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May 03, 2005
Entry for Those with Time to Kill
I will have to do my best to be creative and think of blogging ideas since there will be no running, or other lower body exercise or swimming, until May 17.
I have:
1. Pes anserine bursitis (an inflammatory condition on the inside of the leg just below the knee where-I think-tendons and ligaments come together)
2. Calf strain
Treatment:
1. Don’t do anything that hurts my knee and try to minimize things that hurt my calf for two weeks. The doctor suggested I might be able to continue running at decreased mileage (since running hurts my knee the least) but this will delay the calf getting better. The best thing for the calf is to not run. Apparently calf strains take a very long time to heal. When I asked why I could potentially keep running, he mentioned he is trying to “treat the whole person” (ie. understands runners are intent on continuing their training) and is willing to let me try running. I decided not to run at all or do any lower body workouts since I only ran about 6 miles last week and it still felt weird. Really, how much more decreased mileage could I do? Also, the fitness is gone. Once you pass that point it makes it much easier to accept.
2. Ice the knee
3. Take a prescription strength anti-inflammatory around the clock for two weeks (which I actually have been taking already-except for before I was working out)
4. Don’t do lunges! Those might hurt the knee.
When I told him that I already tried taking time off he wanted to know SPECIFCALLY how much time. I told him a few days and he looked at me and laughed and said time off is measured in weeks, not days. When I tried to hammer down how long I should not run I suggested a week and he suggested two. I will go with two.
I am okay with sitting still. I mean, it sucks. It’s gorgeous out. But it hurts to walk b/c of my knee!! Even I know that is NOT GOOD and needs to be remedied. I feel broken that I have what I call chronic knee pain at my age and the doctor reassured me that older people do not get this and it is an actual sports injury. He thinks since I returned to running once before after the knee pain there is no reason to think I won’t be able to again.
In non-body obsessive news: My work for my company right now is fun and very low-key. Today it involved taking digital pictures of different places in Boston. I also love working with my friend. In college people used to confuse us all the time. This afternoon I went to where she was waiting for me to show up (specifically, a bar) and walked in. They thought I was the girl who had been eating on the patio-ie. her. It floored me that people still think we look that much alike which I had completely forgotten. In college, some people thought SHE was my boyfriend’s girlfriend. (Um, I think that’s b/c we look alike, but in retrospect that IS kind of sketchy…) Speaking of boyfriends, I found out from her today that one of my college boyfriends got married last weekend. That brings the total number of people I have dated who are now married to two. It’s great I know this statistic but not other important ones!
Mini-countdown back to when I can run starts now.
-13 days-
In the mean time I will lift upper body and do core stuff-it IS almost summer!! I will only blog if there is something of interest, which could take some very creative writing. I mean really, how many times can I write: "Studied for finals." "Wrote a paper." "Lifted upper body." Maybe I will cut and paste.
Posted by Audrey at May 3, 2005 11:40 PM
Comments
Audreyyy!!! Well at least you know what you have which I think it's a great improvement. So you can just agressively treat it and rest and get all better! I had a mild calf strain at the end of February and since I was beat up overall from not taking enough time off after my fall marathon or spring half I decided to take two full weeks off from running (ran a whooping 8 miles in two weeks!) and that has made all the difference. I hope you feel better and keep busy so the days fly by!
Posted by: Nanda at May 4, 2005 09:56 AM
Ok, the not running part totally sucks. But now is your chance to really immerse yourself in core body workouts. Not just picking out a few things and doing them, but maybe finding a full program and dive into it like you would your running training. And swimming. Can you swim with an injured knee?
Posted by: Jon in Michigan at May 4, 2005 03:43 PM