|
Written by Vince
|
|
Friday, 19 February 2010 05:58 |
|
Over the past couple of weeks, I've been dealing with a nagging sensation in the general area of my Achilles tendon. I'm assuming this is an Achilles injury attempting to wreak havoc on my training. Like a good little boy, I stopped running in an attempt to stave off a full blown case of Achilles tendonitis.
After a small break, the would-be injury disappeared -- it disappeared until I decided to run again -- in which case it presented itself once again as a non-painful sensation. I really don't know how to describe it other than to say that it doesn't hurt although at one point, I think I might have felt a slight burning sensation but I am hyper-sensitive to just about anything now.
Rewind to a few weeks ago when I visited the doctor and he said I don't have an injury. Now I'm confused because the doc says I should continue to run but I know my body and something isn't right. I like it better when the doctor tells me there's something broken and plots a course for fixing the problem. In this case, I am left in a state of confusion which has caused me to spend hours upon hours researching Achilles tendon injuries.
From my research, I have learned that I do not want to mess around with an Achilles tendon injury because it will become the bane of my existence. With horrible visions floating around in my head, I've become quite nervous and I've started playing various versions of the future in my head -- all of which are not good.
I decide to bring in reinforcements by writing my friends. Going back and forth through email, I collect more information about the injury but I’m left wondering which direction to take. Should I run? Should I not run? Should I reduce the load? I don't know.
I continue to do nothing but ice because I feel like time will hopefully make this go away although I'm getting skeptical about this approach as well. But then I get an email from a friend of a friend who tells me: "You need ART!"
I need Art?
"You need Active Release Therapy!" -- followed by something about moving the muscles around and getting the juices flowing. I'll give anything a shot so I look for ART even though it sounds more like VOODOO. I then discover that ART is performed by chiropractors. It IS voodoo!
I Google search ART in my town and I find a web site with a nice looking fellow on the front page nearby. I am comforted by his appearance. He will help me! I call to make an appointment for later in the afternoon and I begin to feel calm although still somewhat skeptical.
I arrive at my appointment and at first glance, the exterior of the building seems normal enough. I enter through the door expecting to see a well lit office but instead the room is dim and calming, I think I smell patchouli incense and off in the distance, I could hear the faint sounds of chickens.
The nice lady at the desk gathers my information, steals my soul under the guise of "we need a picture for our files" and then directs me to a back room. Waiting patiently for the nice man on the web site, the door opens and the doctor enters the room.
I do a double take. I think to myself -- "Where is the nice man from the website?" while wondering if this man ate him for lunch. He looks me over and tells me that ART can help me.
He exits the room and then returns after I hear what I can only describe as the sound of muffled screams followed by dead silence. I ask about the sounds and he claims there was a car accident outside but I never hear the sound of a crash. He directs me to the table and explains that it might get uncomfortable. He further explains that I should let him know if it becomes unbearable.
I am excited! ART is going to help me! And then he begins. Holy crap! ART hurts like hell! I scream like a little girl and I hear maniacal laughter throughout the building. He asks: "Does that hurt?" To which I reply: "YES!" I asked for a wooden dowel to bite on but he just uttered the word: "Sissy!" and continued to drive all 300 of his pounds into the back of my leg through his thumb.
He eventually finishes and he tells me that he's disappointed because he was unable to get as deep as he would've liked. I'm not sure how deep he wanted to go but I'm certain I was fairly close to passing out. At one point, I asked if he was trying to break my tibia. He laughed and explained the tibia is very strong. Yeah... that's comforting. :( He then tells me there might be some bruising. Bruising! Ya think?
Twelve hours later, I feel like a car ran over the back of my leg. I am reminded of my childhood when I would get hurt and my brother would punch my in the arm to distract me from my original pain. If that was the goal, it worked. I no longer feel the sensation on the back of my heel because the pain in my calf is drawing my attention.
Time will tell whether or not this session provided relief but if so, I hope sooner than later because I have another session with the supposed "doctor" on Monday.
Me no likey ART!
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
