Doctor, My Knee Hurts When I Run
I am a self-diagnoser. A doctor without a licesnse, educated by many a medical website and discussion board. If something is bothering me or my children, I Google it. By the way, Bing sucks. I am definitely a Google girl. You would not believe all the ailments I have! For example, I don't like to read, unless it's something I'm really interested in [ Asperger's, ADHD], and I often lose my train of thought mid-sentence [ADHD, learning disorder-not otherwise specified] and I can get pretty anal about how things are arranged/done [OCD]. I'm having trouble sleeping at night [perimenopause] and have early morning nausea [hey, that can't be what is happening, you better think of another ailment!]
You get the drift. So I have self-diagnosed my knee with IT-band issues or Runner's Knee. The band rubs wrong while running, causing swelling, popping, and tightness in the hamstring while not running. I know I have really bad form while running, and my hamstrings become so tight and pumped that I look like a power-lifter trying to walk afterword. I think I simply wasn't made to run. It's like the old joke:
PATIENT: "Dr, my knee hurts when I run."
DR: "Then don't run".
That being said, one of my lovely, bright readers recommended I try yoga, so I decided if such an intelligent person recommends it, it must be worth trying. I have done some yoga before, and usually find I am too fat or too uncoordinated to do most of the moves, but I went to my other friend, Google, and looked for yoga for runners, and I found a great set of stretches for my entire lower body. I did them in my office yesterday, and the entire leg felt more in harmony almost immediately. This morning, my knee was popping a little less, and I stopped myself as the twinkle of *maybe* running my 5K this weekend tried to creep into my mind. I got so far as to make a case for running it, and reason returned as I bent down to fetch a dish and my knee made a huge KLUNK, POP, and as I stood back up, finally a CRACK! It doesn't hurt, perse, but it's not the most comfortable feeling, and definitely a sign that the offending activity is not one I should repeat. A long, deep sigh slipped out of me and I realized that the childish show-off in me will have to take a back seat this time, so that I don't end up with arthritis. That is it, decision made, no more reconsidering. I am trying to stretch more, just to have the leg feel better, it is still a bit foolish of me to walk 3 miles, but if I can't even walk, I feel like a failure. I'm sure with some ibuprofen and a little heat, I should be fine. I might wrap the knee too, just to add a little support. Saturday will come and pass quickly, and the 5K will be behind me. Then I will celebrate my husband's birthday. The weather is supposed to be absolutely beautiful for the event, and I'm looking forward to it, despite. I am still walking it for those who can't.
Today is the day I am going to start to pin down what my idea of a healthy plan is, and put it on paper so it is easier to follow, and to see where I go off, if I do. I will put this into play beginning Monday. I might post some new photos, sort of my new starting point. I have just been spending too much time focusing on other things while the gains I worked so hard for slowly slip away.
So this weekend, I'm sure will be full of junk food, as this week has been, and most of the days that preceded it this month. But it will also be a time of research and reflection, and reassuring myself that I have what it takes to prevail. The 5K walk will definitely help me, being surrounded by all those fit people, and reminded why my knee has failed me, and it will be a reminder of where I don't want to be in ten, twenty or forty years from now. I know it's time to take action and fix what is broken before the rest of my body falls apart like my knees!
You get the drift. So I have self-diagnosed my knee with IT-band issues or Runner's Knee. The band rubs wrong while running, causing swelling, popping, and tightness in the hamstring while not running. I know I have really bad form while running, and my hamstrings become so tight and pumped that I look like a power-lifter trying to walk afterword. I think I simply wasn't made to run. It's like the old joke:
PATIENT: "Dr, my knee hurts when I run."
DR: "Then don't run".
That being said, one of my lovely, bright readers recommended I try yoga, so I decided if such an intelligent person recommends it, it must be worth trying. I have done some yoga before, and usually find I am too fat or too uncoordinated to do most of the moves, but I went to my other friend, Google, and looked for yoga for runners, and I found a great set of stretches for my entire lower body. I did them in my office yesterday, and the entire leg felt more in harmony almost immediately. This morning, my knee was popping a little less, and I stopped myself as the twinkle of *maybe* running my 5K this weekend tried to creep into my mind. I got so far as to make a case for running it, and reason returned as I bent down to fetch a dish and my knee made a huge KLUNK, POP, and as I stood back up, finally a CRACK! It doesn't hurt, perse, but it's not the most comfortable feeling, and definitely a sign that the offending activity is not one I should repeat. A long, deep sigh slipped out of me and I realized that the childish show-off in me will have to take a back seat this time, so that I don't end up with arthritis. That is it, decision made, no more reconsidering. I am trying to stretch more, just to have the leg feel better, it is still a bit foolish of me to walk 3 miles, but if I can't even walk, I feel like a failure. I'm sure with some ibuprofen and a little heat, I should be fine. I might wrap the knee too, just to add a little support. Saturday will come and pass quickly, and the 5K will be behind me. Then I will celebrate my husband's birthday. The weather is supposed to be absolutely beautiful for the event, and I'm looking forward to it, despite. I am still walking it for those who can't.
Today is the day I am going to start to pin down what my idea of a healthy plan is, and put it on paper so it is easier to follow, and to see where I go off, if I do. I will put this into play beginning Monday. I might post some new photos, sort of my new starting point. I have just been spending too much time focusing on other things while the gains I worked so hard for slowly slip away.
So this weekend, I'm sure will be full of junk food, as this week has been, and most of the days that preceded it this month. But it will also be a time of research and reflection, and reassuring myself that I have what it takes to prevail. The 5K walk will definitely help me, being surrounded by all those fit people, and reminded why my knee has failed me, and it will be a reminder of where I don't want to be in ten, twenty or forty years from now. I know it's time to take action and fix what is broken before the rest of my body falls apart like my knees!
I suffer with my left knee as well, after running for three miles it aches but I can still run on it. and it makes horrendous noises when I straighten it or climb stairs. So I don't run long distances, I know a couple of people that ran the London Marathon with niggling knee injuries that became major problems when they tried to run that distance. And don't eat too much junk food.
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