Recruit the Glute
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Following the Memorial Day Mt Hamilton extravaganza, some pain was experienced in the lower half. This is a reasonably typical occurrence, having surmounted a veritable mountain under one's own propulsion. Most of the pains evaporated over the ensuing days, with the exception of a particular niggle in the left hip. Of course, bike commuting continued for the remainder of the week as it continued to be May, and thus points were accrued for the bike-to-work month challenge.
The following week entailed international travel, and as such, an enforced week off the beloved bicycle. Probably for the best as the hip was becoming increasingly painful. A week off biking would undoubtedly permit adequate recovery. But the week wore on, the pain increased, and the ibuprofen so foresightedly packed had to be rationed. An online search yielded a great host of exercises for hip pain, which were obediently executed on the floors of various hotel rooms. The pain did not abate. And was indeed exacerbated on a vigourous hike of the Great Wall of China, the most aggressive existing variant of which had been enthusiastically booked prior to Memorial Day weekend in a cloud of physical fitness.
Nor did the pain abate with the left leg and hip securely immobilised on the twelve hour economy class flight back. But at least there was ample ibuprofen freely available once more. And ice. A week of diligent icing, and anti-inflammatories, and stretches, and the pain did not diminish at all. Daily jet-lagged car commuting, teeth grinding in traffic. An unusually eventful week at work, and no outlet for the stress.
Finally on Friday, a call to the doctor, as work was busy and it was easier than going in. Sounds like trochanteric bursitis she pronounced, though you would have to come in for a formal diagnosis and an option to refer to the physiotherapist. Inflammation of a fluid sac in the hip, typically an affliction of overweight middle-aged women but also on occasion a sports injury. No idea how long it will take to clear, maybe weeks, maybe months. Do not repeat the aggravating motion until the pain has gone. Have you tried ibuprofen and ice? She sent some literature on stretches. The stretches were particularly painful. The hip felt worse than ever.
Not one, not two, but three separate rides were organised by the bike team for the weekend. After months of low attendance for weekend rides, everyone else was out at once having the most terrific time. The apartment grew very clean. True crime documentaries were consumed. Friends and family in the UK were Skyped, with various advice in response to the moaning. Crucially, one friend had also suffered from hip problems, and after many years of stoic endurance, had visited a physiotherapist, which was apparently revelationary. Doctor appointment for a referral booked for first thing Monday.
This morning, following five minutes of the doctor's time for an exorbitant $125 co-pay, trochanteric bursitis was more officially diagnosed. As a silver lining, a physiotherapy appointment with a hip specialist was available immediately after. The physiotherapy session was quite the experience. Happily, the physio herself, hereafter referred to as "B", is an avid cyclist so professed to quite understand the psychic trauma of enforced time off the bike. She exuded confidence this could be resolved quickly. Until she actually began the assessment.
"Stand" B ordered. Standing commenced, in the usual manner of the prior several decades to date. "Ooooh" she exhaled, evidently appalled. "Now sit". Each mundane stance elicited an audible response of horror. It transpired that my glutes are extremely disappointing, apparently evident at a mere glance, and that my quadriceps are grotesquely over-developed to compensate. A hideously distorted posture has consequently arisen, with hips slumped forward when standing. If the reader is curious, image search the alien Kif from Futurama for a startlingly accurate representation. "You are standing all wrong! You must recruit the glute or the wrong muscles / tendons will compensate and cause further trochanteric bursitis! You are probably cycling wrongly too! And do not do any of the exercises previously prescribed, as you are doing them all badly with your profane inability to engage your glutes. You will drag your tendons across your bones and only make the inflammation worse. Have you tried ice and Advil?"
The remainder of the day in the office was spent furiously endeavouring to recruit the glute(s) at my standing desk whilst simultaneously accomplishing work. So that is the plan. Ice, and ibuprofen, although not in conjunction with naproxen as learnt deleteriously today, and learn to activate the glutes. The inflammation should eventually go away, and the standing and biking posture will be taught to improve with practice and with further physio. The glutes will become mighty and strong and counterbalance the quads. Amen.
