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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Myofascial Release Update

This week, I had the 18th round of myofascial release done on my hip.  It is so crazy.  The knots move around.  Some days, it is right in the middle of my hip socket.  Some days, it's my butt.  Some days, it's my inner thigh.  All days...treatment is painful!  I started this adventure two months ago.  You can read that first blog about it HERE.  My doctor is intent on pinning the pain to an old injury.  I had a bike accident when I was maybe 10 or 12.  Two bikes and my cousin ended up heaped on me.  I can't remember if I fell on my left side though.  I had a snow skiing accident around age 13, which resulted in a broken left collarbone.  Maybe when I flipped over, I hit my hip.  My shoulder hurt so bad, I don't remember anything else hurting.  I also use my left leg to mount horses.  Maybe years of hauling all that weight up did some damage.  Then maybe the plastic surgeries and resulting scar tissue added to it.  Who knows?! 

I am happy to report that the therapy is working!  My pain levels are often only 2 out of 10 on most days (down from 5 or 6 most days, which is even further down from 8 or 9 before Keith got ahold of me).  I still can't figure out what makes it spike.  Does dancing?  Some days.  Does yoga?  Some days.  Does doing nothing?  Some days.  There's never any rhyme or reason.  We recently moved from two treatments per week to one.  I think it was difficult to figure out if it was working since muscle soreness would set in a couple of days after the treatment, and I was going in for the next appointment with a day or two after that.  I have noticed a big difference in how I feel now that my body has enough time to heal from the previous appointment. 

If you aren't sure what fascia is...read THIS article!  "Fascia is a web of fibrous tissue that permeates the body, but is it really the "Cinderella Tissue" that new age therapists, Rolfers, and yoga instructors suggest? The fascial system is still a medical mystery."  I kind of think of it as a net that holds all my meat to my bones. 


Why WOULDN'T I do this move?!
The bruises I get from the treatment can often rival my pole dancing bruises.  My doctor just shakes his head and laughs when I come in and he says, "hey, *I* didn't cause *that* bruise!"  I proudly take out my phone and show him photos of me doing some pole move.  When I showed him my shoulder stand (which resulted in a pretty nice bruise across my entire shoulder), he said, "how long did you hold that??" (just long enough to take the photo).  Then he said, "why??" (uh, why not??).  He then sent me to get tested for anemia again.  He doesn't understand why I do these funny poses on the pole but he has a good sense of humor about my shenanigans.  He also thinks it is hilarious that I come with a beach towel to put over the stupid paper covering the table.  As soon as the pain hits, I generally start sweating all over my body and then used to end up leaving with bits of tissue paper stuck to me.  Not anymore!

I am very appreciative that I have a primary care physician willing to do this kind of treatment on me.  I feel like he uses a mix of Western medicine with Chinese medicine.  I was so grumpy when my former doctor stopped accepting my insurance and I was randomly placed with this doctor.  What a blessing in disguise, though!

So, although it is painful, I am hopeful that enduring this now will mean I don't get arthritis in this hip later in life.  Have you ever tried myofascial release or rolfing?  I'd love to hear about your experiences! 

5 comments:

  1. So glad it is working out for you! The idea that you had to deal with level 5+ pain every day is insane. Happy you are feeling better - now you can do even crazier pole/yoga/acro stuff!

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    1. Pain is funny. When I was an 8 most days, I definitely had lower patience and got frustrated and angry easier. I was a 5 for so long, it was almost just part of me. Now that I have it down to manageable levels, my 3/4 days (which I'm having today) are super lame!! :)

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    2. And yes, bring on the crazy stuff!!! :-D

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  2. Nice shoulder stand!! Glad the treatment is working :)

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