Left Hip and Cortisone Injection

17 February 2016 (scroll down for updates)

Left Hip and Cortisone Injection

On Sunday 7th, after class, I decided to take a break from Capoeira because my hip would get better and then worse after class. Taking a break from running wasn’t enough, it felt like I had to stop Capoeira too. I focused on the Yoga and physio exercises daily, 1 hour a day, and cycled a couple of times (but it’s been too cold and I have become a wuss this Winter, not running is making me feel the cold a LOT MORE).

Then after a week of resting and being all gentle, I went to Capoeira on Friday, not to train, just to watch and play instruments. The walk from where I parked the car to Dance Attic was so nice, it was the first time I walked in a long time without feeling pain. But by the time I got to Dance Attic I could feel the ache again. The next day too. If I sat down (driving or computer) for any longer than 15 minutes, the pain was there as I got up.

On Sunday I decided it was time to get an injection. I had one on my arm and it worked really well, and I don’t want to wait for months for this hip to get better naturally (which is how long the other one took). Nor do I want to take a month of Naproxen (which is what finally fixed my right hip last time). Also have been noticing some rather horrible side effects of not exercising. I have no energy. I don’t feel like doing anything. I feel sad. I’m eating A LOT. This madness has to end a.s.a.p.

So I found that for the sum of £250 I could be seen by a really good specialist, without needing any doctor referral. I called on Monday and had an apt. for Weds 10:30. TODAY. At a place called Kuer Clinics. A very friendly, well-mannered and likable gentleman, whom I felt at home with straight away, greeted me. Dave Burliston. We had a consultation and he started to think this could be an obturator internus issue too, rather than bursitis, as the pain is deeper and can’t really be touched. But not as deep as piriformis pain. Actually it feels like it’s a number of things, even my calf had a trigger point which has been bugging me on the knee.

Dave gave me the option of doing a month of physio then have the injection, or injection today, which he spread around a couple of areas. Rather than wait, I just wanted it done today, if it works we will know within a week or two and I want it to work so badly maybe I will release something, get some hormones going, with this strong wish and belief this injection will fix it. Maybe it will just fix it. I was fine after the injection, no reactions, everything feels a bit numb because of the anaesthetic (1.5ml 1% lidocaine). Also had 2x 20mg Depomedrone and 0.5 ml of something else that I can’t quite read.

Dave was knowledgeable when it came to Capoeira, he said running and Capoeira complement each other in terms of hip rotation. He also said he could tell I do Capoeira by how my hip rotates. He called me an athlete, which was awesome, yeah, I’m sure he says that to all his patients, but it’s a good thing to say!

He’s also a serious runner and understands how hard it is not be to able to run. I noted that he does some real distances, rather than my meager 8 miles a week. I might even take it down a bit if I ever run again. And I’m never going to run hard again, like I had been. Gentle, mid-paced running, to complement Capoeira, that’s that!

So if this goes well I can train (will start with Capoeira only, running in a few weeks) again next Weds, gently!

Obturator internus exercises – luckily I have that cushion already, from previous physio 😀

This is the exercise plan sent by Dave. The monster walk was one that Mestre Poncianinho had shown me before. His diagnosis is gluteus medius tendinopathy.

Also: previously, on this current hip saga…

24 March 2016
It’s a week since my injection and my first day back at Capoeira. I have done no real aerobic/high impact exercise for nearly 3 weeks and I’m looking forward to tonight’s class with trepidation and excitement. I’m not sure the injection has worked either, because the ache is still there, although it has felt different all week, and it has hurt a lot less when I get up. But it’s now hurting where it was originally painful, i.e. deep inside, near sitting bone. Obviously I haven’t been for a run. Tonight will be the test, how much pain will I be in after class? I’m supposed to take it easy anyway, and that I shall do, but you never know.

Been doing daily headstands as part of my daily routine, and these have gotten better! I realised one day that I could actually do this gentle bit back of bending, almost by accident, and have been doing it ever since.

01 July 2017
I carried on with life and painful hip, kept doing Capoeira, but not running, until November 2016, when I weaned myself back into running, with walking and running. I was also dealing with my shoulder injury coming back since September 2016 and it felt like I was falling apart! I’m 45 – so maybe my body had enough, the bad voice said. Of course that’s nonsense, so apart from the nagging negative voice I just persisted. It also helps to have so many people still doing Capoeira, and well, into their 70s! Mestre Poncianinho’s attitude to injuries also helps: just keep moving, move around it if you have to, but keep on moving. For example, I didn’t any queda de rins or put weight on my right arm much for about 2 months, while dealing with shoulder. For that period my game became very upright, so I was back into a more regional style for a while, it was an interesting exercise!!!!

ANYWAY, by March I was running without any walking once a week, 5km and since May I’ve been running twice a week, never more than 5.5km though, and never too fast, as I promised myself, so basically, jogging. The hip pain is so faint and occasional now I consider it gone. I’m running 10-15seconds slower per km and not pushing it like I used to. A price worth paying for still being able to get out there and feel the freedom only running gives me.