Post sports science doctor physio

Went along to see my local physio, Matt today. We discussed the sports science doctor's findings and recommendations and then went into the gym next door to go over a strengthening exercises regime.

After a 10 min warm-up of walking he wants me to stretch the hammys, quads, groin, lower back and gluteals.

Then strengthening exercises including bridging, Russian twist using the Swiss ball (SB), leg raises (SB), planking, dog leg lift, side planking, hammy curls (SB) and back curls (SB).

A 4 min warm-down walk to finish.

I have appointments each week from now until Christmas too. Let's see how we go.

Olympic Park Sports Medicine - I'm excited!

I went along to meet sports science doctor Andrew Jowett at Olympic Park Sports Medicine today and was excited in the knowledge I'd be getting some definitive answers to what was going on with my body! After years of being treated for assumed lower back and groin issues I was looking forward to finding out what was really going on.

I didn't have to wait long after filling out an initial details form and went into Andrew's office where he asked me about my history. I informed him I'd had a knee reconstruction as a 19 year old, several years of short-lived groin issues and a left ankle injury in April 2011, among other minor issues.

I told him my symptoms really flared up in July when I started running for fitness and noticed hip, groin and thigh pain, especially in the left side. I said I have pain when I sleep and with prolonged sitting, especially driving. I mentioned I occasionally feel the pain in my lower leg and have an occasional limp when I walk or run.

He then tested me for the range of movement in my hips and watched me walk up the corridor to check my gait. He noted I had "some mild left gluteal wasting and a mild antalgic gait". "Left hip pain in full flexion and bilateral abductor guarding". He said I have "hip pathology".

Andrew then sent me next door to have x-rays and ultrasound which showed I have flattening of the femoral neck on both sides but he thought the left side looked worse.

He has diagnosed me with a Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) of both hips with hip joint synovitis that is secondary to the FAI. It is the cause of the inflammation and pain around the hip joint. I also have moderate thickening and scarring of the illiotibial bands.

Andrew's initial explanatory diagram of FAI.

Andrew has recommended a 3 week course of anti-inflammatories with a potential cortisone injection in the hips under x-ray if it doesn't settle down. He has suggested I strengthen the gluteals under physio guidance and says I can continue with karate, cycling and swimming and told me I can do straight line running that is cricket specific.

He has advised me to continue to be as active as possible within these limitations.

Unfortunately he also told me that surgical intervention has a limited role at my age, as the outcomes may not be predictable from hip arthroscopy and labral debridement. According to Andrew my running days are over

This is not what I wanted to hear and was a real downer. Feeling very flat as I am pretty sure I won't improve with exercises and strengthening. There is more to my pain than weak muscles.

Referral to a sports science doctor

It's on now!! My GP has referred me to a sports science doctor at Olympic Park Sports Medicine in Melbourne. I told him I "feel like an old man" and he even included that on the referral.

I've made an appointment in Melbourne for November 11.

Myofascial release or how to blow $200 on hokus pokus in a week

Having tried physiotherapists, chiropractors, a massage therapist I have had good results with, a very cocksure neuromuscular therapist, an exercise physiologist who thought he was the bee's knees and other assorted health professionals, including my GPs, over the past 15 years my GP suggested I head along to see a local couple at The Dreaming Body.

Apparently they are devotees to the theories of an American bloke by the name of John F. Barnes who has pioneered and promoted the benefits of "myofascial ralease and myofascial unwinding" which "is the release of the holding or bracing patterns of the mind/body complex."

The treatment involved "90-120 seconds of gentle, sustained pressure for the restricted tissue to begin to release."

When I went back the second time and explained that I had experienced no change in my pain or symptoms at all they really went to work on me. There was more prolonged "gentle, sustained pressure" and "How does that feel?" - style questions. They were seriously surprised when I said it was doing nothing!

THEN!!! They both grabbed a leg each and, after getting me to relax and let my legs go floppy, they were slowly lifting and rotating my legs around in long sweeping rotations. It was bloody weird and I really struggled to not laugh out loud.

