My last run?

A little over two weeks ago, on a Friday morning, I was ~45 minutes into a run down one of the beautiful and hilly wood lined trails. I felt strong, the weather was perfect, and it was a good run. Then I felt a needle-like sharp pain in my lower back, right side. It hurt, but not a show stopper. I decided to turn around, run back to my apt so I could get some aspirin and then head back out. Well, ~15 minutes later I was stopped. I could barely walk. My stride was shortened and each step was painful. Little did I know, that was the beginning of my +2 week battle with my sciatic nerve.

I stretched. I took over the counter meds. I even took prescribed meds. And if you know me, I do not like to take any meds. The pain kept getting worse. I could barely walk with each step extremely painful. I’d wake up in the morning dreading to sit up in bed, because I knew it was going to hurt so badly. I had such a difficult time focusing on anything, because of the pain. I truly feel for anyone that has chronic pain. I just can’t imagine…

I finally turned to a fellow triathlete/ Physcial Therapist, she recommended MFR (Myofacscial Release). http://www.wholisticphysicaltherapy.com/mfr.htm. Per the website: Myofascial Release (MFR) is a mild form of stretching and balancing that has a profound effect on the body’s tissues at a deep level. MFR is sometimes very gentle, and because of its gentleness many people wonder how it could possibly work. However, MFR uses a complete range of pressure from “off the body” energy work to gentle pressure, to deep and very deep pressure when it is appropriate. You always have control of this pressure and no one has ever been injured.

I was a little skeptical, yet desperate. Skeptical because it’s branded as a holistic approach; the founder looks like the actor from the Quaker Oats commercial. Yet, I was more desperate then anything. Every step I took I wanted to cry. So my triathlete/PT friend helped me locate a PT/MFR in the Knoxville area. I called the PT, she stated she could get me in that day, before she headed to Atlanta for the week-end. It was now or never. I jumped in the car and she met me at the door. She spent an hour pulling/rubbing/suctioning/manipulating me. I realized half way through that I hadn’t shaved my legs in over a week, not that I could, I couldn’t bend down. I apologized, she could have cared less and actually me too. After the session I still hurt, maybe a little better, but it was questionable. However, I remember my PT friend telling me that it would not be an overnight fix, it would take a few sessions and some time.

However, the next day I felt like the gods were shinning down on me. The pain was not nearly as strong. My leg stride was a little longer. I didn’t want to cry each step. What ever she had done it was truly the answer. I would have brought her a cake and balloons if she would have been in town. And from then on I was on the road to healing. Nope, I still can’t run, but each day I am getting better. I saw my new PT wizard again last night, thanked her profusely while she did her thing. I’m off the meds. I’m on my bike. There’s a hitch in my step, but no tears in my eyes.

If you’re hurting and in doubt, believe me, MFR is a blessing.