My "broken" knee...

For those who don’t know after being stubborn for long enough, I finally made an appointment to see a doctor about my knee.  My lovely knee started to hurt the last month of the training prior to the triathlon I did last July.  I was afraid to go to a doctor on it, as I figured they would tell me to stop doing everything and that I wouldn’t be able to do the triathlon.  There was no chance in hell that I was backing out of the triathlon after all the training!  So I didn’t do anything about it and then after the triathlon I took a very very long break from everything and my knee slowly stopped bothering me.

During my very very long break my knee would bother me, if I was walking fast or walking for long periods of time.  But then it would be ok and continued to still not do anything about it. However after my very very long break I started going back to the gym and it started to get bad again. So I finally called the doctor.

I found out when I called to make an appointment that my doctor’s office actually has sports doctors so I figured they would be my best bet.  After making the appointment for that afternoon, they ask me to come in early for X-Rays.  I have never been injured or sick, that ever needed me to get x-rays or be in a hospital, so I was supper nervous.  Of course I was nervous for nothing and after thought it was funny that I was nervous for x-rays. 

I meet with the doctor and quickly determined I have tendentious, well technically had it and it didn’t heal correctly.  He told me I was going to have to go physically therapy for about two weeks and then I should be good. Well 4 weeks later I am still going to physical therapy. I feel like I go through a few good days and then it goes back to bothering me. 

I was told by the physical therapist, Brian that I was allowed to stay active, just no running.  I kept with swimming and line dancing, but was afraid to do anything else as I just wanted my knee to be back to normal.  Swimming didn’t bother my knee and line dancing would bother it but I enjoy it so much I didn’t want to stop.  Brian eventually told me to try the elliptical or bike at the gym.  I listened and tried the elliptical and of course after my knee bothered me after it was doing so well for a while. Frustrated, I was afraid to do it again but Brian told me to try it again.  I did, however that night I went out with friends to see a band and danced a little.  So that night, I wasn’t sure what exactly caused my pain the dancing, the elliptical or a mix.

At this point I was just so frustrated and over physical therapy, plus paying $240 so far it’s getting really expensive and its money I don’t have.  Also besides the treatment he does, I do the same exercises twice a week and I am bored with them.  However on Monday Brian did give me the approval to run again.  I was strictly told not to push myself; just a slow jog and two miles maxed.  I sort of laughed at the two miles max, as I hadn’t really run in so long there is no way I will be able to do two miles.

So today was the day I tried running.  I walked a lap and then started at 13:00 mile speed, which in my eyes was slow.  Of course the knee started to hurt, but it’s wasn’t too bad and I wanted to prove to myself that I could run at least a mile, so I kept going.  The pain got worse and I’m pretty sure some point my knee was numb, but I was determined to finish the mile.  I upped up the speed one each lap, ending in a 12:00 mile and then walked the last mile. 

Man did I regret the running later.  My knee has been in pain all day and I am sure it’s partly my fault for pushing myself.  It’s just so hard to be at the gym and watching people pushing themselves and you can’t.  I just can’t take it anymore and I think part of it was because I was told not and when someone tells you no, you just want to do it.

Tomorrow I go back to the doctor and we will see what he says.  I am hoping maybe he can suggest something different to try instead (just not injections). We will see and I will try to keep everyone updated.  I am hoping my knee gets better as I do have race at the end of the month, plus I am pretty sure I am going to do a triathlon again!

Love always, aloterella :)