Following the Memorial Day Mt Hamilton extravaganza, some pain was experienced in the lower half. This is a reasonably typical occurrence, having surmounted a veritable mountain under one's own propulsion. Most of the pains evaporated over the ensuing days, with the exception of a particular niggle in the left hip. Of course, bike commuting continued for the remainder of the week as it continued to be May, and thus points were accrued for the bike-to-work month challenge.
The following week entailed international travel, and as such, an enforced week off the beloved bicycle. Probably for the best as the hip was becoming increasingly painful. A week off biking would undoubtedly permit adequate recovery. But the week wore on, the pain increased, and the ibuprofen so foresightedly packed had to be rationed. An online search yielded a great host of exercises for hip pain, which were obediently executed on the floors of various hotel rooms. The pain did not abate. And was indeed exacerbated on a vigourous hike of the Great Wall of China, the most aggressive existing variant of which had been enthusiastically booked prior to Memorial Day weekend in a cloud of physical fitness.
Nor did the pain abate with the left leg and hip securely immobilised on the twelve hour economy class flight back. But at least there was ample ibuprofen freely available once more. And ice. A week of diligent icing, and anti-inflammatories, and stretches, and the pain did not diminish at all. Daily jet-lagged car commuting, teeth grinding in traffic. An unusually eventful week at work, and no outlet for the stress.
Finally on Friday, a call to the doctor, as work was busy and it was easier than going in. Sounds like trochanteric bursitis she pronounced, though you would have to come in for a formal diagnosis and an option to refer to the physiotherapist. Inflammation of a fluid sac in the hip, typically an affliction of overweight middle-aged women but also on occasion a sports injury. No idea how long it will take to clear, maybe weeks, maybe months. Do not repeat the aggravating motion until the pain has gone. Have you tried ibuprofen and ice? She sent some literature on stretches. The stretches were particularly painful. The hip felt worse than ever.
Not one, not two, but three separate rides were organised by the bike team for the weekend. After months of low attendance for weekend rides, everyone else was out at once having the most terrific time. The apartment grew very clean. True crime documentaries were consumed. Friends and family in the UK were Skyped, with various advice in response to the moaning. Crucially, one friend had also suffered from hip problems, and after many years of stoic endurance, had visited a physiotherapist, which was apparently revelationary. Doctor appointment for a referral booked for first thing Monday.
This morning, following five minutes of the doctor's time for an exorbitant $125 co-pay, trochanteric bursitis was more officially diagnosed. As a silver lining, a physiotherapy appointment with a hip specialist was available immediately after. The physiotherapy session was quite the experience. Happily, the physio herself, hereafter referred to as "B", is an avid cyclist so professed to quite understand the psychic trauma of enforced time off the bike. She exuded confidence this could be resolved quickly. Until she actually began the assessment.
"Stand" B ordered. Standing commenced, in the usual manner of the prior several decades to date. "Ooooh" she exhaled, evidently appalled. "Now sit". Each mundane stance elicited an audible response of horror. It transpired that my glutes are extremely disappointing, apparently evident at a mere glance, and that my quadriceps are grotesquely over-developed to compensate. A hideously distorted posture has consequently arisen, with hips slumped forward when standing. If the reader is curious, image search the alien Kif from Futurama for a startlingly accurate representation. "You are standing all wrong! You must recruit the glute or the wrong muscles / tendons will compensate and cause further trochanteric bursitis! You are probably cycling wrongly too! And do not do any of the exercises previously prescribed, as you are doing them all badly with your profane inability to engage your glutes. You will drag your tendons across your bones and only make the inflammation worse. Have you tried ice and Advil?"
The remainder of the day in the office was spent furiously endeavouring to recruit the glute(s) at my standing desk whilst simultaneously accomplishing work. So that is the plan. Ice, and ibuprofen, although not in conjunction with naproxen as learnt deleteriously today, and learn to activate the glutes. The inflammation should eventually go away, and the standing and biking posture will be taught to improve with practice and with further physio. The glutes will become mighty and strong and counterbalance the quads. Amen.
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