Injured but getting better
No orienteering recently nor for a week or two more. Somewhere between the British Championships, Lancing Ring or a couple of long, fairly fast training runs I strained my hamstring, which also caused problems in my calf and under my heel. No problems actually while running but it reached the point where I could not stand on my left leg when I got up in the morning and I was having cramp and pain after even slight exercise (walking to the shops).
The GP sent me to the physio, who has helped – a lot. He pinned down the location of (thankfully) a fairly minor hamstring strain. More importantly, he has identified an issue with my piriformis muscle (deep in the backside) putting pressure on the sciatic nerve, which has meant the muscles at the back of the leg being tighter than they should be and so more prone to injury. It also explains a lot of the vague aches and pains in the sides and back of my legs. The nerve has been sensitive. The stretch he showed me for the piriformis makes me feel looser and better instantly and even takes the ache away from under my heel, so there must be something in it. The Physio suspects that the root of the problems are that the front of my ankle was tight and “locked” so I was turning the leg and foot out to compensate putting all kinds of wierd strains all the way up. He has been working on this too.
I feel like I am almost there. The pain is much less and quite manageable (though I have not tried running yet) and I am definitely more flexible as a result of these stretches and the manipulation. the next event I can go to is several weeks away anyway, so is the next target.