Ice Baths ---The WORST torture possible when it comes to running (in my opinion)
Foam Rollers
Sticks
Weird looking compression sleeves on various parts of our bodies
Drinking disgusting looking shakes and smoothies
Standing on our head gargling peanut butter
Lots of $$$ on running shoes every month or two
Funny looking colorful tape on various parts of our bodies (we are surely setting fashion trends)
Massages...the NON-Fluffy kind
Stretching with ropes and other odd objects
Sitting on Ice packs
Physical Therapy
and for some of us,
Graston Therapy (as I mentioned in my last post) that gives you oh so sexy black and blue stripes on your legs and other various body parts. Thank Goodness it isn't bikini season, right? And, hey people, it is JUST a leg with shorts here so don't go getting too "Oh my, did you see the sleazy picture Amanda posted?!" Ha!
Painful? Yes. Does it work? I think so. For me it does. My bruises hurt but as far as my body as a whole, I feel much better AFTER the adjustment and Graston on various places...hip, IT band, and back. I've also had it on my pelvis, hamstring, and feet.
My 13 hilly miles on Sunday after my harder 7 and Graston on Saturday was much easier than I would have expected before my visit to the doc. I do plan on continuing this if needed. But for long term solutions to the IT band and hip issues I need to get my form straightened out. My feet turn out a bit when I run. Or a lot. I'm really trying to be more conscious of keeping them landing facing forward and not out like a duck. We'll see how that goes. Old habits are hard to break but my Chi Running book is convincing me that it IS possible. So bring on the second of four 20 milers this Sunday. Oh, and by then I'll have some new Brooks PureFlows2 to join me. New shoes are a MUCH more enjoyable price to pay for a healthy running body.
I'd say all these fun little runner things we do to keep ourselves RUNNING are worth it. We might seem a little strange to the outside world of people who don't run, but hey, at least we have other runners who "get" us. I do think Graston might be a little extreme even for a lot of us runners out there though. Whatever it takes. It's a price this runner is willing to pay.
What's the weirdest (to the outside world) or most painful "price" you've paid in the name of running? Honestly, I'll take Graston over an ice bath any day! I'm done with the ice baths for...well...hopefully forever!
Amanda
Graston hurts but so worth it. I have had it on my it band and my achilles tendon - that one really hurt!!! I like active release a lot and have a doc who is amazing at it! I am with you - ice baths are waaaaay worse than Graston.
ReplyDeleteI need to try this Active Release thing. Glad I'm not alone with ice baths. :)
DeleteMy hideous toenails are pretty painful to look at. :P
ReplyDeleteOH YES! My toes are hideous!!
DeleteYes, I hate icebaths so I found some research that supports NOT doing them awhile back and I am stickin' to it! I can't imagine Graston but then I live in Timbuktu where it's not really an option anyway. I have a couple of friends that SWEAR by it and it seems to have worked for you! I would have had hip surgery without anesthesia in 2010 if it would have allowed me to keep running without taking a break so I definitely relate to being willing to pay a painful price but I've gotten softer the last couple of years-ha! The most painful price I've paid is in frostbite scars. Running in temps that were not designed for runners:) Got soft here too! Ahh-I'm soft all over.
ReplyDeleteI graston myself with a butter knife ... shhhh... Don't tell my PT!
ReplyDeleteI like rolling on a lacrosse ball.
Owww that looks so sore.
ReplyDeleteI always walk around with tape around my feet because I know it's going to stop me having ITB issues. People look at me strangely and lots have asked if I'm injured but I honestly don't care. Weird looks are much easier to take than a painful ITB.
I too have been known to sport that beautiful purple leg look! I am actually looking for a new PT and would love if I could find one that does chiro and massage too, just to get it all done in one spot. I live on the Portland/Beaverton border. If anyone has a good one to recommend, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks all.
ReplyDeleteI would rather have the ice bath!! I haven't had one in a long time, but i would take 10 minutes in ice over bruising. You are a tough cookie!!
ReplyDeleteOMGosh. I can't believe Jenn has frostbite scars. That's dedication too!
