Reneging.

On the resting deal.  Now...let me explain.  I rested a few days and, when I woke up this morning...my hip felt a lot better.  No pain with walking, climbing stairs, etc.  I ran a bit with Amelia, and I didn't have any pain.

So I decided to do a very slow run.  I was pretty much pain free until 3 miles in.  Then I started to just feel it.  So I stopped and walked a little, then started back slowly.  It was still there, and got a little worse.  Never excruciating, but definitely got worse as the run went on.  I am so used to tendonitis which tends to get better as the run goes.  I've started so many runs with a limp, only to have it disappear two miles in and stay gone for 15+ miles...then hurt like hell after the run.

This, though, is different.  It's not like any tendonitis I've ever had.  I start out just fine and then, late in the run, it shows up.  As soon as I stop, it's pretty much 90% better until I run again.  The only thing I can do that consistently makes it hurt and is NOT running...is abduct my knee away from me, and flex my thigh upward.  That hurts.  Bringing my leg straight up, though, does not.  No problem with stairs, etc.

So I'm seeing the PT tomorrow for some Graston.  If it's tendonitis--I'll be healed.  Graston works miracles.  But I'm worried it won't do the trick this time.  That's because I've done my own Graston on it (courtesy of Tim), and it seems to act the same way...coming on mid-run and getting worse from there.  When I initially saw Dr. W for this, the pain was in a slightly different spot and it DID act like tendonitis.  That spot (which was actually the adductor) no longer hurts.

So.  I've never run with a strain before--will a strained muscle start out fine, come on mid-run, then gradually get worse (but not excruciating--it's runnable and no change in my stride)?  If it IS a strain, I think I'll have to rest it along with the Graston.  Now, I know what you're all thinking--femoral neck stress fracture!  Because I'm thinking it too.  BUT....though I have been injured far more than is fair for anyone, I've never had a stress fracture.  Never had problems with my bones.

Which doesn't rule anything out, but makes me feel better.  Also, it doesn't hurt when I hop on it.  In addition, I can't tell for sure that it's the impact that makes it hurt--maybe more when the leg swings through.    Also, when this showed up, my miles were way down.  I had tapered, run my race, and was running like 30 mpw.  I wonder if a stress fracture can occur during the peak training and not show up til later?  And it's not excruciating pain like I'd imagine a broken bone would be.  It's deep and dull.  On the down side--it KILLS me at night, wakes me up.  Just aches when I lie in bed.  I know that's a stress fracture trait.  There's also a particular spot, up high, that if I have Tim push on it sends me through the roof.  But muscles can do that, too.  If you don't believe me, try getting Graston done sometime.

So...I'm accepting and announcing that I (think I) am officially (but maybe not?) injured.  To some degree.  Unless it's a stress fracture, I think it will heal with the proper rest and therapy.  Whatever the case, I'm just going to accept it.  There are serious things going on at present, the least of which is my bum hip.  I'll fill you in tomorrow.