L Hip/Pelvis, Sciatica
2012-10-14 – 2012-12-11
Grade: 3
10.20 pains intermittent and intense in hip butt and calf
10.28. Did the mcm by limiting stride on left side. Weakness heaviness in left leg around mile 22 causes slow down
10.31 ran w difficulty
11.4 - got some massage therapy yesterday, which helps my day to day discomfort to almost zero. but i still could not run a step on the treadmill w/out pain going up my leg. I can get by on only 2 advil per day and 2 at night. my straight leg raise and calf strength are fine today.
11.5 difficulty walking. stiff bruised feeling in tailbone.
11.6 - did some acupuncture yesterday, which helped. my pain is almost nonexistent while standing, but it comes back when i walk, usually at a precise pin-prick spot, and very painful.
11.8. Ran 1 mile yesterday. Pain is a dull hamstring ache to a dull calf ache today w occasional minor calf spasms. Ran 2.5 mi today w progressively worse stiffness weakness and pain mostly in hamstring. Pain diffuse rather than specific pinpric. Had to stop and walk several times. I have "drop foot" on left side. Calf twitching now
11.11. more acupuncture today, but little effect. She applied it to front side instead. some intermittent hamstring calf and hip soreness. more significant lower back stiffness. no advil during the day.
11.12. Running at a reduced rate today. Pain and heaviness in leg mainly in ham. Back stiffness. 2 advil at night.
11.13. Tried running on treadmill but failed due to calf and hamstring pain. Did a lot of stretching particularly downward facing dog which caused an uncomfortable pulling/crawling sensation in my back but seemed like it was stretching something that needed stretching
11.14. Started out running w sharp pains in hip butt calf and groin but improved a bit after warming up. Actually forced a pace a few times which caused heaviness feeling but not as bad as this weekend. Walked from a few times but able to go back to running. More stretching like yesterday afterwards. Now a dull ache in ham - not unbearable no advil in afternoon but 4 at night.
11.15. Ran again. Slower and more limited than yesterday. Started out w sharp pains in calf and ham for first 3 but got a little better for next 2 and almost felt good for last 1. had to stop and walk a few times. Overall my stride on left side is limited by tightness in ham and by a general lameness and heaviness. Stretching afterwards went well. No advil before or later afternoon
11.17 no advil yesterday or last night. ran 6 miles w/ minimal discomfort - level 1 - but my fitness has suffered a lot over the last 3 weeks. stretching afterwards w/ some soreness in groin muscle on lft side. still no need for advil.
11.18 no advil still. ran again w/ only ham tightness and level 1 discomfort. acupuncture again today.
11.24 - a little recurrence last 2 days w/ some acute hip/glute pain when resting or walking which generally got better w/ running. had to go back to using advil.
11.25 - so i am unchecking the "recovered" box b/c i still have pain, particularly when sleeping and I still need to use advil. On the plus side, i can run and walk and I can do stretches to try to rehab.
11.27 - ran w/ better effort today. just a little pain in the hip during. stretches ok afterwards. advil later. I find that sleeping curled up in a ball or flat on my stomach is best.
11.28 - 4 mi today. some lft side hip and groin pain level 1. calf twitching and small spasms later.
12.2 - 10 mi today w/ minimal problems during and some stiffness after.
12.6 - I am back to actually training; but there was definitely still some pain at lvl 1 in the hip; calf; butt on running today
12.8 - ran 14 w/ only very minor discomfort in ham
12.11. Going to stop tracking this bc I am back training but there is still some residual level 1 discomfort
- history: able to run a marathon (w/ two extra strength Tylenol) during first 2 weeks/initial phase of sciatic problems, but not without some difficulty during (grade 1 to 2); and 1 week after that I had more severe problems (grade 3) that alternately inhibited pain-free walking and stopped running completely for a total of about 5 - 7 days; this was intermittent as I would occasionally get a mile or so in every 3 days; by day 30 i was feeling somewhat better but took a DNS on a second marathon
- able to return to regular training after about 40 days total (from the first day, including the marathon)
- acupuncture helped
- ab strengthening exercises; stretching helped, but only after I got to the point where I could do them w/out grade 3 pain
- a massage helped in the first 24 hours after, but later it aggravated the nerve
- 2-4 advil a day was needed, but I was not sure it actually helped or just made it manageable