I had blogged here about how having my little Nike+iPod transmitter has been nothing short of an absolute lifesaver in terms of motivating me to run. I've been keeping up the running regiment, and coupled with the strength and breathing I got from yoga, I was feeling really good about my exercise routine in general.
But about a month ago, my left knee started bugging me. It wasn't like I was in pain or anything, but it would hurt every time I walked up or down the stairs. I figured it was just a slight strain that would go away eventually. And I was hoping that the week off from exercising when I was in Chicago might help. But at the gym yesterday, I really felt the pain and I knew something wasn't right.
So I went to the doctor's today and without even taking an x-ray, he told me that my left kneecap had become misaligned and is now inflamed. Ok, it sounds nastier than it really is (I hope...) and he said it was good that I went to him today. A couple more weeks without attention and he would have had to put me through physiotherapy. He gave me a knee sleeve that I now have to wear all the time except when I sleep, some anti-inflammatory drugs, 20-minute ice-pack treaments three times a day, and I'm not allowed to run for the next 10 days. I can still use the elliptical machine which might help actually, and I have to work on strengthening the quad muscles along my thighs so that they can better support my knee.
I'm a little bummed that I won't be able to keep up the gym routine for a while, but can I confess that deep-down, I'm actually a little proud of this injury? For the longest time, I had never been an active person and as I always maintain, exercise is pure necessity, little pleasure; but precisely because of that, it's also kinda cool that I've been disciplined enough in my regime to have actually gotten injured from it. It's embarrassing how terribly self-indulgent this sounds... Jude says I should think of it as some kind of battle scar :) I won't go as far to say that I'll miss running, but I'll definitely miss the guilt-free munching and snacking that I heedlessly indulge in after a good workout! :)
2 comments:
i hope you feel better soon!
hey! guess what! I think I did the same thing to my right knee! The condition has a really long name but is commonly known as runner's knee. My doctor has prescribed some exercises to strengthen my quads, along with taking Advil and ice packs for the pain. According to my doctor, it is a pretty common condition, especially when you first start running.
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