Today marks the first milestone in my 'comeback' as a runner and possibly marathoner. I laced up my shoes,at 6.15pm and tried (as I had been trying for at least the past 2 weeks, after taking an enforced 4 week break) again to make a decent run at a decent pace. I had beforehand loosened my hamstring muscles by using the rubber trainer and did a full set of hamstring to quad stretches for 10 minutes.
My orthopaedic doctor, Dr. Khong, had advised me to run with my heel hitting the ground first,rolling into midsole and toe-off. This is to minimise the impact and increase the area which your foot and hence leg strikes the floor and thus lower the pressure and force upwards to the knee and hips. This is many running coaches viewpoint,an inefficient way of runing as the heelstrike to toe-off method ,takes up more total time per stride compared to using the midsole bounce method.
My first 100m was the hardest, as the muscles were still stiff after a day at the office and I actually experienced some pain after 400 m upslope. I was running with the normal forward pronation method (landing on midesole) so I stopped and walked and changed to the heelstrike method which looked a bit funny at first, that is your foot extends out like walking and your body is erect and slightly bent.
I urged myself on at a slow pace and off I went, and then something magical happened, the muscles loosened and my running became more relaxed and though I was running heel hitting the ground first, I was actually running at a slow but decent pace.There was minimal pain,which became diminished as I ran as I was aware how to land my left foot heel first.
Motivated by this, I continued and focussed on running as naturally as possible. The pain was almost negligible and VOILA I was pronating normally with my midsole hitting the ground first. I was running normally again !
So after my first historic run after a major injury today 12th January 2009,I clocked in a time of 34 minutes for 5 km, way slower than my normal times of 26 -27 minutes. My will to run is overpowering pain and setbacks. I sincerely hope I can run the distances I used to run before. Time will tell.
3 comments:
Mark, it is very unwise to run on a slope with your nursing hamstring. It would get thing worse. Kindly run on flat level surface until it is totally recovered.
In fact, the principle for recovery is to REST until the muscle can function normally. I believe your doctor would agree with me.
Please take good care of your hamstring.
Cheers
Thanks for the tip. I will take the advice to mind.
To set the record straight, there is nothing wrong with my hamstrings, they are tight, which is common amongst long distance runners.However, he advised me to perform vigorous stretching on the calves,quads and particularly hamstrings for 10 minutes BEFORE and AFTER my runs to loosen up and minimise damage on my joints.
I have "horizontal cleavage tear of the lateral meniscus of the anterior horn, and a free edge radial tear anteriomedially" all within the knee.Additionally a scarring of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The Illiotibial Band and Lateral Collateral Ligaments are OK.
Dr. Khong did ask me to take it easy,which was in mid December, which I did totally no running for 2 weeks before seeing him and 4 weeks complete rest during the Christmas and 2 weeks after the New Year. He saw no need for additional followup or surgery and OKed me to run after an "appropriate time".
The RICE suggestion :
Rest
Icing of affected area
Compression
Elevation
is well advised.
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