第十個馬拉松賽跑 - 48小時後 (受傷之分析) / My 10th Running Marathon - 48 Hours Later (Diagnosis of injury)

San Wen Ji's comment regarding my running injury had piqued my interest (in a positive sense) to find out more. So, I went to the YMCA/YWCA gym the day after the running marathon and tried to determine exactly which part of my "bod" was injured. I did my stretching exercises, went thru a circuit of weight-training machines, eliminated joints and muscles that did not hurt, and narrowed down the possibilities to the following three causes:
* Iliotibial Band Syndrome (IT Band Syndrome or ITBS)
* Hip flexor strain
* Execessive pronation

Given that the over-pronation of my left foot has been compensated with my stability running shoes, and that my gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles are in good shape, I concluded that the IT Band is the main contributor of my running injury. This was supported by the tightness of my left IT Band when I was doing my stretching exercises (see photograph posted). I am also glad to report that 48 hours after the run, my discomfort has mostly subsided.

(攝影图片 Photo Credit: http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/2000/02_00/fredericson.htm)

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References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscles_of_the_hip
http://www.brooksrunning.ca/runners_resource/hip_pain.htm

Extract from Brooks' "Hip Pain" article

***** Self diagnosis is not for everyone. When in doubt, please seek professional advice *****

Symptoms:
* Pain along the lateral (outside) of the hip
* Pain when ascending stairs and/or getting up from a seated position
* Pain associated with standing for long periods or for sitting for extended periods
* May have trouble sleeping
* May have limited range of motion of the hip

Definitions
* Iliotibial Band Syndrome: An inflammation where the band rubs across the distal (lower portion) lateral femur. Pain is felt along the outer side of the hip and also possibly the knee.
* Trochanteric Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursa along the outside of the hip. Mechanical imbalance in the lower extremity due to poor foot mechanics.
* Piriformis Syndrome: A spasm or tightness of the piriformis muscle in the buttocks that can irritate the sciatic nerve or impinge the sciatic nerve. May be caused by poor mechanics of the foot and lower extremity.
* Hamstring Strain: A muscle imbalance or overload of the hamstring muscle which strains the muscle. Pain is located either in the buttocks or in the "belly" of the muscle in the back of the thigh. May feel tear or pop in severe cases
* Hip Flexor Strain: Overload or overuse of the muscle in front of thigh and hip such as climbing stairs, marching or uphill running. There may be a limp and shortened stride. Mechanical imbalance in lower extremity.
* Excessive Pronation: Pronation (a flattening of the arch) is a normal movement of the foot that helps the body to absorb shock and to adapt to different ground surfaces. In analyzing ones gait, first contact is on the heel and outside of the foot; followed by a shift of body weight continuing forward, toward the arch and toes. If the foot is weak or tired and/or the footwear is not supportive, then the arch can flatten more than normal, which is excessive pronation. If the pronation becomes excessive, there is increased rotation of the leg, knee, thigh and hip, causing added stresses to the joint. Flattening of the arch too much (excessive pronation) places pressure on the arch, and on up the chain including the ankle, knee and hip.