Seeing as how the holidays are nipping at our heels, it’s a good time for a product review. Today, I’m featuring a super kick-ass stocking stuffer for the runner on your list: socks. But not just any socks, these are magical “Oh my gawd, my tootsies are so friggin’ warm!” socks.

I received these Drymax Cold Weather Running Socks back in September and have waited patiently for a cold snap, but my chilliest run so far this Fall was 41 degrees, so too warm for these.  However, I own a pair of Drymax Trail Socks that I love to death and wore last winter.  They were great for cold and weren’t even officially cold weather socks, plus they look like new still, so Drymax is one of those brands that just make a great product.

These particular socks share the famous Drymax properties of anti-blister & non-stinkyness and also, they feature that nice stretchy Drymax fabric that gives them a great, comfortable fit.  They’re higher density then their other socks and the higher cut crew will come in very handy when it’s 15 degrees outside and a headwind’s making life miserable – bound to keep lower legs roasty toasty warm.

So if you’re looking for ways to finish out your gift list, if your running club is doing some type of present-swapping thing, or if you’re just sick of frigid digits, this is a useful, inexpensive item that everyone can use.  Drymax Cold Weather Running Socks: ten toes up!

Now, back to the drama of the week…

Putting My Medical Ducks In A Row
Turns out the ER doc only supplied general phone numbers for a neuro and sports ortho – no actual doctor’s names, which was disappointing at first but then allowed me to get all researchy on where I should go.  Unfortunately, the hospital with the highest-rated neurology department had no openings until March.

Then I found a fancy doc at Jefferson (same hospital from Monday’s ER visit, they’re rated #2) whose specialty is muskuloskeletal neurology, which I thought fit perfectly, but after doing an audition dance of faxing 25 pages of medical records, he wouldn’t take me.  His office called and suggested a general neurologist, some young thing (I found her 4th-year resident pics from last year) which is disappointing, I would have liked someone with experience but oh, well. She looks smart.

Yet even with a fresh-faced doc, my appointment isn’t till January 30th. It’s ok though, I won’t self-combust before then and the way this thing waxes and wanes, I’m sure I’ll have many good running days in the meantime.

As for the sports ortho people, upon hearing my story, they wouldn’t even give me an appointment till I see a neurologist, but on a funny note, they suggested a neuro “we send all our patients to”.  I immediately recognized the name from looking up doctors on those rating sites.  He’s highly experienced but also has the absolute worst ratings of anybody.  She seemed surprised when I told her he supposedly sucked.

The Nerve Of My Back! How Dare It?
Remember my sore cowbell back? While the cowbelling exacerbated it, it actually started aching the week before, so it’s been hurting for over 2 weeks!  This is a new experience for me, I may be old but I’ve never spent this much time re-enacting an Advil commercial.

When I asked the ER doc why I should even contact a sports ortho person, he said it was on the off-chance that a pinched nerve is at play. I had already spent part of last week looking up leg weakness due to sciatica and nerve compression (that’s how I stumbled on the Morton’s Toe thing in the first place) and while I doubt it’s the whole story, it did seem reasonable that it could have sent me into Code Red.  After all, the sore back coincides with the deterioration of my runs.

So after the ortho guys refused to give me an appointment, this idiot (me) remembered I have a great sports massage guy and even if none of this is related, I might as well see him to alleviate my aching back.  So I went yesterday.

Brian asked a ton of pertinent questions and thinks it’s very possible that a muscle is impinging on a nerve, especially since it only appears when running and not instantly.  He suspects it’s based in my glute but he didn’t want to say for sure till Monday’s session.

As usual, I’m kicking myself for not going sooner.  Tomorrow, I’ll go for a short test run and see what happens.  I was going to try today but my back still hurts (though far less) which in itself wouldn’t bother me on the run, but you know, I’m scared of being disappointed. I’d rather lose another day for the chance of a happier outcome.

In the meantime, I’m sitting on a wobble cushion to get my core involved and he gave me a great tip for sitting, that if I feel the need to readjust to get comfortable, don’t.  Get up, shake the legs out, then sit again.  Of course, it’s best to not sit at all but unfortunately, my ass is a magnet for chairs, but I am being way more mindful and taking breaks.

And back to the Morton’s Toe thing, I put a pad under the insole of my walking shoes and have noticed a real difference with how my foot, leg and hip align with it: no turnout.  And when I do a squat, the knee tracks over the 3rd toe as it’s supposed to.  So maybe that little adjustment, in tandem with massage, might actually be meaningful to this whole thing.

I remain cautiously optimistic with a huge emphasis on optimistic.  Everything’s going to be fine.

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