Where there's a doctor bill, there's a way.

Just a quick (photo-less) update on my progress since Portland.  I've been going to a chiropractor for the past two weeks to see if that will help my leg/hip issues.  Until now, I have been completely, totally, almost phobic-ly, anti-chiropractor.  Something about the words "adjust" and "spine" send shivers down, well, down my spine.  But Dr. Moore was recommended to me by someone I trust, and he also does other stuff too---Graston, which is very fine-tuned massage using metal tools and paste that smells like chocolate frosting (I kid you not), Assisted Release Therapy (think hot poker sticking into sore muscles and then moving said muscles), and also Kinsesio taping.  The person that referred me warned Dr. Moore I wasn't sure about chiropractic, and didn't know if I wanted to be adjusted at all.

Flash forward to my first visit.  He spent nearly an hour and a half with me, listening to my tales of running injury woe.  He recommended a course of treatment, including starting with a minor sacral adjustment.  I was like, well, since it's not my spine or anything, okay.  So he did that, ART, Graston on my calves and achilles (ouch ouch ouchy), and taping my calves (aaaahhhh, something nice).  Since then, he's adjusted several other things (including, OMG, my L5! my neck! my hips! shoulders! scary!), done more ART, Graston to my IT bands (ouch ouch ouchier), and more taping after all the Graston.

The result?  After only 3 visits (and, well, no running for two and a half weeks at all which I'm sure helped), the nagging pain that kept me from running is gone.  Gone!  I can walk down stairs without the pain, I can run across the street without the pain, and on Wednesday, I tested it by going for a walk with a few "run breaks" with Kevin.  Without the pain!  Woot!  It's been 4 total visits now, and it's only going to get better.  I'm not sure what is having the most impact, but I'm super excited that I'm getting better.  Though every time I break into a run I find I'm still limping because I'm so used to the pain being there.  But that will go away soon, too. 

So tomorrow I'm going to go to run group, do some walking with "run breaks" and toddle on down my road to recovery.

Oh, and chiropractic?  I'm now a big fan.