At the end they sold me a plastic yellow ball and gave me some notes to take home and some notes to help me with some hip, abductor, illiotibial band, and psoas releases. They pretty much admitted they didn't know what else they could do for me.

Each visit cost me $100. Even the ball cost me $8. I felt seriously duped. How can people get away with this sort of witch doctor crap and charge so much for it without producing any benefits or results. F**k!!

CT scan

I was referred to Lake Imaging in Ballarat for a CT scan by my GP to rule out spinal canal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal canal. He was concerned by the increasing pain in both of my legs, in particular the left hip and left gluteal region that I get with activity.

Apparently this condition can impinge upon or put pressure on the nerve roots and spinal cord, and is maybe causing the pain and discomfort in my hips/back/groin.

The results of the CT scan were pretty much normal with the only abnormality being an annular bulge at L4-5 that is slightly more prominent but probably not significant.

The CT scan doctor suggests an MRI assessment may be worth considering.

Walking and even standing around is giving my hips grief now

August 24 – Woke with pain in the middle of the back, both sides. 45 minute walk. Lower back and hips aching afterwards.

August 25 – First night for a while that I’ve woken up feeling quite good. The right hip and back got sore throughout the day. A lot of work on power auger and driving.

August 26 – Felt sore in hip and back when I woke. Sat and typed up reports all day. Nerve pain down left leg (hammy and groin).

August 28 – Stood at the CHFL footy watching for the afternoon and was sore and uncomfortable in the left hip within an hour. Had a poor sleep as both hips were sore.

August 29 – Woke feeling sore in hips and groins.

That burning feeling

I have found I am better during the day but really struggle when I have to sit in the car or at the computer or on the couch watching TV. I have a burning sensation through the hip (right side especially), hamstring and groin (left side). I’m tight in the groins. There is nerve pain in the legs, especially down the left side. It wakes me up as I can’t sleep on my side as it causes me hip/leg pain.

I’m feeling pretty clapped out.

Treatment with a neuro-muscular therapist

On the advice of my masseuse, Lauren, yesterday I went along to receive treatment with Paul Broeders, a neuro-muscular therapist. He treated me for a tilted vertebrae in lower back, sacrum had moved to the right and he said I had a tilted hip which caused one leg to be longer than the other.

Despite his assurances I would be "fixed" the treatment didn't improve anything. I let him know how I was feeling today over the phone and he suggested I contact my GP and organize a scan.

The penny has dropped. I've got to get fair dinkum about these hips.

In July of 2011 I was feeling quite unfit and decided to get stuck into running with the aid of the adidas miCoach iPhone app. After each run you can enter a comment before you sync your completed workout.

These comments were added to a sort of diary I kept on how my hips were feeling.

I quickly flew to bits and tried a few different things to address my hips, such as cycling, golf, massage and even pilates. I didn’t improve.

July 20 – Adidas miCoach 12 minute assessment workout – “Feel very unfit”

July 21 – 34 minute run including interval work. “Felt quite good but left hip sore from yesterday and worse today. Right ankle ok once warmed up.”

Mentioned hip pain in left side to Matt Clark – Physio on July 23.

July 24 – 31 minute run. “Hip not bad this morning but started to ache a quarter of the way.”

July 25 – 41 minute run. “Felt ok but hip was sore.”

July 27 – 40 minute run. “Felt good but stopped a few times to let Murray catch up. Hip sore but tolerable. Ankle similar. Don't feel fit but can keep going.”

July 28 – 46 minute run. “Felt quite good aerobically but the hip is hindering progress.”

Matt Clark – Physio July 28

Golf trip July 29-31. Two rounds of golf and felt uncomfortable in hips during both.

Pain seemed to move through pelvis and into right hip over next two weeks.

Rode around Mt Buninyong cycling route on August 12, 13, 15 & 16. Felt ok but hip still sore.

Lauren Lavery – Massage August 16 

August 17, 18 & 22 – Tried Pilates which only seemed to inflame things.