Adventures In Running

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

I didn’t kneed this to happen

My right knee has been hurting me since the Park City Marathon. That worries me a little bit for 2 reasons: 1) my right knee is my 'good' knee (the left one is the one that always is injured) and 2) I have never had a knee injury on the inside (not under the knee cap) of the knee before.

I tried to take it easy while running last week (ok – most of the time I tried), but it just seemed to get worse and last Saturday's run on the trails pushed me over the line. Sunday morning I woke up to a very sore knee and it had waked me up off and on during the night when I straightened the leg. I took Sunday and Monday off from any leg workouts, put a neoprene brace on the knee, started anti-inflammatories (thank heavens for Vitamin I) and did some icing. I also scheduled an appointment with a Sports Medicine doctor.

Today the knee was feeling somewhat better, I could go up and down stairs without too much pain. Signs the knee is healing.

This afternoon I met Dr. Jamie Longe. It is always nice to have a doctor that actually appears to understand the stresses of marathon running and training and doesn't automatically tell you to not do what caused the injury.

Diagnosis: Tendonitis in the hamstring attachment, Bursitis, and a pinched Meniscus. The Meniscus is the concerning factor. If it starts swelling or the pain gets worse, then we have to consider a torn Meniscus.

Treatment: Anti-inflammatories 3x a day. Topical anti-inflammatory ointment 4x a day. Ice for 20 minutes after working out and before bedtime. Stretching after running – he gave me 3 variations of a quadriceps stretch and 3 variations of a hamstring stretch to do. Running is ok. I just need to be careful and not run on trails for a while and not do exercises that cause that knee to have to pivot quickly. Brace it as needed for support.

That being said – with the doctor's permission – I am going to go for a run.

1 comment:

Miles Milestones said...

I am sorry to hear about your knee. I'ms glad it isn't the other knee that had surgery.