Out of Run Purgatory
I entered run Purgatory Jan 9, when I woke up with a swollen right knee. 3 days earlier, I had run a fast 5k race, then two days after that, increased my weights on the squat machine by 90#. I was able to keep zwifting, but running was painful, so I shut down until after a 2 week ski trip to CO. On return, re-commenced running, feeling OK, but left again for skiing mid-Feb. On Mar 5, overdid things by 50% on the best snow day of the year. Returned home Mar 12, began Zwifting, and tried running again. First day OK, but second day, bad pain on the outside during the first 0.4 mi, quite and walked back. Saw Sports MD 3-14, had MRI on 3-27. MRI showed a chunk gone from my patellar cartilege, and also edema in the femur from cartilege damage there, with a lot of swelling.
Zwifting did not hurt, actually made things feel better, so I kept at it. Over the weekend, things began to improve and I started running again on Sat. I saw an Ortho MD today, and reviewed the MRI with her (also had done this with Sports MD 3-29). Both MDs, who are athletes themselves (Ortho a swimmer/cyclist, Sports MD works the Med Tent @ Kona) and understood my drive and need, basically told me it was OK to run and (as someone once said) "Let your knee be your Coach."
If anyone wants deep detail, I can comment on symptoms and detailed MRI findings. But the jist of it is I have a combo of wear and tear chondromalacia/osteoarthritis in the lateral compartment of my right knee joint, and worse in my Patellar compartment. Meniscii look pretty good (fraying in one spot, but basically intact).
I have been liberally icing my knee and wearing a neoprene brace periodically. The great news is in the last 36 hours, things are feeling much better. I have run three days now, 48 hours apart each time, today up to 3' brisk walk warm-up, 5' run/1'walk x 3, for 1.6 miles @ 10'mi (usual pace 8:50/mi).
I am feeling very confident that this will continue to improve as the swelling recedes and the bony edema resolves. The cartilege, of course, will not ever fully heal. I am going to have to become a fanatic about the frequency, intensity, and volume of my running, I feel, for the rest of my life. But my target is to find, as Coach P puts it, the Minimum Effective Dose of running required to compete respectably as a triathlete at the national and international level. Not ready to quit yet. Keep doin' it till I can't
Zwifting did not hurt, actually made things feel better, so I kept at it. Over the weekend, things began to improve and I started running again on Sat. I saw an Ortho MD today, and reviewed the MRI with her (also had done this with Sports MD 3-29). Both MDs, who are athletes themselves (Ortho a swimmer/cyclist, Sports MD works the Med Tent @ Kona) and understood my drive and need, basically told me it was OK to run and (as someone once said) "Let your knee be your Coach."
If anyone wants deep detail, I can comment on symptoms and detailed MRI findings. But the jist of it is I have a combo of wear and tear chondromalacia/osteoarthritis in the lateral compartment of my right knee joint, and worse in my Patellar compartment. Meniscii look pretty good (fraying in one spot, but basically intact).
I have been liberally icing my knee and wearing a neoprene brace periodically. The great news is in the last 36 hours, things are feeling much better. I have run three days now, 48 hours apart each time, today up to 3' brisk walk warm-up, 5' run/1'walk x 3, for 1.6 miles @ 10'mi (usual pace 8:50/mi).
I am feeling very confident that this will continue to improve as the swelling recedes and the bony edema resolves. The cartilege, of course, will not ever fully heal. I am going to have to become a fanatic about the frequency, intensity, and volume of my running, I feel, for the rest of my life. But my target is to find, as Coach P puts it, the Minimum Effective Dose of running required to compete respectably as a triathlete at the national and international level. Not ready to quit yet. Keep doin' it till I can't
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