The recovery wagon that optimistically gurgled and spluttered out of Katoomba about 7 weeks ago, is still hobbling down the road, making noises you know are probably not 100% healthy but don’t sound like that are a real problem either.

It’s been six weeks since my last pain free run.

I’m starting to understand those annoying people on Instagram sprooking the benefits of foam rolling and standing desks as “injury prevention”.

The recovery process post UTA, has been a journey to say the least. Certainly not my usual, three days off from running and get back to usual.

There was two weeks of “it’ll be right, just needs rest”, followed by two weeks of “this is a problem, why won’t any of these professionals help me”, followed by the last two weeks of actual treatment that doesn’t seem like it’s doing much other than getting on my already tethered nerves.

Is the pain reduced? Yes

Am I running further than I was 6 weeks ago with less pain? Yes

Is it gone? No

Do I know what is causing it? Not exactly

Am I frustrated and annoyed by all of this? Abso-fucking-lutely!!

So far I’ve been to the physio, the osteo, the myo, tried taping, frozen pea application, a compression brace and two new pairs of shoes!

I have a list of exercises to do at seemingly random times of the day, before my run, after my run, three times a week, three times a day.

I’m currently on a run/walk plan as well.

The physio didn’t do much treatment, actually he hasn’t done anything like that at all. He did the usual twisting, turning, pulling and pushing and gave me exercises to do. A week later we tested the strength in each muscle group, which is better than randomly doing exercises but I feel like it’s not addressing the root cause of the issue, it’s not even fixing the pain in my knee.

I’d never been to a myotherapist before. He at least seemed to address the possible cause, (which I have determined is lack of mobility in my hips and ankles which has lead to muscle imbalances and my knees copping the brunt), and did some dry needling in my hips.

I can’t say I noticed a difference at all.

The osteo seemed to have come through. She was really detailed in her assessments and notes. She listened to my issues and ideas, asked about all the other treatments. And then almost broke me by shoving her very boney elbow into my very very tight muscles (some tight from running, some from those ridiculous exercises!)

And don’t get me started on the amount of people on the internet giving advice that they have no business dishing out. I’m looking at you runners of instagram or runfluencers or whatever.

I think the takeaway from all of this is accountability, my own.

I let certain things like strength training drop off during the pandemic. I got comfortable and hit some PR’s so instead of thinking “oh this is working, I’ll keep doing it”, my brain said “I don’t need this” and stopped. I suddenly very acutely understand why psych patients go off their meds.

It’s me, Hi, I’m the problem it’s me!

So rather than asking experts to fix me with a magic blue pill, it’s pretty clear I need to take responsibility and do to myself.

And I have been. I’ve been doing the exercises, I’ve been doing the run walk, I’ve been following the program to a T, it’s just not happening as fast as I would like, but it is happening.

Problem is, because I’ve literally thrown everything at this problem, I now have no idea what is actually working!!!