I'll never forget it. It was February 7, 2011, and I was running on the treadmill at NHHR--a follow-up to a 17-mile long-run in Central Park the previous day--when I started experiencing severe pain on the inside of my right knee. I was tempted to stop, but I stubbornly pushed through the pain.
Fast forward 10 months, and I'm still dealing with the same pain. It has all but shut down my running. I've tried everything from RICE to prolotherapy, but nothing has worked. So, if all goes well with my appointments on December 5th, I'm going under the knife on December 14th. I'm not yet entirely sure what the surgeon has planned, but we'll discuss that on the 5th. All I know at this point is that there are two problems, one with the semimembranosus tendon, and one with the medial plica. Both light up quite well on the enhanced MRI.
What is most unbelievable about this injury--aside from the fact that it has sidelined me for 10 months--is that I pretty much predicted it would come to this back in February. I can remember thinking to myself on the treadmill that night that this is not good. But I just couldn't bring myself to abort the final few weeks of training and forgo running the Austin Marathon. The training went so well that I just couldn't do it, despite realizing that I was headed for trouble.
If the surgery works, which I believe it will, for I would not do it otherwise, I will have to make some major changes in my training. Those changes include, first and foremost, devising and sticking to a stretching routine. I am the world's most inflexible human being, and I believe that this has contributed to my injury. Secondly, cross-training and strength training are a must for me.
11.29.2011
11.14.2011
Another opinion
I saw Dr. Michael Medvecky at Yale today, because my ailing right knee seems to have stopped responding to prolotherapy. As previously reported, there had been some improvement, but I feel that it has leveled off, unfortunately. I was hoping to avoid surgery on the knee, but that seems unlikely now. The first two docs that I saw (orthopedists) told me that I have hamstring tendonitis. The third doc that I saw (osteopathist) told me that I have some stretching of my MCL and the medial coronary ligaments of the knee. The fourth doc, Medvecky, told me that I have a partial hamstring tendon avulsion--if I understood him correctly--which is the tearing away of the tendon from the bone. I'm scheduled to have a contrast MRI (big bucks) on Tuesday, Nov. 22nd, and I will follow-up with Medvecky on Monday, Nov. 28th. He said that if it is, in fact, an avulsion, he would need to surgically reattach the tendon to the bone and debride any scar tissue that has formed at the site of the injury. Fine. Do what you you gotta do.
Then, of course, there was the bit about how we can try to get you back to where you were, but there are no guarantees. I don't need a surgeon to not guarantee me anything, I just need him to repair the injury, and my body will do the rest. If there's a will, there's a way. I learned that with my foot. Before learning of the injury to my foot, I was told by a podiatrist that I would have to limit my running to 8 miles per week if I wanted to do any running at all, and then I went on to average upwards of 55 miles per week and run four marathons without even the slightest protest from my foot.
In the meantime, I'll be mostly biking with some occasional running thrown in there. Just because I'm not in excruciating pain doesn't mean there's not a serious problem. Literally, the day before my foot surgery, I ran 7 miles with very little discomfort. Eventually, things quiet down, and one begins to question whether there is, in fact, a serious problem, but once one begins to ramp up, the problem rears its ugly face once again. And that's what's happened with the knee.
Then, of course, there was the bit about how we can try to get you back to where you were, but there are no guarantees. I don't need a surgeon to not guarantee me anything, I just need him to repair the injury, and my body will do the rest. If there's a will, there's a way. I learned that with my foot. Before learning of the injury to my foot, I was told by a podiatrist that I would have to limit my running to 8 miles per week if I wanted to do any running at all, and then I went on to average upwards of 55 miles per week and run four marathons without even the slightest protest from my foot.
In the meantime, I'll be mostly biking with some occasional running thrown in there. Just because I'm not in excruciating pain doesn't mean there's not a serious problem. Literally, the day before my foot surgery, I ran 7 miles with very little discomfort. Eventually, things quiet down, and one begins to question whether there is, in fact, a serious problem, but once one begins to ramp up, the problem rears its ugly face once again. And that's what's happened with the knee.
11.07.2011
Nov. 7-14
Monday, Nov. 7
Treadmill: 0.5mi; 6min (Adrenaline)
Was very tight today. Perhaps pushed it too hard yesterday. I'm not too concerned, though. Biked for 10 minutes, then tried to do 10 minutes on the treadmill, but my legs weren't having it. Did lunges and tried deadlifts. Some core but still sore.
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Wilbur Cross H.S. track: 1.5mi; 16min (Adrenaline)
Still tight. Some discomfort down the front of leg. Biked over. 6 laps around (2:40, 2:42, 2:42, 2:40, 2:40, 2:39).
Wednesday, Nov. 9
Treadmill: 0.6mi; 6min (Minimus Trail)
I think I need to deemphasize running for the time being because I'm really tight and sore. To that end, I got on my bike and rode the 16 miles to and from NHHR. It looks like I'm going to stick to the bike and strength stuff mostly for a while until I feel comfortable running. The problem is that I'm growing quite impatient and if I continue to run I know that I'm going to overdo it, if I haven't already. God, this is getting old.
