Venting: 2013 Not a Good Running Year for Me

[halfhazzard]

First, I'm thankful for what's good in my life. I have all of my limbs, they all work, and I'm in good health. I workout at an Army gym and I occasionally see a guy lifting that doesn't meet those requisites. So bottom line, lots to be thankful for.

Ok, so I was up to about 3 miles barefoot in the March/April time frame after breaking a toe late last year due to a freak accident. Then I got this right quad strain that flared up and wouldn't go away. A few doctors visits, referral to PT, and it went away around July. I was picking it up again in July as I was "on travel" for that month and part of August and didn't have much to do.

Then in the last week of my trip, I was out hiking and aggravated my left knee. I rested it for a week, and then started running again; got up to 20 minutes or running with pain that would show up (thought it was IT band) and go away after a day or two of rest.

About four weeks ago, I said enough, decided to rest and went to a doctor today as the pain hasn't fully gone away. He examined me, said "unremarkable" to which I agree, and recommended PT and maybe an MRI later. Literally, there is nothing obvious going on.

Over the course of 2.5 months, the pain has gone from the back of my knee, to the outside of my knee, and now feels like its on or inside the patellar tendon. There's one for you Mayo Clinic (haha). Dr. also noticed some "grinding" that I had never noticed before.

So, 2013 hasn't been a productive running year for me. With all the trouble I've been having (not necessarily caused by running), I've started to doubt my desire to run and run barefoot. I feel like this will be about the fourth or fifth time in the last three years that I've undergone the "transition into running plan." And beginning absolutely sucks. Feet get soft, lose the endurance in your legs, etc. etc.

Anyway, had to get that off my chest. All in all, I'm healthy and my body works (thank God), I just have an unquenchable desire to get more from it.

 

[migangelo]

hh,

mountains look big from the ground but get smaller once you're on them. your knee lies in between your calves and hips. the weakness is there, it's just showing up in your knee. i myself have some problems. my running is quite uncomfortable where as before it was great. i have some tight hip flexors, tight abd hallicis, tib post, tib ant, peroneals, and who knows what else. part of my challenge of running is figuring this out. i've had some very good runs and know i can again.

don't give up. might as well lay down and die. i believe you can do conquer this. problems are temporary, giving up is forever.

 

[halfhazzard]

Mike,

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm not giving up and dying yet, my upper body is doing really well! We'll see what the therapists say and go from there. Gotta figure something out.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I totally understand what you are going through, and yes it sucks...and it sucks to have to start all over again, but that's what we will have to do, you and I. Perhaps you need a really long break, with winter coming, and then start again in the spring? Sorry you are having to deal with this.

 

[halfhazzard]

Update: I went to the physical therapist on Monday. She seemed knowledgeable, interested in fitness, and seemed to do a thorough examination of my knees. About what you should expect from a medical professional.

Diagnosis: Left leg muscles weak, strengthen quad, hamstring, calves and hip abductors causing IT band irritation. We think the IT band flared after a brutal hike a few months ago. That IT band might be referring pain elsewhere in the knee as well. ALSO, ACL and PCL are more loose on the bad leg, notable but not necessarily a problem. Hopefully those can tighten up with strengthening.

Its nice to have someone familiar with these injuries be able to rule out other more serious issues. I was on the track of working on all those muscles in general, but the right leg is much stronger than the left leg, and I wasn't specifically addressing that issue on my own. All of my leg exercises (except some hip exercises) were both legs at the same time.

As for BFR? We'll see. No plans other than to work on fitness... My lifting is going well, and if fitness includes BFR in the future then great.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Get strong, Hazz. You'll be okay. Good luck.