Ohhhh....TFL....

Well the injury bug got me again! :(  My tensor fascia latae...or aka: TFL!

I did not know about this muscle until I had my big tear during the NYC marathon in the fall of 2015! 

Here is a little info on the little muscle that is oh so important and can cause so much pain when unhappy.  The function of the TFL is to stabilize the hip and the pelvis. It also aids in flexing the hip by raising the leg out in front, abducts the hip, and medially rotates the hip.  It attaches at the top to the pelvis at the anterior iliac crest and inserts into the IT band. The IT band basically acts as a really long, thick tendon for the TFL.

In 2015, my hip was niggling and I thought it was something that was just going to bug me during the marathon.  Nope!  4km in and I tore it, and it tore big! 2.3cm partial tear off the pelvis.  That muscle took me a very long time to heal but I can finally say I am completely pain free!  That is in my right hip!  I guess my left one was feeling left out.  I felt some niggling for the past month or so but it would go away as my runs progressed.  That is until 2 weeks before I raced Ironman 70.3 Syracuse.  My left hip was really starting to bother me but I still managed to complete my training runs.  Well, it started to hurt when I walk too and I feared my TFL because the pain was so familiar.  I was really hoping it was bursitis or something.  Then I went out for a planned 2hr run the week before the race and cut it at 42min because the pain was getting worse and I was just getting slower.  So I stopped running until Syracuse and went into Syracuse not knowing if I could finish it.  The long term goal this year is Kona so I have to keep that into perspective.   I managed to finish Syracuse with not too much pain so the week after the race I started running again.  Well that lasted all but 2- 30min runs.  I had my sports doc appointment anyways so I thought I give it one last test.  Walking hurt again so I knew it wasn't going to be good.

My worst fear was confirmed: I tore my TFL in my left hip - right of the iliac crest!  I guess it's a bad sign when your sports doc knows you well and knows how I react to pain and when the ultrasound tech knows you as well! Ha!  I asked why this happened again since I was so diligent in keeping strength training as part of my training routine focusing on my glutes and hamstrings.  I did not over-train and have a coach to make sure I kept everything on track and not go crazy in training.  So I was quite disappointed!  Back to no running!  Argh!  I actually did some retail therapy after I got the news, haha!  Good news, the tear is about 1cm!  So not as big!  I have no idea if I can complete Whistler and deep down inside me thinks not!  But I am still going as I paid for everything and I am allowed to swim and ride like heck! Lol!

Back to the bench I go! (For running at least!)