Just a hump in the road...

Phewwww. After about two weeks of playing Dr. O'Toole and self diagnosing my knee problems I finally went to a physical therapist today. Oh, did I tell you that I had knee pain yet?

Ya, about two weeks ago I started getting a sharp pain on the top of the knee cap (left knee I got surgery on) and a sort of resistance type pain in the front around the petallar tendon. I iced and took it easy but it persisted and I was really unsure of whether or not running would just worsen the injury. Turns out it doesn't!

For you short readers - I'm getting back on the road, preparing for my New Bedford Half Marathon in a week and a half. If you want to learn more, read on...


So the knee cap is a very free flowing bone. What keeps it in place are the muscles and tendons pulling in opposite directions. This keeps the knee cap aligned in a groove within the end of your femur (thigh bone). Basically your quads and hamstring control vertical movement of the knee cap to allow the knee to bend smoothly. Then, you have ligaments and tendons (like your IT band) on the outside of your knee, and muscles (lower quad muscle also known as the VMO) on the inside to keep horizontal alignment. When your tendons get tight aka not stretched out, they tend to pull that knee cap more than the muscle is pulling on the inside. This essentially tilts the knee cap, causes friction in the knee and also strains those inside muscles.

That sharp pain on the top of the knee cap? Well, that's my muscle on the inside of the knee stretched out further than it wants to be and becoming weakened. The resistance type pain? Well, that's inflammation within my knee caused by irritation between the cap and the femur.

In order to get back to normal, I have to stretch, stretch, stretch! I have to get my quads, hamstrings, and outside tendons to be more flexible and stretched out in order to get my knee cap back in its happy place. Since we walk around, climb stairs, whatever with our legs - recovery is a bit slower but as i stretch, and ice to reduce the inflammation, my knee will get back to normal.

Good news? I can continue running without worrying about injuring myself further.
Bad news? I have to run with pain for awhile.

I'm supposed to do a 18 miler this weekend but since I've been taking the week off, I'm just gonna do a shorty and some elliptical. It's almost like Chip and I are switching places!