I started physical therapy in January after finally realizing that, no, resting wasn’t making my hip better. When the pain was so bad I considered buying a gun to shot my leg, I went to the doctor (see me make good choices!). After several tests it was determined that I had severe hip bursitis brought on by repeated dislocations caused by Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I had to switch doctors to get one that didn’t say, “Just stay off it until it quits hurting.” But that’s a story for another day.
I started physical therapy and found that as a fun bonus my knee cap was actually completely in the wrong place and probably had been all year. I learned to reset and tape my knee. Six weeks later I officially graduated from physical therapy. For those of you who have never done physical therapy, it really isn’t fun. The moves I was doing were things I wouldn’t have even used as a warm up two years ago. There were things that should have been super simple that I couldn’t do. It’s humbling and frustrating to realize how quickly the body can be broken, and how much damage was done by sitting around waiting to get better. There are times when staying off the injured limb is the right idea, but this wasn’t one of those times.
My stated goal when I started was to be able to walk 1 mile pain free, because back in December when I made the goal I was in an ankle brace and unable to stand for more than a few minutes. In 2013 I was going to the gym four days a week. In 2014 I was running 5k 3-5 times a week plus lifting weights and doing yoga. I was injured at the end of the year. And now I can’t lift more than a 5lb dumbbell and I couldn’t walk 50ft without dying much less a mile. It’s awful. Never injure yourself. It sucks.
But!
Tonight I walked 3/4 of a mile and aside from being a little winded (since I haven’t really worked out in a year), I’m fine! My ankle is a little sore (the muscles need strengthening), but my knee stayed in place and my hip doesn’t hurt! Woohoo!
This week my goal is to walk the .74 mile loop daily, and then try adding a second loop in two to three weeks. Feel free to nudge me on social media and see if I’m keeping up with my goals. I want to be healthy again and get back to weights and running. But, for right now, baby steps.