TriggerPoints

So here's where I'm at just now in terms of... well in terms of still trying to get rid of this, quite honestly, sh*tty knee pain I get whenever I run or worse, when I go walking.

Readers from way back when will know I did attend a physio and paid a fortune for that! - nice guy but didn't really improve the pain and the massages were very sore. He referred me to the hospital.

I was given orthotic half insoles/wedges for my trainers 2 days before departing for Nepal. Again I can't honestly say they make a difference. In fact I know they don't as I did run and still got the stabbing pain after about 10 minutes. I ran solid, I did interval running I tried everything. Gave up on that for now as the pain once it appears takes a few days before it's fully gone.

At the same time I was waiting months on my NHS physio appointment and eventually got one in June (6 months later) - they'd lost my referral sheet!!! Anyway I've been about 3 times now usually once a month and no massage has ever taken place. I was in for 10 minutes the last time. He basically told me that i need to do lots of stretching and strengthening of some muscle groups. This is fine as he's quite positive that the pain will go.

Now me being me I have spent days and days researching on the web for other solutions to this problem - which on reading seems to be much more common than I thought! So how come I feel that when I mention it people look at me blankly or say something smart like it's me making it up and trying to get out of doing different activities. Believe me I'd much rather be running a marathon or up and down hills than being scared to attempt anything cos I know the consequences and pain I will go through for 2-3 days afterwards. It's no fun!

Anyway, in the mean time I've been foam rollering my quads, IT bands and sitting on a tennis ball to release the glutes a wee bit as well as going to the gym and performing several different stretches and exercises from new Mr Physio.

On my journey to find a 'cure' or at least a solution I stumbled upon a site called TP Therapy - via the Crossfit Endurance website. There were pictures at the bottom and these wee stripey roller things looked funky so I clicked on a read more. Triggerpoint Therapy!!... this rang a bell as the first physio was always going on about trigger points and pressing them and giving me bruises... and so I read on...

From all the information provided on the TP Therapy website I have finally found somewhere that gives comprehensive explanations and shows the relationships between where I get pain that is not in my knee. It's all connected! Anyway the upshot is that I am definitely going to order a kit of their rollers and massage balls to try out this method and from what I have read (and from what people have said) it seems to be really effective - kinda like the next step up from the foam rollering that I've been doing. Yes!!!! Hurrah!!! Fingers crossed eh.

I also found them on Twitter and asked about stockists. A guy who runs TP Therapy Australia Kristian Manietta, very kindly replied and gave me the Runners Edge website here in the UK. I will be ordering forthwith! I've also checked out the video's he's got on YouTube which show you how to do the rollers and stretches. All looks good and I'm positive about it and can't wait to start doing it. Here's hoping that I will soon be able to run (perhaps) or walk up a hill without the worry of the descent and poping pain killers at the summit so that they kick in on the way down.

It's funny (weird) cos I was getting a back massage last week and she said I was slightly 'raised' on the right hand side! and out of alignment. This can be caused by anything from slouching, to sitting in the car with your knee flayling to the side, to standing the wrong way. This week too i'm starting a yoga class which will hopefully also help with my posture, stretching and general all round zen-ness, ha ha!

So that's where i'm at just now... Where are you at?

Ange xx