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How injuries can be like a dirty pan.

Updated: May 1

You know how sometimes a pot or pan isn’t that dirty so you use it a second (or third) time without washing it… and you just cook the stain further into it, making it 5x more difficult to wash in the end? Then you wish you would have just taken the minute to wash it in the first place because you created a lot more work in the long run.


I think that’s a good metaphor for what happens with our bodies. Oftentimes, especially when starting a new training regime or running program, we feel areas of tightness, discomfort, or pain.. But we’re busy or tired and don’t want to deal with it at the moment so we forge ahead. We continue training or running knowing that impairment is there (we see the dirty pan but cook with it anyway). Sometimes we get away with this, but other times we end up with another, larger issue or injury down the line that totally upends our training and we have to spend weeks or months rehabbing it (ending up cleaning and scrubbing the pan 10x longer than we would have if we just cleaned it along the way).


Bodies are incredible things- and they’re adaptable. So when we have an area of stiffness, weakness, pain, or movement inefficiency- we have a buffer zone between ideal movement and load and injurious movement and overload. So impairments don’t always directly or immediately limit activity. We can get away with a ‘stiff ankle’ or a ‘weak hip’ for a while (we can bake lasagne on top of the grease from yesterday’s potatoes). But at a certain point, there’s no more ignoring it- impairment turns to injury and you know you need help.


But it doesn’t have to ever get to that point. You can address that issue before it becomes a full blown, training derailing injury.


Ever had a friend or family member over and they point out something in the kitchen that you just got used to? Then you realize “oh yea, that is kinda gross; I should do something about that”. ….….. Ever have a friend or acquaintance ask you “what’s wrong?” when you’re running- because they can see you limping when you didn’t even know you were? A little outside perspective is always helpful.


So what does all this messy metaphor mean? Clean the pan before it’s ruined long term! Address your minor/moderate impairments before they become major injuries!


Client example 1: A client with 10 years running experience started noticing mild stiffness in their knee when running over 6 miles. Continued running as usual and didn’t adjust training at all (I don’t blame them, stiffness happens sometimes and it wasn't their first time training so they knew these things can come and go). A couple weeks later, the stiffness was rated as moderate and now happened around mile 3-4; they still felt that since it was just stiffness, it didn’t need addressing (ok, things are getting worse- probably should have adjusted something at this point: decrease mileage or intensity, added mobility or strength work, etc). One more week of this lead to stiffness being felt throughout the run and pain starting at mile 2, then at mile one a couple days later. That’s when they sought my help. At that point, it had been roughly a month since the symptoms started and we found stiffness in the knee, ankle and hip as well as decreased motor control during functional movements such as single leg squats and step ups (very similar movements to running stance phase). After beginning manual therapy and a home mobility program they were able to resume short runs in a week and then build back up to previous mileage and intensity over 3 weeks.


Essentially, they traded what could have likely been a 2 week training modification and consultation rehabilitation to a 1.5 month training interruption.


Client example 2: Another client with multi-decade running experience, including several dedicated training cycles with good race results. They sprained their ankle 13 months prior, rested it for a few weeks until it was ‘good enough’ to run, though it still felt stiff and painful. Resumed training and within a few months had suffered several calf strains on the same side. After the 6th or 7th strain, we started working together and found that their ankle was still (realllllllyyyyy) stiff, they had poorer balance on that side and weakness all the way up to their hip. They also had sciatic nerve tension and a stiff back due to being less active during their year of strains. Their stains were deeply baked in and it took a lot of scrubbing over the course of a month to get back to running (manual therapy, mobility work, balance and strength training, cross training). They are on the mend, but still having to do daily rehab to get there.


This person sounded like they had a pretty nasty sprain and may have had a month-long rehab process to get back to normal. But instead they ended up with a 14 month (and counting) period of recurrent injuries and then a long rehab.



Takeaways: It’s better to take care of small things before they become big things. This DOES NOT necessarily mean you need professional help, it may be as simple as performing some extra (or starting some) mobility and strength work in the relevant area(s) of concern or adjusting your training load. But if you’ve been doing that for a while and the area is not improving, then seeking help sooner rather than later is likely going to save you pain, time, and money.


(As an aside, its worth noting that this metaphor could be extended to include ideas like- using a more non stick pain, different cooking oil, cooking techniques, cleaning techniques, etc. but that seems like too much metaphor for one blog post).


Zenith is happy to help provide this for you, with services ranging from injury rehabilitation, to training specific consultation/examinations, to performance physical therapy for those who are doing well but want to excel. Contact us for a free phone consultation and see if we’re a good fit for you.


Comments


Zenith Takes PT to the Next Level — Running Pain-Free

I started experiencing a persistent pain in my right hip after returning to running after several years. I am active and participate in sports and the pain was keeping me from my routine runs, races and my overall fitness. Mike evaluated me and got to the root of the issue. He is innovative in his approach and integrates elements of massage into the work. He is fun to work with, communicates regularly and uses humor as we approach some difficult movements that push me out of my comfort zone. After each visit, I receive a set of exercises to complete at home between sessions. As I got stronger, the pain decreased and I was able to return to my routine. We targeted goals, and he continues to tailor each session and prescribe a set of exercises to meet the unique characteristics of my body type and performance needs. I highly recommend Zenith; they take PT to the next level.

Kanoe B

From Misdiagnosed Adductor Pain to Running Strong Again

I can’t say enough good things about Zenith. After over a year of lingering adductor pain that seemed to come out of nowhere, I finally found answers and treatment here. As a semi-professional runner, lingering pain isn’t something I can afford. It throws off my form and affects every part of my training, including lifting. So I went to a doctor who thought it was iliopsoas tightness and they sent me to a PT who thought it was an adductor strain and made it worse. Then I came to Zenith and started working with Jesse. He took the time to understand the full story and offered a completely different perspective: this wasn’t a strain or tightness but actually a nerve issue. That insight alone was a game changer. He worked on the problem during our first session, gave me daily stretches, and even made simple lifestyle suggestions that I hadn’t considered (like actually using my standing desk throughout the day). The progress was slow and steady. After the first follow-up, I still had some discomfort, but the plan felt like it was finally targeting the root cause. Jesse introduced strength training specific to the problem area, which I was initially nervous about. After my first lift, my muscles were sore in and around the adductor area, but the pain didn’t worsen. That was the turning point for me. After just four sessions and a few months of consistent stretching and strengthening, I’m nearly 100% better and still improving. I’m back to running and lifting with more strength, confidence, and most importantly almost no pain.” “If you’re dealing with a nagging issue like me or an injury then I would highly recommend Zenith. It’s an investment, but for me I saw it as a long-term investment in my body’s future, and I’m glad I did because it was absolutely worth it.

Jake R

A professional bike fit—life changing

I worked with Mike and he was incredible! I was experiencing so much knee pain on my bike and he was able to help me move to feeling confident and pain free again by making some adjustments to my bike fit and prescribing some exercises that changed how my body functioned. I never knew how life changing it would be to have a professional bike fit, it has changed my riding!

Geoffrey H

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