Fell on ice

[Ed]

Well - just as I am trying to get back out there on a daily basis I slipped on ice and fell square on my left knee (the worse of the two.)  I wasn't going to go to the doctor but even with ibuprophen in me at was hurting pretty bad.

Well I went to the doc - nothing broken or torn.  Doc says I smashed the cartilidge - really compressing it. The pain is the inflamation of it rebounding and swelling.  So, Aleeve twice daily for a week and no running or extra walking and only take stairs using my good knee.

I am thankfull that nothing worse happened and I will still be able to run relatively soon.

[Ryan]

Sorry to hear about the misfortune. I actually had a recent fall myself, though I fortunately didn't come out of it with anything worse than a scraped up knee. My fall was such an impressive one it was my shoulder and upper arm that took most of the impact.

You have plenty of time before summer. Get that knee feeling better, get back out there, and work on the consistency through the spring. You'll be ready to go by racing season.

[Andrew A.]

That stinks!

[Ed]

Thanks guys -

Andrew - your quote about short term and long term goals has helped me to not get too down about being out of the running for a couple of weeks. -  - Thanks

[ksrunner]

I took a fall yesterday myself. I was walking out of work and my feet just slid right out from under me and I took a quick seat. Fortunately, there was no major damage. Just some soreness in my hands which probably saved me from bruises that might have impacted my running.

I don't know that it was very spectacular, but it was noisy. I carry a stainless steel lunch pail that hit the ground. I guy on the other side of the street turned and asked if I was okay. My first thought was that I'd feel a lot better if there were no one else around. It was nice that someone was there though in the event that it might have been more serious.

Have a complete and speedy recovery, Ed. I find that for me, I have a better time of staying focused on my goals if I can continue to do something exercise related during the time that I would normally be running. Otherwise, I find something else to do in that time and I may have a hard time getting back into running when I am able. Good luck!

[Ed]

Thanks all -

I start back running tomorrow morning.  Nice and easy three miles to feel the knee out.

[msubobcats]

Hopefully you can get rolling real soon with no problems.  As Sgt Phil Esterhaus would say on Hill Street Blues, "let's be careful out there." 

[Ed]

Did a nice and easy three miler - felt just fine.  Same for tomorrow morning - nice and easy three miler (maybe four.)

[Ryan]

Great news that it went well. Keep working on it but remember, consistency trumps a quick buildup. More important than bumping up to 4, 5, and so on quickly is making sure you're out there tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that.

[Ed]

Hey Ryan -

I really appreciate the constant reminder about getting and staying consistent - otherwise I get carried away with ramping up and then lose any consistency.

[Ryan]

I know you need those reminders.

I just keep coming back to discussions like that I had on another topic with runner1. We followed different training philosophies but, in the end, I think we both found that we agreed on the most important aspect: consistency. I'd rather be consistent at a lower level of training than hit higher peaks but not consistently hold them.

[grasshopper]

Maybe make some screw shoes?

[Rachel]

Hey guys

Ryan, what you said about consistency is SO true. I think a big part of my problem (when I can run) is that I want to build too much too quick b/c I want results yesterday.

Take yesterday in PT ^* for example. I was going through some exercises and my physical therapist came over and asked what I was doing. I told her and she said I was doing too much (3 sets of 10 vs. 1 set of 10 for an exercise that recently got modified by adding more weight). I misunderstood her and thought I was supposed to do 3, but she said just do 1 or you're going to be sore tomorrow. Point being I didn't mind doing the 3 sets since I want to get better! If she was gone another minute or 2 I would've gotten all 3 completed. Actually, the resistance exercises don't bother me, but the 10 minutes on the elliptical made my quads cry a little.

Rachel

* The PT is for an ankle injury I sustained last September. I ran into a table I didn't know was there until I bashed my shin into it. MRI taken in January confirmed no stress fracture. All it showed was swelling near the distal (lower) tibia. It didn't show much, but it didn't show damage which is nice. My concern about it is that I feel it all the way down to my foot down the medial side of the tibia. It's pretty much 1/3 of the way up the tibia, then it follows right along the edge of the bone, then follows down the side of my foot. I've had posterior tibial tendonitis before, and while this feels a little like it, its not the same. Besides, when I had that it went from annoying to almost not being able to walk quickly (in about a week or two). This at times is like my messed-up knee where standing around is worse than working it. Like yesterday during PT it didn't bother me at all. It bothered me the most when I was standing around outside waiting for the bus.