Quitting physical therapy

After 2 visits to the physical therapist, I've called it quits.

Today I got an email from my insurance that my claim had been received and I checked to see how much I owed for the two visits. And enough to make me cancel visit #3.

The money
My husband saw this same physical therapists a few years ago. I think it ended up being like $80 a visit. So I was thinking I'd pay the same.

I guess I should have asked what I was paying for, because the doctor billed my insurance $292.50 for the first visit. My second visit was billed at $172.50. I haven't met my deductible yet so I'll have to pay for all of that. I think I'm on the hook for $174 for the first visit after my insurance paid their share. The second claim hasn't processed yet.I'm guessing $350 total.

That's just a lot of money. And do I really want another visit when I don't think it will help? I haven't been impressed with my results so far. It might be okay for $80, but not $300. I have different standards.

No results
After 1 visit my knee was the same. The visit helped me none. Actually, the exercise he gave me to do made my back hurt and made my hips go out of line the opposite way. So ugh.

I wanted my thigh dry needled. He promised to dry needle on visit 2. He didn't.

Visit 2. The doc told me to get light stability shoes. And now my achilles are tight and my other knee and calf hurts. And my back still hurts. (The doctor was rather rude about the shoe issue. That's a big reason for not coming back.)

My lateral quad finally released two days after therapy. But I attribute this to decreased mileage, not the cupping that felt like nothing.

I realize we have to fix some things and things might be worse before they're better, but I'm not really that hurt. And I'd rather save my money for a real injury. I'm not sold on the pronation diagnosis.
• Before I got fitted at the running store for my neutral shoes, I wore whatever shoe was cute. And I did wear stability shoes, before I knew what that was. I had knee issues with those shoes. (AND NOT SINCE THE NEUTRAL SHOE).
• I've run for almost a year and a half with no knee issues. I think the issue would have come up before. I think something changed to aggravate my knee.
• I'm not a heel striker. I do track work on my toes.

And he wanted to see me again in a week. Which shoes/inserts won't fix a knee problem in a week. So this makes no sense.

I canceled my appointment because I don't think the treatment is helping. I think time off would have had the same results. And mostly, I don't want to spend $175 for no results. I can get a massage for cheaper. If I get worse, I'll go back. Back I'd consider another therapist or asking the cost before I get a service, or just going to another Physical Therapy business. They should show me a bill as I'm leaving like other medical providers. I'm unhappy with being overcharged and unimpressed with a lack of results.

**Update, I quit physical therapy. I got a massage (I tried to get one earlier, but the appointment got moved). My legs are happy. I wasted a ton of money on a PT I wouldn't see again.

Post SeaWheeze running

SeaWheeze was such a great race—I wanted to start training to run a 1:45. It was inspiring. But I think my plans have changed.

Post race—I took a week completely off. It was glorious. I thought I'd do more yoga or go crazy not even riding a bike. I didn't. It was really nice to have free time, time to nap or get laundry done. I didn't miss running at all.

That Saturday I ran a mile just to make sure my legs weren't stiff. It was fine.

And then I decided to do a 10k at the end of the month with all of that speed I've built up all summer.

So week 2, I ran 26 miles—with 2 speed workouts: Mile repeats and 4 miles at tempo. I did a 12 mile long run.

Week 3: I was combining 10k and half training plans so I ended up running 30 miles, with 8 miles at my new race pace (I did it!), And two speed workouts, 4 mile tempo and 4 mile repeats with 400 rolling recoveries. (This might have been too much)

And then the wheels fell off. Everything was fine. I ran that 8 miles at race pace. It was hard. I think miles 4-5 were the hardest, but then I got my second wind and sped up. I was so proud of myself for doing this.

Monday, the next day I did 6 easy trail miles. The first 5 miles were fine. The last mile—EVERYTHING HURT. My hips were tight. My calf was tight. My knee hurt.

And then GIANT RED FLAG: I couldn't walk down the stairs. I took 4 days off running.

I got a massage that Wednesday. My IT band was so tight. I made a physical therapy appointment. I ran some to know that I could run without pain. But I'd be sore later.

I went to physical therapy and he said I could run, but not if it hurt.

But I used it as an excuse to not run. My head hasn't been in it. I've been having some serious work stress.

Week after my knee feeling funky: 12 miles
Week after that: 15 miles. (Didn't run that 10k)
This week: We'll see.

I think I made the decision that I am bone tired. I really like shorter distance work.  Maybe I'll do a 5k Dec. 1. I did try a workout yesterday and my head wasn't in it. So I'm not training for a 1:45 half anymore. I guess I should pick a new one.

I also think I need to take more time off. I've been training hard since January. After my next half, let's take two weeks. Or at least the second week, not super hard.

Physical therapy #2

Update on the knee. It's exactly the same. My thigh is super tight. It hurst to roll it. I can run on my knee. It's 90+% for walking up and down stairs but I notice that it's not 100% And I'm using that (and work stress) as an excuse for not running.

I went to physical therapy today and they had me run on a treadmill to analyze my pronation and what's going on with my running.

Guys, I failed this test. Hard.

Good things first: My cadence is perfect. Right around 180 steps per minute.

And that's the extent of what I do right.

Pronation:
When I first started training LAST MAY, I went to a running store and they watched me run and put me in a neutral shoe.

I watched the video at Physical Therapy and I pronate. 164 degrees on my left. 172 on my right (should be 180). My ankle collapses it. It's gross. (I would like to blame the treadmill. I run stupidly on the treadmill. Also I've always felt that I wobble a bit in my first mile and my get into my stride when I'm good and warmed up after a mile or more. But excuses, excuses.)

He also says I'm a heel striker and completely lock out my knee when I run. He wants me to land on my mid foot and bend my knees more when I run.

What this means:
Last week we addressed my hip issues, so having my hips in place when I run (which my hips being in the right place has really hurt my back). So that's causing a hips down issue. (My hips are tight when I run. I understand this.)

And the pronation/ heel striking is causing an ankle up issue. So this is just bad news for my knees.

What he said to do:
Go to the running store and buy light stability shoe. This should fix the pronation. And then focus on mid foot strike and bending my knees more.

For my therapy today, he did more cupping and some muscle stem.

I honestly didn't have that great of a visit. I thought we butted heads about the shoes. He really wanted me in light stability shoes. Not moderate stability shoes. He gave me a list of shoes that would work. And told me to go to talk to the running store owner. I was trying to look up shoes on my phone and he kept insisting I talk to the store owner. I asked about trail shoes and said it didn't matter.

And I had flashbacks of the last time I bought running shoes FROM THE SAME STORE OWNER. When I was fitted. I tried on EVERY SHOE in the store. 30 pairs. I've tried some of the pairs on the list before—because they were cute. And TBH I think I've worn light stability shoes before, when I was just buying cute shoes.

And I just don't think this is a shoe issue. I've been training the same—same shoes for 1,000 miles with no issues. What changed? I went to the trampoline park. I've been slacking on my yoga.

Also, I have about 10 pairs of neutral shoes. I have backups and backups. I LIKE my Nike Pegasus. I don't like Brooks Ravenna or Ricochet. I like them better than my heavy Asics (that I also got knee issues in.) I will get inserts, but I have so much money in shoes, I'm not switching out every pair. (Currently 5 trail shoes, 2 racing flats, 5 road shoes.)

But I was good. I went to the running store right after physical therapy. And the employee said that for light stability they usually tell people to get an insert. That's the halfway point between neutral and moderate stability. So I spent $50 on an insert that I can stick in running shoes and trail shoes.

This is Hummus. She was at the running store when I went there.