Dr. R.Asha Rajini, 66 from Chennai loves running marathons. A hamstring injury upset her rhythm and affected her physical and mental health, especially diabetic control. She talks about the challenges of dealing with this setback and the lessons she learnt in the process of recovery
I was doing very well in my running training, almost every Sunday I was running about 21 to 25kms as I was getting ready to run a 50km Ultra in November 21. On August 13th I went to the gym to strengthen my legs; while doing this, I started on the dead lift, lifting 50kg bar, I noticed that the positioning of the bar was not okay but did not realize that that it would injure me! I suddenly heard a “POP” noise in my hamstring and I immediately dropped the bar and just started shouting out in pain and shock, unfortunately the trainers did not even understand what it was and instead of icing it they used a massage gun and it seemed to soothe the pain. I just left home and instead of resting the injury, I kept walking around.
Hamstring Injury
Next day I went to an Orthopaedic Doctor and he said it was not a hamstring rupture but a Sacro iliac joint problem and told me to raise my leg on a pillow and rest it, NO walking. I was sure it was a rupture so I requested my friend who is a doctor to send me for an MRI and I told them to check my Sacro Iliac joint and my hamstring too. There didn’t seem to be any problem in my Sacro iliac joint but as I suspected there was a 2nd grade rupture of my hamstring.
I took this MRI to another Orthopaedic Doctor who is into sports medicine. He confirmed it as a rupture and put me on pain killers and NSAID’S (Non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drug), I am not very fond of going on all these drugs I took them for a week and stopped taking them. My friend who is a doctor and who knows me well had specially told me not to do this, and I didn’t listen to her, which ended in a prolonged period of recovery. Initially I couldn’t sit down, move my legs, sit on the commode, etc. BUT I could walk, so I had to stop myself from doing just that.
My Rehab Care
I was also instructed to do an ultrasound, so I went to the physio for about 8 days and wanted to find out from the doctor how long I should continue this treatment. The guys at the desk told me that I need not see the doctor for this and that I could stop the physio when the pain recedes, the pain had receded and the doctor had told me that I could do a slow jog, so off I went to first walk for 3 days and then run. I wish I could have seen the doctor, and if he had answered all the questions were was raging in my head, maybe I would have waited.
Read more: Running helped me manage diabetes and thyroid
I Had A Setback
I guess I ran before healing completely and I ran too much and too far. I developed pain in my glutes and had to reach out to another physiotherapist, He explained what had gone wrong, he then tried to correct it and put me on some exercises, with NO walking or running. I obeyed, once again I had to go for a correction and again, after another week of rest I was allowed to start walking and then a slow run, along with regular hamstring strengthening exercises, this happened in the 4th month of my injury.
How I Can I Control Diabetes
This was what I was pretty worried about. I am highly diabetic and how was I to control it if there was no activity? I had got off Insulin because of my exercise and running regimen and was on tablets and this was a great blessing. I was wondering whether I will have to get back to insulin? Or try to manage with a low carb diet. I had to increase my medication dose but managed well with tablets until Diwali!!!, I just couldn’t resist those sweets and my sugar levels went for a swing. I finally gave away all the sweets; I took some time for my sugar levels to settle down and maybe this also played a part in my late healing.
My Mood And Mental Wellbeing
I thought that I was a very strong woman and I could take this set back BUT that was not to be so, slowly I went into depression, my thoughts
I’m old, will I run again?
Will my hamstring heal?
Will I at least walk?
Why did I need to go the Gym, I was doing fine?
How did I deal with this?
I have a very strong faith in God and I believe that with Him all things are possible - just this thought made me hang on. He had promised me a hind’s (Deer) feet and I stood on that promise. When all that is seen can’t help you then you hang on to the Unseen, and I held on. I have done this many times as I have gone through many medical emergencies like this and every time, He has been faithful.
Challenges Faced
The most difficult challenge was to sit in the toilet. It was painful. I learnt the do’s and don’ts, haha.
Trying to lie down straight and trying to adjust my legs and hips was pretty painful.
There was shooting pain down my leg and that kept me awake, I was on strong painkillers for about a month.
As I could not sit, I couldn’t read too, so just twiddling my thumb and resting was almost next to impossible.
Back To Running
I have got back to running, I am yet to do a 10km run, but I ran in the Masters District sports three days back and did a great timing in my 800mts, 400mts and 5000mts run. In my 800mts run, while doing the second round and about 100mts away from the finish, I got worried and slowed down, a good friend of mine noticed this and questioned me about it and I told him that I was afraid that I might hurt my hamstring again, but while doing my 400mts run, all fear had gone and I did well, yes, the hind’s feet did not let me down. Thank God., I’m surer of myself now, I need to be careful but I will NOT worry over it, I’ve in the process learned to love walking and this is new to me. I never liked walking!
What I have learnt
- While the going is good. at my age, to remember that, this in itself is a blessing and not to try something beyond what you can.
- While we are healthy, lets make the best of life and enjoy it.
- When you go to a gym, please choose a gym with well experienced trainers
- Be aware of what you do, do every exercise properly with the right form.
- Never think its over, learn to accept something new and start enjoying, every day is a beautiful day and let’s not lose its charm.
- Don’t have regrets, move on.
