Injury Recovery

Leg Massage

Yesterday, I completed my first outdoor run in two years. It lasted only 6 minutes, but it was a fantastic, though incredibly tough, experience. You might wonder what happened. Well, it was one of those "Can't Fix Stupid" moments many runners experience. In February 2023, I was finishing a great training block and was in excellent shape. During a morning warm-up and stretching session, I felt a slight twinge in my Achilles. I dismissed it and went for a run. Unfortunately, I didn't take that minor pain seriously, and it developed into full-blown tendonitis.

After an unsuccessful cortisone shot, I turned to physical therapy. While PT helped me gain strength, it didn't get me closer to running again. It wasn't until I underwent a Tenex procedure in September 2024 to remove inflammation and damaged tissue that I began to see progress. The procedure eliminated the constant shooting pain I felt from morning until night.

After the recommended recovery period, I returned to PT for more strengthening exercises. However, it wasn't until I added deep tissue massage that I noticed significant progress. The massage addressed the root cause of the problem. I discovered that my gastrocnemius and soleus muscles were extremely tight. Once the tension and trigger points were released, I started to see real improvement.

Over these two long years, I learned to take every twinge very seriously. Through my research, I found that our fitness level only decreases by 5% over two weeks, so it's okay to take a few days to assess an issue and decide if medical help is needed. Trust me, these past two years have been a major wake-up call and learning experience. As I coach my runners, I share this experience, hoping they will take my advice to heart.