I was wondering how many athletes out there have raced so hard on the bike(or run or swim) they have permanently injured themselves for greater then 10years. Some years ago I was blazing Augusta 70.3 on the bike and started hurting bad 2/3 of the way through and then dropped out of the race on the run. Still think I hit 2:15 on the bike or so. It is frustrating because over these years I have always thought there was some hope that I would recover from the diagnosed osteitis-pubis or in other words an inflammation related injury to the connective tissue that connects the pelvis together in the front. Over the years I literally have had so many dreams of racing and it took years to even get back to a little bit of riding my bike. This year I have managed to regularly ride a bike after 10 years of injury. The first couple years were particularly fraught with pain and agony from the injury. It may have worked out for the best tough because at one point I wanted to be a professional triathlete but the injury pushed me on the trajectory to be a professional physicist which I am now currently a postdoc in the materials science division at Argonne National Laboratory doing quantum mechanical simulations of advanced battery materials.
Triathlon Forum
Login required to started new threads
Login required to post replies
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [honestly]
[ In reply to ]
honestly wrote:
I was wondering how many athletes out there have raced so hard on the bike(or run or swim) they have permanently injured themselves for greater then 10years. Some years ago I was blazing Augusta 70.3 on the bike and started hurting bad 2/3 of the way through and then dropped out of the race on the run. Still think I hit 2:15 on the bike or so. It is frustrating because over these years I have always thought there was some hope that I would recover from the diagnosed osteitis-pubis or in other words an inflammation related injury to the connective tissue that connects the pelvis together in the front. Over the years I literally have had so many dreams of racing and it took years to even get back to a little bit of riding my bike. This year I have managed to regularly ride a bike after 10 years of injury. The first couple years were particularly fraught with pain and agony from the injury. It may have worked out for the best tough because at one point I wanted to be a professional triathlete but the injury pushed me on the trajectory to be a professional physicist which I am now currently a postdoc in the materials science division at Argonne National Laboratory doing quantum mechanical simulations of advanced battery materials.I don't think it is as much racing as training unless you have some sort of acute event in a race. 10 years injuries, I am not sure, but I am sure there have been enough injuries that have disenchanted many and they left the sport. I know quite a few athletes like that. In regards to professionals specifically, I have seen quite a few amateur athletes who thought that being professional was the bee's knees. However in practice they feel into 3 distinct groups: they stuck it out and had some success, they got injured, or they realized that being professional sucked the fun out of it for them. In both the later they were spit out pretty quickly.
Slightly tangential but I have always been curious about the long careers of some athletes and the older athletes. Cam Brown comes to mind. He would say that he doesn't take breaks anymore because at his age you either keep moving or your body falls into a state that you can't come back from. At least not at the same level without incurring lots of aches and pains.
Sounds like you still have the itch which is positive. Hopefully at some point your body will cooperate.
Save: $50 on Speed Hound Recovery Boots | $20 on Air Relax| $100 on Normatec| 15% on Most Absorbable Magnesium
Blogs: Best CHEAP Zwift / Bike Trainer Desk | Theragun G3 vs $140 Bivi Percussive Massager | Normatec Pulse 2.0 vs Normatec Pulse | Speed Hound vs Normatec | Air Relax vs Normatec | Q1 2018 Blood Test Results | | Why HED JET+ Is The BEST value wheelset
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [Thomas Gerlach]
[ In reply to ]
Yeah I definitely have itch. I keep thinking that this year is going to be the year but the build up back to a reasonable level of moderate exercise has been slow. I don't think I will race ever again but I will certainly enjoy the three sports for some exercise. I am trying to not be bitter about it as it has spoiled my appreciation for the sport a little. For a while I kept up with the races and watched Kona every year but it started to just frustrate me and I lost track. Maybe I should just travel to some races for spectating once this darn pandemic is over.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [honestly]
[ In reply to ]
I am sorry this happened and I don’t know anything about this specific injury. It seems like 10 years is a long time to have inflammation though. I assume a sports doc diagnosed this? If so was there rehab recommended for the injury? I would think a physical therapist could help you with a program that would reduce inflammation and strengthen that area so you could get back on the bike and back to racing.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [honestly]
[ In reply to ]
Have you gotten a second opinion? I'm part of the largest private medical group in my area and I wouldn't go to them for certain things especially sports med.
I'm guessing you are from Chicagoland area (WFG is my favorite place to run). If so, there are some great options here, especially at Rush.
I have a defect that led to my injury (CAM-type FAI causing labral tear). I was certain I needed hip preservation surgery to run again. I texted my ortho doc, who also happens to be a colleague, and he said I needed arthroscopy. My best friend, a PT, insisted that I see hip specialist at Rush because he does the best work. Coincidentally, I had just read an interview of him in runner's world on hip injuries. Surprisingly, he wanted me to try PT first. So far so good. It's only been 2 months and hoping this is all I'll need.
I'm guessing you are from Chicagoland area (WFG is my favorite place to run). If so, there are some great options here, especially at Rush.
