I'm back...

Ok, so 3 weeks have passed. To summarise, after 3 days of the daily physio exercises and a Friday gym session, I developed pretty bad lower back pain and the right hip pain was much worse. I abandoned the physio and took a break from the gym. The back pain, which I suspect was irritated nerves (muscularly I could still do everything without inducing pain) lasted 2 weeks. I took painkillers every night and felt pretty disappointed. However, during those 2 weeks, I did enjoy a couple of swims. In fact, I did 32 lengths (0.5 miles) on both occasions with only 3 full days rest between sessions. It felt like a real achievement although the second session was harder and I was scared that I wasn't going to cope with the recovery etc. However, I did, although my nervous system was a bit shocked (i.e. the night after the second swim, I was back to experiencing the sleep starts).

Then, it was a week away with a family member so no physio or gym/pool.

I was back at the gym yesterday. I mostly stuck to upper body and some core work. I am trying to find ways to strengthen the right hip and pelvis without inducing further pain. It's very disappointing to have to stop the running - I really loved that. I'm also not able to do any leg strengthening work as that requires the hips/pelvis. So my gym set yesterday:

• 5 mins exercise bike
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then with 7kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec hold. 5 single leg glute bridges (each leg), 5 sec hold each. 9kg dumbbell across hips 8 reps, 5 secs hold.
• Press ups-plus (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 8 reps
• Seated rows 10 kg 3 x 10 reps. 12 kg 8 reps
• Wobble board 4 mins (5 squats)
• Trunk twist using cable weights 4kg 2 x 10 reps (dropped weight and reps - trying to heal right ab strain)
• Chest fly with cable weights 4kg 3 x 10 reps.
• Tricep extensions using cable/rope 8kg 2 x 10 reps (strained right tricep on second set so had to stop)
• Side slides using cable weight (for oblique muscles) 8kg 3 x 10 reps (done gently to manage right ab)
• Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 4kg 2 x 5 reps, 3kg 10 reps
• Lying on the floor, starting with elbows by my side, arms bent 90 degs, then pushing weight upwards against gravity, straightening the arm (modified front raise) 4kg 3 x 10 reps.
• Glute bridges:7kg across hips 10 reps, 10 secs hold (added second set to improve work out)
• Ab crunch machine 10 kg 3 x 10 reps (light weight, more reps - managing right ab)
• Plank 1 min hold
• Stretching: hips/lower back, hamstrings and chest/pecs/lats.
• Once home, did bicep curls 10 reps 5kg.

I felt tired but not wiped out in the afternoon because I'd not done the 2km run. I had some right hip/butt/groin discomfort and iced my right butt in the evening. Took painkillers last night to be able to sleep. Looking at the gym set I did yesterday, it really doesn't take much to induce right hip structure pain.

In terms of picking up the physio exercises again, I am seeing how my hip copes if I introduce each exercise one at a time. So this week, I've done 5 days of the standing on the stair, tilting pelvis exercise. Next week, I might try adding in the single leg glute bridges. I think I've learnt that my body violently resists perceptively big, sudden changes to the way I use my muscles. If I introduce things slowly and in small steps, it might be easier to assimilate.

Today, I have some nicely stiff pecs/shoulder muscles. I don't feel too drained (although I have had a headache for the past 3 days - scalp tenderness/tightness again - hormonal?). Mmm....yes, the scalp pain is a weird one. Every so often, I get days (sometimes extending into weeks) where my scalp is extremely tender/painful and induces a kind of constant headache. I don't know what causes it or any way of getting rid of it. Painkillers don't really work. It just seems to come and then go. I suspect it's as a result of hormone changes but who knows. Anyway, I hate the days when it's present.

So, the sun is shining and I'm hoping to make the most of it this afternoon....Will be home in time to see how Andy Murray gets on in his semi against Berdych.