Ran out of motivation to continue reporting here but have been doing a fair amount of biking. Going in for surgery on the 14th of December. 12/11/11
Treadmill: 0.5mi; 6min (Adrenaline)
Was very tight today. Perhaps pushed it too hard yesterday. I'm not too concerned, though. Biked for 10 minutes, then tried to do 10 minutes on the treadmill, but my legs weren't having it. Did lunges and tried deadlifts. Some core but still sore.
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Wilbur Cross H.S. track: 1.5mi; 16min (Adrenaline)
Still tight. Some discomfort down the front of leg. Biked over. 6 laps around (2:40, 2:42, 2:42, 2:40, 2:40, 2:39).
Wednesday, Nov. 9
Treadmill: 0.6mi; 6min (Minimus Trail)
I think I need to deemphasize running for the time being because I'm really tight and sore. To that end, I got on my bike and rode the 16 miles to and from NHHR. It looks like I'm going to stick to the bike and strength stuff mostly for a while until I feel comfortable running. The problem is that I'm growing quite impatient and if I continue to run I know that I'm going to overdo it, if I haven't already. God, this is getting old.
Ran out of motivation to continue reporting here but have been doing a fair amount of biking. Going in for surgery on the 14th of December. 12/11/11
11.02.2011
Oct. 31-Nov. 6
Monday, Oct. 31
Treadmill: 1.9mi; 20min (Adrenaline)
Didn't have as much discomfort in the front of knee but tight in back. Otherwise, felt good. Core afterward with JB. Worried about bite on back of left leg.
Tuesday, Nov. 1
Wooster Sq.: 2mi; 20min (Minimus Trail)
Chilly. Felt pretty good except for still worrying about rash on back of leg. Some strength afterward but back sore from yesterday's introduction of new core exercises.
Wednesday, Nov. 2
Treadmill: 1.9mi; 20min (Adrenaline)
With the exception of some slight fatigue in my legs, felt good. Oh, and a little tight. Core and stretched out.
Thursday, Nov. 3
East Rock: 36min (Minimus Trail)
Had planned on the stationary bike and a short run at the gym tonight but instead hit up East Rock with Dan. Ran to the summit and back down the same way. Dark forced us onto the park roads for the last little bit. Biked the roundtrip to the trailhead. Strength stuff at home afterward.
Friday, Nov. 4
Treadmill: 1mi; 10min (Adrenaline)
Biked for 10 minutes, then moved over to the treadmill. Felt fine. New core routine and lots of strength stuff. Stepping it up.
Saturday, Nov. 5
Treadmill: ~15min (Adrenaline)
Treadmill turned off so don't know exact distance and time. Biked for 15 minutes, then moved over to the treadmill. Felt good. Had to cut the visit short because Jess had to get to work. Sore from yesterday.
Sunday, Nov. 6
West Rock: 37min (Minimus Trail)
Lovely day with Jess and Dan at West Rock. Started at the lake and headed east; came back on white trail and then did a loop around lake. Not sure of distance because I stopped somewhere around the lake (felt fine, but didn't want to push it). Legs at gym afterward. Core still sore so passed on that.
2hr 38min running
Treadmill: 1.9mi; 20min (Adrenaline)
Didn't have as much discomfort in the front of knee but tight in back. Otherwise, felt good. Core afterward with JB. Worried about bite on back of left leg.
Tuesday, Nov. 1
Wooster Sq.: 2mi; 20min (Minimus Trail)
Chilly. Felt pretty good except for still worrying about rash on back of leg. Some strength afterward but back sore from yesterday's introduction of new core exercises.
Wednesday, Nov. 2
Treadmill: 1.9mi; 20min (Adrenaline)
With the exception of some slight fatigue in my legs, felt good. Oh, and a little tight. Core and stretched out.
Thursday, Nov. 3
East Rock: 36min (Minimus Trail)
Had planned on the stationary bike and a short run at the gym tonight but instead hit up East Rock with Dan. Ran to the summit and back down the same way. Dark forced us onto the park roads for the last little bit. Biked the roundtrip to the trailhead. Strength stuff at home afterward.
Friday, Nov. 4
Treadmill: 1mi; 10min (Adrenaline)
Biked for 10 minutes, then moved over to the treadmill. Felt fine. New core routine and lots of strength stuff. Stepping it up.
Saturday, Nov. 5
Treadmill: ~15min (Adrenaline)
Treadmill turned off so don't know exact distance and time. Biked for 15 minutes, then moved over to the treadmill. Felt good. Had to cut the visit short because Jess had to get to work. Sore from yesterday.
Sunday, Nov. 6
West Rock: 37min (Minimus Trail)
Lovely day with Jess and Dan at West Rock. Started at the lake and headed east; came back on white trail and then did a loop around lake. Not sure of distance because I stopped somewhere around the lake (felt fine, but didn't want to push it). Legs at gym afterward. Core still sore so passed on that.
2hr 38min running
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