A smart person once told me that injury is a part of activity. It is going to happen at some point. What matters is how you handle it.
I am officially injured.
It started sometime around Bridge to Bridge. The exact moment when the injury occurred is a mystery, but my guess it was somewhere along the final climb up Grandfather Mountain. Symptoms first showed up a few days afterward.
I knew around Six Gap Century that this was not a simple tweak. I rode through most of those hills in pain, most from my injury, some from the difficulty of the ride.
Since then my training has been off and on. After a lengthy rest period, the hip felt a lot better and I was able to begin Phase I of my off-season training. That was short lived, as the injury roared back after riding around the hills of Asheville.
Yesterday was my first step toward diagnosis and treatment. I saw Evan Ekman, a local sports medicine guru who has treated the best and brightest athletes in the area. He checked me out, took some x-rays, and asked a lot of questions. When did it start? When does it hurt? Do I ever hear a popping sound? He moved my leg in different directions to determine where it hurt.
Dr Ekman’s office was adorned with sports jerseys.
He had a few ideas of what the injury could be, perhaps an issue with my labrum or hip snapping syndrome. After hearing about the injury that Alex Rodriguez is enduring, my hope is that it is the latter if either. It could also be just inflammation, but since I have been dealing with it for several months, it is best to diagnose the problem and move forward with recovery.
The next step was to get an MRI for a proper diagnosis.
I showed up not quite sure what to expect. Being slightly claustrophobic, I was worried about being inside the tube. Fortunately my head extruded out the other side, so that was not an issue. Everything was going fine until she added that one final touch. She put a band around my feet to keep them in the same position.
Ow!
Remember that I have a hip injury. That band essentially pulled on my injury, like pulling on a gaping wound. It caused excruciating pain. I told the tech right away that this might not work. She said to do my best, but there was literally no wiggle room. I had to suffer through it.
This was my prison.
Holy mother of God, this was painful. I stayed as still as I could, but with every minute it hurt more. I felt like I was doing a plank with a knife stuck in my legs. Loud noises came from the machine. Some sounded like loud rumbling or humming. Others sounded like electric guitars. Even though they were unsettling, they somewhat distracted from the pain.
About 40 minutes passed. The Tech told me that there was one more test, just four minutes remaining. I gritted through, just thinking about the relief I’d feel shortly afterward. My lower body was shaking, quaking uncontrollably from the pain. The noise stopped, then she said there was yet another she had forgotten. Another round of suffering and it was finally over.
As I scooted out, I could not feel my legs. It has been a couple hours and they are still numb.
Oddly enough, after I limped away and sat down in my car, the hip didn’t hurt as much. It was as if the pain was squeezed out by the machine.
The results will be ready Monday. In the meantime I’ll be at the bar.
SteepClimbs.com 
December 11th, 2012 at 7:44 pm
Sorry to hear about this Aaron. Rest up and get well soon!
December 11th, 2012 at 9:11 pm
Thanks, Alex. I’ll enjoy some couch time and be out there soon enough.
December 11th, 2012 at 7:48 pm
I don’t know about you Aaron, but after all that pain I’d be logging that time as training. Good prep for Haute Route, I hear it hurts more.
December 11th, 2012 at 9:14 pm
Ha! I know you’re kidding, but that was seriously the best lower body workout I’ve had in awhile. Maybe I’ll incorporate hip MRI’s into my HR training plan.
But if given the choice between another MRI and Ventoux repeats, I would take the mountain every time.
December 11th, 2012 at 8:16 pm
If the doc gets you fixed, he deserves a Steep Climbs cycling jersey to hang up in his office! Get well soon Aaron.
December 11th, 2012 at 9:15 pm
You know, that’s not a bad idea. Thanks for the well wishes.
December 11th, 2012 at 8:16 pm
That sounds miserable, I hope it was the worst of it and whatever the injury is, it heals well and quickly.
December 11th, 2012 at 9:16 pm
Thanks, Suze. I expect it to be all downhill from here until I’m healed, then the uphills will start again.
December 11th, 2012 at 9:18 pm
Speedy recovery Aaron!
December 12th, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Thanks, James.
December 11th, 2012 at 9:44 pm
So glad you’re getting a full ortho workup with diagnostics & fine doc. Sorry you had to endure such pain to get the MRI done. Best wishes for the continued journey. You’re in excellent hands. Oh, & “Cheers” when you need it!
December 12th, 2012 at 10:16 pm
Cheers, Natalie. A good friend and blog reader suggest I rehab with some yoga. Still depends on doctors and PT, but I might try to take your class.
December 11th, 2012 at 11:43 pm
Sorry to hear about the injury, glad you have access to good facilities. I prescribe numerous glass lifting arm repetitions at the bar.
December 12th, 2012 at 10:18 pm
Yes, my biceps, triceps and lats are being developed as we speak. I do one set of one, rest for 5 minutes, then do another set.
December 12th, 2012 at 2:40 am
That didn’t sound fun, Aaron. I’m sure it’ll all be worth it, though. Looking forward to some happy results soon!
December 12th, 2012 at 10:19 pm
Feels better tonight, so now I just wait for a few days.
December 12th, 2012 at 3:27 am
Ouch! At best you can put this experience down as “increasing your pain threshold”. They say women ride stronger once they gave birth. Maybe the same applies to men who endured an MRI like you have. 😉 Hope the results come back with good news and you’ll be back on the bike in no time!
December 12th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
My pain threshold limit was definitely increased, but this not the type threshold to get you on the bike stronger.. More like on the couch, sleepier.
December 12th, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Aaron, I pray it will only get better from here. I remember during my CT scan I kept my eyes shut. I didn’t want to see where I was. All the best!
December 12th, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Thanks, Buddy. I am optimistic for good news on Monday.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:47 pm
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/12/video/must-watch-haute-route-2012-recap_269026
Just saw this on velonews
December 14th, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Now that’s some motivation to heal up soon.