Believe to Achieve

You know, this is a similar pain several bloggers are having right now. I think it is a piriformis/SI joint combo. I had it right before Hobblecreek and it is kind of reoccuring for me. LOTS of stretching and ICING has helped but I did also make a few trips to the chiro. I find the "sitting like you are trying to crack your back" stretch works well if you do it often and for at least 30-60 seconds and repeat a few times. Also, my hip flexors get tight and I make sure to stretch those also. That is a major cause of these pains. Hope I could be of any help. I hate to see you have issues right before a race. PM me if you want and I could give more advice also. Oh, one more thing, Josse says scraping works for her and that she is willing to help anyone if they just ask. She has had this same injury/symdrome. Have a great day:)

Thanks Michelle. What exactly is scraping? Does one use a tool? Perhaps Josse could demo it and my husband could do the honors. He is a good masseuse. Also what is the "sitting like your trying to crack your back" stretch? I will try anything. The ice worked briefly. I will try a muscle relaxant tonite and find an IT band wrap before the race. Oh and of course STRETCH before bed. Keep up your pace you are doing awesome!!!

nice miles Julie! I LOVE Dr. Brady! The first visit is like 60 then it is 40. He is WONDERfuL! My guess is that it is your piriformis. It is the innermost muscle in your bum and is right there with your siatic nerve. It can charlie and really piss off that nerve. It can also play games with your IT and whole hip. There are some WONDERFUL stretches that really help. If you google piriformis stretches you will get some good hits. Dr Brady is really worth it. The stretches will take weeks, he works in days. I wentt for a pulled calf that would not heel. He had me back running in 3 days. 100% worth it. If you know Yoga, half lord of the fishes works really well for the piriformis.

Hey I was reading your info. Did you have a Kiari Malformation?

Yes I had a chiari malformation repair. And my headaches were good for 1 and 1/2 years and then I realized a lot of them stemmed from perfumes/cleaners. But I was also told that Chiari Malformation brains react strongly to smells. Who knows. I get wicked headaches after speed work about 3-4 hours afterward. Tempo runs are better. I feel good during the 800s then after the pressure in my head must be off cause my head starts to throb and I get burning pain in the back of my neck. I went to the specialist in NYC in June. He said although the CSF flow is significantly diminished to the back of my brain it is still getting flow. How comforting? But I do have a pseudomeningocele (large pocket of CSF communicating outside of the back of my neck basically an enclosed spinal leak). Yahoo!! I get a follow up MRI in December to see if it is getting any smaller. If not, possible surgery. It may play a role in my occipital headaches pressing on C2 nerve. I try to ignore it cause I don't want surgery again. Also because I am trying the nutrition for healing route right now. You probably didn't want that full of an explaination sorry. I use running for therapy. If I move wrong with my head a pay for it, like I did with my bike fall two and 1/2 weeks ago. Now my headaches are back with a vengeance but get triggered more severely with noxious smells. I am glad to be where I am at with running and sanity. My hip is feeling good today after a half dose of flexeril (real knock out drug so I take only 1/4 to 1/2 a tablet) and ice. If only I wouldn't have a burning headache. But then they are nothing new and I can run a marathon okay because it usually diminishes after laying down all night and the endorphin release at mile 10 or so. No pain, no gain. Life is full of adventure. Thanks for your advice and help. I really appreciate support.

Yes I had a chiari malformation repair. And my headaches were good for 1 and 1/2 years and then I realized a lot of them stemmed from perfumes/cleaners. But I was also told that Chiari Malformation brains react strongly to smells. Who knows. I get wicked headaches after speed work about 3-4 hours afterward. Tempo runs are better. I feel good during the 800s then after the pressure in my head must be off cause my head starts to throb and I get burning pain in the back of my neck. I went to the specialist in NYC in June. He said although the CSF flow is significantly diminished to the back of my brain it is still getting flow. How comforting? But I do have a pseudomeningocele (large pocket of CSF communicating outside of the back of my neck basically an enclosed spinal leak). Yahoo!! I get a follow up MRI in December to see if it is getting any smaller. If not, possible surgery. It may play a role in my occipital headaches pressing on C2 nerve. I try to ignore it cause I don't want surgery again. Also because I am trying the nutrition for healing route right now. You probably didn't want that full of an explaination sorry. I use running for therapy. If I move wrong with my head I pay for it, like I did with my bike fall two and 1/2 weeks ago. Now my headaches are back with a vengeance but get triggered more severely with noxious smells. I am glad to be where I am at with running and sanity. My hip is feeling good today after a half dose of flexeril (real knock out drug so I take only 1/4 to 1/2 a tablet) and ice. If only I wouldn't have a burning headache. But then they are nothing new and I can run a marathon okay because it usually diminishes after laying down all night and the endorphin release at mile 10 or so. No pain, no gain. Life is full of adventure. Thanks for your advice and help. I really appreciate support.

Julie- that is so much to deal with. My neighbor has Chiari as well. She had brain suregry a couple of years ago. It is a long road with a lot of mystery and learning to be very flexible. You are an amazing example of living ones life to the fullest! I suffer with migraines and I am just barely learing that they are going to happen and hurt no matter what I do, so I may as well just keep on keeping on! I am not sure if mine have dcreased in pain or if I am just better able to deal with the pain.

Hang in there! YOU ROCK!!! :D THanks for sharing your story :)

Marion- is there any way to get rid of the double comment appearantly I pushed something wrong? Oh well. Have a nice night.