Looking for advice on recovery...

[uprise]

In my short life I have had a bunch of injuries that were all self-caused. In the midst of my last cycle I overtrained and have brought up two more injuries. In my left leg it appears as though I have acquired an ileo tibial band injury. The day after a workout that had a long run at the end I woke up with the pain on the outside of my left knee. This was about two weeks ago. A few days after that, I was coming to the end of a swipe density program and brought on a shoulder pain from the past. When I was lifting conventionally my right shoulder was injured while doing front lateral raises. This appears to be the same pain on the front side of my shoulder that I woke up with last week. My conclusion is that a swipe density program with Bruiser days in between is way too much work for me.

Basically, I have done nothing but Warrior Wellness for the last week and a half, and it appears as though my shoulder and knee are not healing very quickly. I was wondering if anyone else had any similar issues and could offer some advice to speed up the healing process.

Thanks,

[Scott Sonnon]

Mike,

What has your physician told you? It's premature to discuss this issue here without first consulting with your doc.

[rbibbs]

Just general stuff Mike; you are probably reaching the same tentative conclusions. 10 days, little recovery: not a simple muscle strain. If it's a muscle tear or connective tissue overuse, anticipate having to let those rest (active-recovery, or as your physician advises) until they're near-100% recovered then patiently rebuild the areas. Visit the doc for the definitive diagnosis, treatment, and recovery expectations (mine took 6 weeks-to-6 months).

Learning opportunity, to see where you are on the 'productivity curve' of aggressive strength training. Picture a very steep symmetrical hill (kind of a stretched-cone with the point rounded), that's the (graph) curve. The scale of training intensity increases from left to right. The scale of results (strength) increases from bottom to top. There's a sharp dropoff in results when the intensity passes a certain point (you passed it 2 weeks ago). Given probably 15% "slop" in where the exact peak is at any one time, aim for a point just below it on the 'increasing results' side of the curve. Then even if you go over, it won't be by much (= shorter recovery time).

"Outside of left knee" covers a lot of territory. One potential "runner's misarticulation" that can strain the proximal attachment of the fibula is, landing toward the little-toe side of the foot. That generates an ankle torsion which gets transmitted up the fibula to the 'outside of the knee' for resolution. "A few" such forces won't produce a noticeable strain, but a few thousand (as in running several miles) will. An element of form to check on when you are able to resume running.

[uprise]

Thanks for the replies. I intend to get to the doctor next week to get a definite answer on what the issues may be. Rick, you point out some excellent information about intensity/results that I have to learn to pay attention to. Recovery appears to be the weak point in my training, a point that I am ready to attend to. From this day forward recovery and variation in intensity will be the focus of my training when it resumes. I have suffered enough overtraining injuries now to drive this point into my thick skull.

I will report back after the diagnosis from my doctor.

Thanks,

[uprise]

I visited a certified chiropractic sports physician to get the final word on my injuries. It looks like my teres minor and teres major are weak and my fibula is a little off kilter. After have one adjustment on my shoulder it was 100% better for a little over half a day. It looks like it will take a few weeks to get the adjusments to hold. Any suggestions on excercises to hit the teres minor and major once I get the green light to lift?

Thanks,

[Scott Sonnon]

Mike,

Ask your sports doc first. Ask him/her again when you complete your recovery. Once you're finished, let us know and we'll revisit the possibilities. Injuries can change their nature during the recovery process; what may be 'true' now may not be later.