentioned the importance of strenghtening the inner thigh to counterbalance strong outer thigh muscles we walkers get

just an FYI -- maybe you are different but maybe it can help someone

 

[westcliffemom]

Did she have suggestions for inner thigh exercises? I guess I could search online too. Thanks!

 

[ohMom]

she has me lying on one side, keeping my feet together like side-to-side as you lift your top leg, so your legs are closed -- opened -- closed -- opened being sure to keep the sides of your feet touching and not rolling forward or back on your hip. she says to put your hand on your (top) hip so you can feel if you roll either way. do them until fatigued.

i know if you have a stability ball you can extend your legs up, feet on the outside of the ball and squeeze your inner thighs

she also has me doing bridges with a stability ball. lie on your back with your feet up on the ball and bridge your hips up then relax down. two variations -- when you have your hip up, then roll the ball in and out with your feet and that works your hammies more, but then widening your feet and doing the same in and out and i think that may work the inner thighs too

make sense?

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Good reminders to us all. I'm sorry you had to find out the hard way.

 

[windwalker]

When I finally stopped running I was getting pain behind my knee as well as the pain in my achillies tendon.

Turned out that the pain was a tight ITB caused by my favoring the foot with the hurt achillies. I actually had developed tightness and swelling in both ITBs, tight calves and tight groin muscles all as a result of favoring my left foot when I ran. My whole body was out of line and getting worse.

Tight Panda

 

[nepatsfan73]

My PT is always flabbergasted (among other things) when dealing with me and my unbalanced-ness. Between the back and hips problems, my muscle groups are all over the place as a result of my body's (poor) attempts to adapt to the problems. My favorite A-Ha moments are when the PT scratches her head and says something to the effect, "You really shouldn't be able to do X based on this, but it looks like your body has gotten used to it. It will take at least a few months to straighten that out." I am a regular with my PT (until yearly insurance visits run out), but she still won't let me be eligible for the employee of the month parking space.