I have a defect that led to my injury (CAM-type FAI causing labral tear). I was certain I needed hip preservation surgery to run again. I texted my ortho doc, who also happens to be a colleague, and he said I needed arthroscopy. My best friend, a PT, insisted that I see hip specialist at Rush because he does the best work. Coincidentally, I had just read an interview of him in runner's world on hip injuries. Surprisingly, he wanted me to try PT first. So far so good. It's only been 2 months and hoping this is all I'll need.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [Dinsky11]
[ In reply to ]
Yes it was diagnosed by a sports doctor after normal dr's failed to see anything on an MRI and CT scan. Unfortunately sometimes this injury can be chronic and take a long time to heal. I am not exactly sure what happened but a surgeon told me you would not know until you are cut open for someone to look but he advised not to do the surgery if I still had good normal function outside of sport. I do have done a lot of physical therapy exercises over the years that are advised for the type of injury and they do help but the slow recovery rate is painstaking. One problem I think is the blood flow is very low in the connective tissue at the pelvic bone connection so it is hard I suppose for your body to get nutrients there to help with the recovery process. Strangely one of the worst periods of the injury was not the initial pain but later when the pain was gone but there was this constant tickling feeling on the back of the pelvic bone.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [hubcaps]
[ In reply to ]
I think it might be worth it to see another ortho or sports Dr to up my physical therapy to more modern approaches. Do you know if arthroscopy can be done without going under? I am a little hesitant towards surgery if I can avoid it and in particular if you have to be put to sleep.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [honestly]
[ In reply to ]
honestly wrote:
I think it might be worth it to see another ortho or sports Dr to up my physical therapy to more modern approaches. Do you know if arthroscopy can be done without going under? I am a little hesitant towards surgery if I can avoid it and in particular if you have to be put to sleep.Yes it can, with a certain caveat. You can have a spinal anesthetic or an epidural, or depending on the joint, a regional nerve block. General anesthesia is extremely safe, however. There is no need for fear mongering regarding “being put to sleep”. If you do require surgery, your anesthesiologist will outline the various options, and allow you to weigh the pros and cons of each approach.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [honestly]
[ In reply to ]
This sounds very frustrating. I wish you the best with your recovery.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [Dinsky11]
[ In reply to ]
Thanks I appreciate it.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [honestly]
[ In reply to ]
honestly wrote:
trajectory to be a professional physicist which I am now currently a postdoc in the materials science division at Argonne National Laboratory doing quantum mechanical simulations of advanced battery materials.Small world. Some years ago I did research at Argonne on magnetic materials, albeit at the energy systems division. My dad worked at material science until about 2 years ago. I know the postdocs get worked to the bone, so my condolences. Lol
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [BigBoyND]
[ In reply to ]
Nice, small world indeed. Argonne is such a great place aside from the brutal expectations to publish. The campus is amazing I really love the drive in through the woods.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [honestly]
[ In reply to ]
Nice place for lunch time runs, too. Especially on the loop outside of the fence when there's enough time
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [eblackadder]
[ In reply to ]
Thanks to the replies to this post I am motivated to get another evaluation of the injury and look at my options. I think first I will try more physical therapy and hopefully with some better techniques make progress. As far as surgery if it is an option I will have to consider but one aspect is the expense which even with good insurance could be quite high. I suppose first I will have to get a re-evaluation of the injury and weigh my options.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [honestly]
[ In reply to ]
FWIW, an hour of mat pilates every other day has done more for my hip tendons/ligaments/connective tissue than any course of physio I've ever had (plenty, from three highly qualified practitioners). It gets the blood in there, and makes the tiny muscles contract as they're intended to -- hard to compensate if you're going for symmetry of activation in both hips/legs.
it's free and *as long as you progress sensibly*, low risk. I can't recommend it highly enough. Moving Mango has sessions on youTube with all sorts of durations and focus.
it's free and *as long as you progress sensibly*, low risk. I can't recommend it highly enough. Moving Mango has sessions on youTube with all sorts of durations and focus.
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [honestly]
[ In reply to ]
I had a similarly long lasting injury to the plantar fascia in my foot- it took me about 7 years to return to regular running. I had several surgeries and bouts of PT during that time and what I realized at the end of it is that no doctor could tell me how the process would work *for me.* I had to feel it out myself and decide how little or how much activity I could do based on how it felt. In the end I had to err on the side of caution and use pain as my guide.
This all took place 15 years ago and I'm happy to say that I've been racing regularly for years and all of the lessons that I learned from the experience have helped me to stay relatively injury free. Stick with it and listen to your body and you can get back to racing. Good luck!
"One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time."
This all took place 15 years ago and I'm happy to say that I've been racing regularly for years and all of the lessons that I learned from the experience have helped me to stay relatively injury free. Stick with it and listen to your body and you can get back to racing. Good luck!
"One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time."
Re: Permanent injuries from racing [splatt]
[ In reply to ]
That is encouraging to hear. I am hoping for the best. I am thinking that if my body does cooperate I will try and start with some short events with minimal training and not full race effort. I think I will make this winter a determined winter of physical therapy exercises and see where I can go from there next spring with some short running. I did did a couple of one mile runs this summer that felt okay so maybe a long slow build up starting next year will do the trick.
I will definitely have to look into this. I think I will be good to have a more well structured physical therapy regime to accelerate the healing. In the first years I did but I gradually got complacent and my physical therapy was more intermittent. I always have tried to do a lot of walking and basic exercises but I think more structure will be good. Winter is coming so it will be a good time to start at PT regime.