As I mentioned in my last post, I really haven't been having much luck in getting any better and I just can't stop thinking that there has to be something else I can do. I just don't feel like I have a clear path to getting better and that is very frustrating. So, now I am a couple of weeks into rest and strength training and still no real changes. It just doesn't seem right that it should still hurt as much as it does. So I decided to get another opinion, maybe someone in Boston would have some different insight. So, I did some research and ended up finding this guy - adamtenfordemd.com. He is a sports medicine doctor at Brigham and Women's Orthopedic Center and has a focus on runners so it seemed like it might be a good fit. I was able to get an appointment quickly which was a bonus so I decided to give him a try.
The appointment was very detailed. He was attentive and interested in listening to what I had to say but in the end I feel like he came to the same conclusion as everyone else. There is nothing really structurally wrong, it is all just muscular weakness and poor functional movement patterns that need to be corrected. Basically, he said I need to improve my lumbopelvic control, core strength, lower extremity kinetic chain, and foot strength. I'm not even sure what all that is but it sounds like pretty much everything. He did provide a very detailed note summary of the visit which I was impressed with considering most places just say something like hip pain and knee pain in the notes.
So what did he recommend that I do? He suggested I start with this Cycling Medicine Center - http://spauldingrehab.org/conditions-and-treatments/cycling-medicine. This starts with a bike fit which I have already had quite a few of. I doubt they will really find anything major as I think I have had pretty good work done on that. But then they work with you to develop a treatment plan to target and address your issues. My biggest concern is that they are located in Wellesley and I don't know how I will be able to fit going there into my work schedule. I have already taken off a ton of time to deal with this so I am trying to be really careful about this at work. So, I am going to go for the initial evaluation and bike fit and see what they have to say and then figure out if I can make it work.
The other recommendation was to go to the Spaulding National Running Center - http://spauldingrehab.org/conditions-and-treatments/natl-running-center where they would do similar stuff but targeted at my running form. Again, I have already had a running gait analysis done but supposedly this place offers a super high tech one and then a 16 week (or maybe it was 16 session?) plan to address and fix your weaknesses. The problem is they have a 4 month wait list!! So that means I won't get an appointment until maybe August and then have to start the 16 weeks/sessions (which again would be in Cambridge so that location won't be any more convenient). So now, I'm thinking well there goes my whole year! I did ask him if that meant I wouldn't be able to run again for 4 at least months. He said we can follow-up after I start working with the cycling PT to review and discuss when I could start running again. And that I should achieve initial pain-free walking and cycling before he'd recommend it. That sounds like it is going to be a while. :( I also didn't really discuss how he felt about other activities like swimming or aqua jogging. So at this point I'm still not sure what my plan is for those. I guess I'll discuss it with him at the follow up.
So for now I have an evaluation with the cycling center on 4/5 and we will see where that goes. If anyone has any experience with either of these two places feel free to leave me a comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment