snow day / MRI

 With another winter blast coming Thursday night, and snow still on the track today, I think I'll break my every other day string on the track and cross train tonight at the gym.

MRI results are in, and they're ok.  No joint issues.  

Hip Joints: Normal

Joint Effusion: None

Acetabular labrums: Normal

Tendons/Muscles: Moderate last hamstring origin tendinopathy with edema extending into the myotendinous junction. Mild bilateral gluteus minimus and medius insertional tendinopathy. No evidence for tendon tearing or muscular atrophy. 

I sent my results to two physician friends, Allan and Gary.  So, I doubt I will seek additional medical appointments.  The area of injury, myotendinous junction (MTJ), is the interface between muscle and tendon where the force is transmitted.  A common area of strain.  Animal studies basically verifiy what Allan told me, to get running asap.  

"...evidence of an increasing complexity of the [MTJ] foldings as response to a period of intensified loading (by running), with higher number of branches and longer foldings. This indicates that the MTJ adapts to load by increasing the junctional interface. Higher intensity of loading provided as fast running has shown significantly greater increases in the surface area of the MTJ compared to a lighter intensity running intervention."

Eccentric ham exercises is the way to go, although many eccentric exercises isolate the ham belly, not the proximal MTJ area.   So, I'm going to focus on straight leg type exercises that develop the MTJ area.  Also, I think that doing resistance exercises that work with hip rotation and stability couldn't hurt.  

Here are a few exercises for strengthening and rehab.