Sore/Stiff lower back,hips, quads

Question
I am a fit 51 year old male. I had been running 15 miles per week (3x 3 milers and 1x 6 miler) for more than a year feeling great. Pain free. For a few weeks I stopped running hills and concentrated on track work and speed/intervals. Ran my first sub 8 min pace. I then took a fall, badly bruised my coccyx and had to take it easy for a couple weeks. When that felt better my shin and knee began to give me problems. I believe that was related to shoes I was wearing to work putting torque on my knee from wear and not running.Since I stopped wearing them my knee feels fine. On my second pain free run I ran a hilly course I had not run in 2 months. The next day my blower back, hips and quads are so sore and stiff. My back never feels tight from running. Can that short layoff from running hills be the cause of this? Can you lose fitness that quickly?

Answer
Dear Len,

This Orthopedic Chicago Podiatrist located in West Loop 60661,Roscoe Village 60618, Elmhurst 60126 & Bartlett 60103 says...
Yes you can lose fitness in as little as 2 weeks.
Two months is not a short layoff for someone who has been in training for a while. When you stopped running hills-your muscles tightened up to the new terrain you were running.
Make sure you stretch before & after your runs & give yourself about a month for the soreness to gradually disappear. Try gentle cross-training-track & hills until you start to feel good again. Try Yoga, Tai Chi or similar to help with flexibility.

Hope this helps.
Good Luck!
The podiatrists of AnkleNFootCenters.com are specialists in orthopedics and sports medicine.
We are located in Chicago & Elmhurst

Dr George Tsatsos & Svetlana Zats
Podiatrist Chicago 60618 & Elmhurst 60126 Podiatrists
Board Certified in Foot and Ankle Surgery & Orthopedics
New South Loop Location-Chicago 60661


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