I just won't do an ice bath anymore. We were forced to do them in college, and I will never ever go back to any type of torture reminding me of that college running experience. Unless I'm getting paid for this crazy hobby, I'm not doing ANYTHING make myself completely miserable. And since I'm on a little rant; I think I'm about to give up the treadmill, too. I hate that device more than a hundred root canals! (I've never actually had a root canal, but they sound terrible.)
ReplyDeleteI've never had "the scraper," but I am thinking I would not do that, either. Haha. The closest I'll get in the pain department is rolling on a softball (hip).
I can not confirm or deny that I am wearing compression tights under my dress pants, feel borderline superhero-ish
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am kinda excited to try for the first time tonight, standing on my head gargling peanut butter, first I have heard of this recovery method, I bet it works wonders ;-P
Ouch, but I love your attitude! Very inspiring! I hope the Graston Therapy helps. So far the A.R.T. has been helping. I'm going to follow up with the cold laser - I think it's helping heal mini micro tears because it really does provide relief.
ReplyDeleteI used to have to do the electric stem in the ice bath - horrible!!! Torture!!! Hopefully no ice baths are in either of our futures!
ReplyDeleteOuch- your bruise does look painful. At least you feel better so that is the most important thing. I think the most "painful" price I have paid for running would have to be ART therapy or Graston. I had ART on my shins to break up the muscle fibers for the compartment syndrome. It hurt! The chiropractor is lucky I didn't kick her in the face.
ReplyDeleteAfter I had my IT bands scraped for the first time my Mom completely freaked out on me in a dressing room because I had bruises so bad. She was so worried about me. :-) It is so weird that something that hurts so bad feels so good. Kind of like setting a 5k PR. So painful but so very worth it.
ReplyDeleteI am currently working on strengthening my hips/IT/lower body in general and here is a great link my friend sent me this morning. http://www.coachjayjohnson.com/2011/12/building-a-better-myrtl/
Owee, owee, owee! But I want it! I think my feet could really use some Graston. I know of a place about 20 mins away where I can get it but I haven't taken the plunge just yet. It looks so painful. I'm scared...
ReplyDeleteThe ice baths definitely top my charts.
ReplyDeleteAfter every hard run session when I get to work I have a few ice-packs that I just 'sit' on at my desk. That gets a bit cold and painful too. :)
Ha, funny how we posted kinda of the same thing! Like I said in my post, as long as I don't have to pay $$ I buy into all the unresearched recovery suggestions. I would surely do Graston if I were injured. Honestly, I kind off like the pain from the trigger point roller, so I might like the Graston pain as well....Weird ha? You are doing some awesome training and am glad you have found strategies to stay healthy!
ReplyDeleteI've had art, but I think next time I go I want graston - I'm having piriformis issues, I think:) I'm very curious to hear what you think of the flow 2's - I've had mine for almost a month. I LOVE LOVE the entire pure line, ran myasthenia in the connects. However, with the redesigned upper (and maybe I had a faulty pair) I had some pretty significant pain inside my left ankle. Very strange! So I went back to my old flows and I had zero pain. My local store is awesome, I kept trying to make them work and after almost a hundred miles in them and an uncomfortable speed session last night, I'm taking them back and they are going to see what's going on. I might start hoarding the original pure flows!:) anyway, they are amazing in every other way and the look is very cool - hope you love them!
ReplyDeleteKatie
www.msfitrunner.com
Umm don't forget the unsightly toenails!!! :)
ReplyDeletenot painful, but embarassing to buy the economy-sized bag of Epsom salts for my recovery baths. Especially the ones that have "NATURAL LAXATIVE" in bold letters on the front. I always want to tell my fellow shoppers why I'm buying it. ;)
ReplyDeleteI must be one lucky runner, because in 11 year of running I have not yet been seriously injured. So I haven't had to pay any price. Could it have to do with me not participating in races?!
ReplyDeleteMomshomerun
I am an ice bath wuss. I stick to the foam rolling and ice packs.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of Graston before, so I looked it up on google.... Oh my! That looks intense!! Those tools look like they would be more likely to be from 50 Shades than for running ;) I would choose an ice bath hands down.
ReplyDelete