I'm not athletic. I tried to be once. I was in junior high. I tried out for the basketball team. Didn't make the team. I think I was still half asleep when I tried out. I used to ride my bike around the neighborhood a lot. After a lot of uphill pedaling, I was noticing pain in my knees. I went to the doctor and from what I can remember, he said there was inflammation (I think) in my knee cap. He told me to stop doing whatever was making it hurt, to take ibuprofen and ice until the pain went away. And I took that to heart. And ever since, I have avoided excessive running, biking, jumping, and anything else that caused the pain to surface. The only thing that never bothered them was Tae Kwon Do. I had a lot of pain while I was in Bolivia because I walked all the time. Oftentimes, uphill, on uneven roads, for long distances, carrying two loads of laundry or items from the store. No joke. I was a stickler with money down there and wouldn't spend the .25 cents on a taxi or trufi if I didn't need to. So I walked my butt off. So I had pain. Finally had a friend take me to a doctor she saw for her knees and nothing was found to be wrong with them, probably just the inflammation from over use again. Same treatment.
As I write this I am sitting on my couch with two ice packs on my knees. Its been bad day. I didn't even take Ellie for a walk. Yesterday I walked a coupe of miles with a friend. Then in the evening a ran/walked the 1.5 miles around my neighborhood again. I had pain every single step, but I ran anyway. I can hardly walk up and down the stairs in my house. I have excellent shoes and so far no back pain. The pain in my shins has gotten better, but the pain in my knees and now ankles too seem to be getting worse. I signed up for a beginners running class that starts tomorrow.
I want to believe that this pain is something that I can work through. That eventually my legs will get stronger and I won't be in this much pain all the time. I just don't know if that's true. I like the challenge of running, I'd like to say I ran a 5K. I like the overall benefits of running, I like that you can run anywhere, anytime, and it doesn't cost you anything. I like that I can run with or without my daughter, It is very much a part of my healing process from losing Lexie. A much needed distraction, a goal to focus on.
I don't like that the weather prevents me from going out sometimes, I don't like that it is killing my knees. I will likely make an appt to see my doctor next week and get her advice. I haven't discussed this condition with a doctor in 20 years (outside of Bolivia), No joke. It's seriously been that long. So I'm overdue. There are exercises I can do that are low impact. Elliptical, swimming, limited biking, TKD, yoga. But there are no races for ellipticals, never had an interest in swimming as a sport, or biking. TKD gets expensive and a lot of schools out there are just not very good (belt factories). Yoga I like. Its an entirely different animal as far as 'sport' goes. Incredibly difficult, challenging, but so so good for you in so many ways.
If I have to give up running to save my knees so be it. I can do fast walking with Ellie just the same and not feel I have wasted money getting the gear, Yoga classes would be my next step, maybe next year if it comes to that. We'll see how the next couple of weeks go.
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