To be able to run again, I have to take things easy. Easy is the operative word. No long distance running, and no speed work for a couple of weeks. Effort and pace should be kept at low intensity for minimal impact. This is the period for 'baby steps', which coincides with the latest social media term 'pabebe' (Tagalog slang: feeling like a baby, if you can get away with it). For me, it's either pabebe jog, or rehab again. Pabebe jog should be okay for now.
I played badminton 2x and ran a 6km tempo on the 4th week of rehab, without seeking advice from Dr. Wolf. It almost nullified our first 3 weeks of effort, and rehab was extended for several weeks more. I thought badminton might help strengthen my hips because of the horizontal movements required for this sport, but I did not consider the agile shift in movement. Dr. Wolf advised me to stop playing badminton for a while. He said, unlike in the States, most of them play badminton and can still hold a glass of iced tea at the same time. Here in PH, when we play badminton, it is like we are out to kill someone. Well, true.
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| In photo: 'pabebe' jog from my pre-wedding photos. |
My rehab program is a combination of several modalities, and a break from badminton and running:
1. Lumbar and cervical vertebrae alignment by a Chiropractor - my tendons were cracking way ahead of New Year's eve celebration. What pain? I love it. I could imagine my skeletal muscles like a highway choked in traffic. After removing the bottleneck, the traffic flowed. Much like my muscles, the alignment addresses the stiffness, so that energy/oxygen flows through the muscle more efficiently.
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| Grabbed from www.intercare-centers.com |
2. Myofascial release (MFR, Myotherapy) - a soft tissue therapy for the treatment of skeletal muscle immobility and pain. It is a deep tissue massage, enough to make any muscle man cry. I would always ask my therapist why don't we call it fraternity hazing, instead. Every time after the treatment, I feel like a 'new person' or a computer post-reboot.
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| Grabbed from www.barefootdaves.com |
3. Therapeutic ultrasound - non-greasy gel is applied, and 1-3Mhz of ultrasound is rolling on my back. I feel like an ironing board being poked once in a while, and my muscles are like clothes. The ultrasound feels warm to the skin. It is actually relaxing.
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| Grabbed from www.sportsclinical.co.uk |
4. ICSS (conditioning strengthening stretch) - this really helped my muscles to become flexible again. The first session was tough, but the succeeding ones made me wish they stretch me enough to add even just an inch to my height.
Frequency of therapy: For the first 3 weeks, I went to Intercare 3x a week. It became 2x a week from the 4th week until 9th. Then, 1x a week on the 10th and 11th weeks.
Cost: The monetary cost was significant, but reasonable. The total depends on the combination of modalities and length of treatment.
Learning - continue with consistency:
1. Stretch. Stretch. Stretch. Warm muscles are easier to stretch.
2. Warm up is equally important. It helps prepare the muscles for a strenuous task.
3. Muscle conditioning must be part of my sports activities. Weekend warriors or recreational athletes are not exempted from muscle conditioning.
Learning - stop:
1. Any strenuous activities (in my case, running and badminton) when pain persists - do not train while injured. It is bad training and will take a toll on other muscle groups, which compensate for the effort.
Learning - start:
1. Taping my knees and thighs before playing badminton.
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Related post: ITBS: The band that never rocks
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