My Hip is a Jerk*

I was finally able to turn off my air conditioner today.

That might sound like no big deal, but after the non-stop heatwave we’ve been through this summer, it is glorious to have my windows open. It was 42°C on Tuesday with the humidity. Forty-two. The kids’ school is not air conditioned, so I can’t even imagine what that was like with 30 tiny hot smelly bodies.

Nope.

It’s lovely and breezy today and I am loving it.

I got some news last night that I am trying hard not to be terribly disappointed about. Three weeks ago, my hips went out again. When I say “out”, I mean they go out of alignment and my right side hikes up about 4 inches higher than the other. I’ve been talking about my back and hip issues since they started almost two years ago, but this was the first time in ages that they’d gone out and I’ve made real progress with my healing over the last few months.

Or so I thought.

I stopped running immediately and tried to rest it, and made an appointment to see my Osteopath. Guys, if you haven’t yet tried this route, osteopathy is amazing. Before the Osteo I saw two chiropractors, multiple massage therapists, a pelvic floor physiotherapist and other doctors I’m not thinking of to try and fix this. Every one helped in some small way, but they really only treated the symptoms. Osteopathy has helped get to the root of what’s going on through a whole body approach and it was the first time I saw any improvement.

So, I’ve been to see my Osteopath twice since in the last few weeks. My back was tender for a day or two after my first appointment so I continued to take it easy, but by Saturday I felt great and decided to go for a short run. As soon as I got home I knew I still wasn’t right.

At my appointment last night he confirmed it.

I can’t remember if I’ve ever written about it, but last fall I was sent for X-rays to see if there was anything structural contributing to my hip issues. The scans showed that I have mild scoliosis. It’s fairly common, and up until now my body has always compensated for it and it has never been an issue. Then I had three babies back to back and those strong abdominal muscles that were holding everything in place were gone. And my hip issues began. Last night, he explained that one of my hips / glutes isn’t “firing”. Running was actually aggravating the side that is firing, and making it work over time to compensate for the side that’s not.

This is long, but it explains what my body is doing (or not doing) better than I can. LINK: Glute Imbalance

So, the long and the short of it is that I have been counseled to take a break from running to let my body heal. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed–I felt like I was just getting somewhere with it again… and I really do love it. I don’t just run for exercise, it makes me feel like I am working towards something, and I just really, really wanted to be able to run a race again. More than anything, I love the peace and clarity I get while I run.

But, maybe I can find that through yoga. Who knows.

I have some new exercises he made me promise I’d do to help reactivate my jerk hip that isn’t firing, so I just have to be super on the ball and actually do them if I want to be running again anytime soon.

So, that’s frustrating, but my windows are open, there’s a beautiful breeze, and I went for a lovely walk with a friend this morning.

Silver linings, right?