Diagnosis of my Imbalance

For years I have been dealing with an imbalance from a left-side L4-L5 disc bulge, proceeding down through the sacroiliac joint and pelvis. Still working on it.

"*Need to keep hips posterior ally rotated"

^What do you mean by this? Are you referring to pelvic tilt, thus focussing on assuming a posterior pelvic tilt versus an anterior pelvic tilt?:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-oYjxriiYKvc/UtJjysTMG0I/AAAAAAAAC60/A-RSfExUJM4/s1338/Photo%25252012%252520Jan%2525202014%25252009%25253A42.jpg

boomtown rascals wrote:

"*Need to keep hips posterior ally rotated"

^What do you mean by this? Are you referring to pelvic tilt, thus focussing on assuming a posterior pelvic tilt versus an anterior pelvic tilt?:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-oYjxriiYKvc/UtJjysTMG0I/AAAAAAAAC60/A-RSfExUJM4/s1338/Photo%25252012%252520Jan%2525202014%25252009%25253A42.jpg

Yes. "Its like at the moment of deepest penetration" - Bill Bowerman

I don't necessarily agree. For distance runners, it should not be an excessively forced posterior tilt, since that is fatiguing. (Sprinters are a different story) Neutral pelvis is better for distance runners. The objective with the mental cue "hips forward, head up", is to get the runner out of an anterior tilt. Here is a picture of Mo Farah; he does not have excessive posterior tilt:

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2013/4/19/1366378219116/Mo-Farah-010.jpg

OR DOES HE???

Bump

But look at Galen in that same picture. Anterior pelvic tilt, and he was probably taught that out of the Oregon camp. Looks a little too unnatural, eh?

Conversely, look at Ripta Jeptoo, with a neutral (and maybe even posterier) pelvic tilt:

http://www.runblogrun.com/2014/04/21/Jeptoo_Rita-BostonM14.JPg

I got them reversed. Scratch the last post; it should read as follows:

But look at Galen in that same picture. Posterior pelvic tilt (toward the forced extreme?), and he was probably taught that out of the Oregon camp. Looks a little too unnatural to you, possibly resulting in being a little too tight in the upper body?

Conversely, look at Ripta Jeptoo, with a neutral (and maybe even anterior) pelvic tilt:

http://www.runblogrun.com/2014/04/21/Jeptoo_Rita-BostonM14.JPg

Objectives of the runner taking on posterior pelvic tilt is to result in a higher knee drive, tightening the core, and relieving stress on the low back, which can sometimes happen with excessive anterior tilt. But a more natural neutral pelvic tilt, see Mo Farah, and even moreso, Rita Jeptoo, may actually be preferred for distance.

What do you all think?

Do runners tend to keep the same degree of pelvic tilt all the time or is it something that changes from step to step?

Those photos capture one moment but over the course of a whole race I would guess there is some range or pattern of pelvic movement that differs from runner to runner.

Sciatica Road wrote:

Objectives of the runner taking on posterior pelvic tilt is to result in a higher knee drive, tightening the core, and relieving stress on the low back, which can sometimes happen with excessive anterior tilt. But a more natural neutral pelvic tilt, see Mo Farah, and even moreso, Rita Jeptoo, may actually be preferred for distance.

What do you all think?

Well it is known that lordosis is more prevalent in people of African descent. Look at most African runners' forms compared to those of runner of European descent. Most white runners are upright.

And this thread is about me, not the pelvic positioning of various professional runners. Help me with my problem please.

b

FWIW, this is what I have been doing to address my imbalance issues.

1. Replaced my office chair and living room chair with balance balls. (This forces me to "sit straight.")

2. When I have to sit on a chair, NEVER, ever cross my legs.

3. Avoid carrying heavy objects with one side alone. (If I carry a heavy bag on my right side in the morning, make sure to carry it on my left side in the evening.)

3. Do "pelvic tilt" and "cat and camel" exercises twice a day.

4. Work with a sports PT to get customized stretching exercises.

Sciatica Road wrote:

Conversely, look at Ripta Jeptoo, with a neutral (and maybe even anterior) pelvic tilt:

http://www.runblogrun.com/2014/04/21/Jeptoo_Rita-BostonM14.JPg

This doesn't look anterior at all. She is leaning forward, this looks completely neutral.

I take it you agree with me that the top of her pelvis certainly is not tilted toward the rear (which is posterior pelvic tilt, what the Bowerman camp teaches).

"*Need to work on single leg squats with proper knee alignment"

This may be much too difficult.

Start with something easier and work up.

Do something to improve your stride timing.

More minimal shoes not all the time just enough to practice timing.

Run on grass or in sand.

Bump, my right shin is hurting now. Back up to ~41 MPW

i have similar problem with right leg doing all work

looking into popliteal artery entrapment

Most chronic injuries like tendonitis* are multifactorial and it sounds like you have a good handle on the structural causes. That's one side of the coin - how the body puts stress on the tendons. The other side is how the body adapts to that stress.

My suggestion is to take collagen hydrolysate. It is rich in the amino acids glycine, lysine and proline. These amino acids are not common in muscle meats or plant proteins but they are essential building blocks for tendons. They are inessential amino acids, which means we can synthesize them, but serious athletes can outstrip their bodies ability to synthesize these amino acids. (That's doubly true for older athletes).

Alternately, you can make bone broths. Very popular in paleo culture. But no one does wet cooking anymore. It's probably why we have so many achy joints.

* technically it's tendinosis, but people know what you are talking about when you say tendinitis. So until we make the shift from tendinitis equilibria to tendinosis equilibria, we will inhabit this awkward middle ground in which you either confuse people (by saying tendinosis) or invite pedants (by saying tendonitis).