Since the below post, I’ve trained less and been to the physio more. It’s not something I wanted to happen but no one wants to get injured. Sometimes it just happens. To make matters worse, I’ve somehow managed to injure my left wrist (goodness knows how) and that is also slowing down my gym progress. I’ve trained at Stryve twice since this hip flexor incident and I’ve been to one boot camp. I’ve visited my physio more times that I have made it to the gym in the last month.
Tonight I’ve come home from visiting Physio John, with a bunch of new exercises to add into my regime of physiotherapy. Tonight was hard for me. Any time where I cannot master something in one or two goes, it makes me angry and frustrated which mentally and physically compromises my ability to perform the moves correctly and make any progress. I know physio is a long road and not a quick fix. After 2 major knee injuries, you’d think I’d be used to physio and how many hours, days, weeks and months it can take to heal an injury. My problem is that I am impatient and I want something to work now, so I can get to where I want to be, without delays.
I have 2 new moves.
The first one is called a striding lunge. Instead of your standard equal body weight lunge, I am putting more weight on my front leg my leaning forward. I still need to keep my knee over my toe and stop leaning forward when I get to the point of my knee being unsteady. I also need to make sure my hips are levels and not uneven. I then come back up, relax all my muscles and start again.
The second exercise seems too simple but it was more frustrating than the lunge. I simply have to neutrally sit on a exercise/fit ball, activate my transverse abdominals and lift up my calf muscle on one leg, without activating my hip flexor. Seems pretty simple however with an over active hip flexor, this almost made me walk out. I tried it maybe half a dozen times and only 50% of the time was I doing it right. I mean, 50% is better than 0% but I’m still 50% off where I need to be. It is a lot harder than I expected but since I have a exercise ball at work, I can seriously concentrate on mastering this while I’m working.
There was a third exercise that I was supposed to do. I am to lay on my stomach, bend my leg up at a 90 degree angle and lift my quadricep off the floor and maybe hold for a couple of seconds, then put my quad back on the floor and bring my leg back down to being straight. Sounds pretty simple except my hamstrings cramp up at any thought of bringing my foot back towards my glutes.
Physio John said that it was because my hamstrings are weak. I said they’re not weak and he replied, they are. I could feel this instant anger inside me, like I was offended because I feel like he is calling weak. My hamstrings are a part of me so that makes me entirely weak. However after I thought about it on the drive home, I know I’m not weak. I am much, much stronger than I used to be and one muscle in my body that is not strong now, doesn’t define my whole body. I am strong as a person and one muscle who still needs training will not determine the type of person I am.
I have to do most of my other exercises I’ve already been doing, so the list is just getting longer and the time it takes to do them is getting longer. Sorry John, if you are reading this, but I am struggling to fit in 2 sets per day. I do my best but sometimes I do only fit in one set. I feel like that is better than no sets though.
I’m just frustrated. Frustrated that I am always hurting somewhere and I cannot catch a break to get into the gym seriously and smash out some goals. I will get there. I know it takes time.
I know most of my posts are just informing you guys of what is happening in my life, to those who still read. I feel like I want to hear from anyone that has gone through years and years of rehab. How did you stay focused? What kept you going? I won’t give up, I am not that type of person (or I thought I was) but some days, I just feel like my body hates me.
I’ll be back soon to full strength and I’ve have conditioned my body in a way where I know what is right and how I need to move in order to stay healthy. I will also have stronger and more active muscles which will assist in keeping my body healthy and safe from injury.
If you ever need a physio, I highly recommend John @ Sunbury Physiotherapy Centre. Even though our physio/patient stint has only been 3 to 4 weeks, he has been worth every penny I’ve spent. He is really supportive of what I am going through, so thorough with what exercises he is giving me, why I need to do them and where they are working. He’s just an all round nice person who genuinely wants to help people. A+ human being! You can find the clinic here.
La Love,
C. x
