I just came back from the doctors office and all in all it was a good report. The best news was that I had a chest x-ray done due to the fact that I had a malignant melanoma in 2005 and I needed an update on my chest x-ray to ensure everything was clear and nothing had spread. So in that I was extremely pleased and relieved!!!!!!! Then she discussed my bone scan, all was clear including my shin that was checked to see if I had a stress fracture. It looks like I have a bad case of good ol' shin splints that come and go depending on my activity.
As far as my knee, the MRI confirmed what the x-ray showed, I basically have arthritis. I have edema, thinning and loss of cartilage, a subchrondral cyst and some bone spurs in my knee.....all that means is that these are signs of arthritis along with the common with runners knee.
I know I am only 31, but carrying so much excess weight on my body for 9 years or so took its toll on my knees. She is sending me to a great sports physical therapist to work on some exercises that I can do along with tips for taping my knee. I am also on Feldine for the pain and swelling.
The good news, I can still run!!!! Even though it is painful, it is the best thing I can do to really get the rest of my weight off. She said that loosing a pound is like loosing 7 pounds to my knee. So any excess weight that I want to shed will only help my joints.
So now I continue to press on one day at a time! I am a bit discouraged in that I am so young and I am having to deal with this but now that I know what the problem is, I can develop a training plan and move forward. I did this to myself, I let myself go year after year after year and now my knee is suffering as a result of all the weight I gained.
If I look at my situation from afar, I can see clearly what I need to do.
1. Continue to log my foods and watch my intake each day.
2. Cross train - swim, bike, elliptical and walking.
3. Limit my miles each week to no more than 15.
4. Follow the 10% rule and do not increase my intensity or duration more than 10% each week.....this one is hard for me.
5. ICE ICE ICE
6. Rest, taking 2 days off each week instead of 1.
7. Loose more weight in order to strength my joint
Thanks for your concern, emails and comments over the past year that my knee has been hurting me. Your support has made a big difference!
2 comments:
Hi Jen!
I just got diagnosed with "runner's knee" last month and have been going to a physical/sport therapists three times a week. It's really helping although I had to cut back on intense work outs for this past month. I am slowly getting back. They are going to teach me how to tape up my knee next week. It makes such a difference. Best wishes!
I find that amazing about the knees - 1 to 7 pounds!!! I wouldn't beat yourself up too much....all athletes have injuries at any age. I'm only 26 and I've been out w/ 2 bouts of tendinitis that kicked my butt - really my wrist :) And, there are weeks that my knee swells up and my shoulder hurts and I think the same thing.....but we are athletes and it takes its toll on our bodies! keep up the hard work!!!
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