Physical Therapy Round 1

Yesterday I had round 1 of 3 of physical therapy and it went well.  I think we have a good regimen planned out for the next 10 days to get me ready (or as ready as possible) for the San Fran 1/2 marathon.


We started with an evaluation where she checked my IT band, leg flexibility and motion, and knee motion.  I was super tender just above my knee and on the outside bone of my knee.  And it turns out the 30 degree bend in the knee is the most painful, which is normal of IT Band Friction Syndrome.  So we got right down to treatment.


To loosen up the band and muscles, she wrapped a heating pad around my knee for 10 minutes.  That was followed by an ultra sound (which is not only used on pregnant women apparently!) to give off sound waves to loosen the tissue and help flatten the scar tissue build up causing the friction. It felt funny at first, but then it was relaxing and almost numbing.  After the ultra sound, my physical therapist “rubbed out” my IT Band, yes this is apparently the term they use and yes I know I am being immature by giggling at this.  She massaged, or rubbed out, my band for about 10 minutes and it hurt like hell, but I know it helped a ton!  I have to massage it once a day at home.


Then she showed me a bunch of stretches to do at least once, ideally twice, a day.  The IT band is such an awkward muscle to stretch!  One stretch involved laying on the edge of a bed or couch facing inward and letting your injured leg hang off behind you, stretching the muscle.  There’s also stretching against a wall and of course using the foam roller.  She also wants me to stretch out my hamstrings and calves to keep them from tightening and shortening.  After stretching she wrapped my knee in a compression ice pack to slow blood flow and reduce the swelling, which I have a little bit of.


Overall it was a great first PT sesh.  I go in again on Monday then on Wednesday, and if I’m feeling good on Wednesday they’re going to wrap my knee and I am going to attempt an easy 3 mile run.  They will also teach me how to tape it so I can tape it on race day.  So I’m very optimistic!  Yay!


xoxo