Since my last post on this topic I’m pleased to be able to report some improvement, though it’s not all the way there yet. In the past week I have been able, at various times, to walk up to about an hour without aggravating the slight niggle that still persists in my knee. I have also been able to swim up and down a pool for the same amount of time. In fact recently I did both in one day without it feeling any the worse for wear at the end of the day, several hours after I’d finished both activities. However all that activity must have had a cumulative effect by Tuesday night when there was a bit more of a dull ache. It had deteriorated further by the time I had played Ping Pong for a while, though I was still able to walk to the buses and trains home quite easily. But by the end of yesterday it wasn’t too bad so the recovery from these episodes is now pretty fast. BTW while I’m on the topic of Ping Pong, if you’re looking for a place to play in the centre of Sydney with a friendly social atmosphere and good music as well, I recommend going here.
Yesterday was also the day of my latest consultation with the surgeon after having the prescribed scan of the offending area on Friday night. There is good news out of it, in that I have no stress fracture, stress injury or any other structural damage. The remaining medial meniscal cartilage left from the operation is intact with no further tears. But I now have some tendonitis in the “patella tendon” – the one that holds my kneecap in place. This seemed strange at the time of the consultation given that the site of most pain was still the inside of the joint, though strangely now that I’ve been made aware of it, I am feeling the slight pain in the kneecap area this morning much more than on the original site which is basically non-existent as I type. The Dr says this inner joint pain is probably referred pain. He also says that the tendonitis might be from doing too much activity too soon after the surgery. I think he might have also pointed out some inflammation on the inside of the joint where I’ve been having the trouble. However I’m now out of the “danger time” when activity could have led to more structural damage. I have been given a plan to help the residual issues resolve themselves. More strengthening exercises, stretches, a gradual and cautious increase of activity with time like more walking and eventually a bit of running when it feels ready, and in the meantime more anti-inflammatory medication. I’ve got an eagerly anticipated camping trip with some of the family in Queensland this weekend and the way my knee feels now, I dare say I could walk the 5.5km to the airport tomorrow afternoon to catch the plane there, and save an exhorbidant taxi or total-rip-off train fare. I’ve already taken the script from the surgeon to the pharmacy and got the medicine, and had no hesitation in commencing taking it at lunch time yesterday and again at breakfast time this morning. No doubt this is contributing to the improvement.
After a 2km swim yesterday morning and a walk around a shopping centre to pick up some things, the walk from there to the Dr’s surgery was a bit painful but as I just described, it has again recovered quickly. After a physical examination as well as looking at the scan report and films, he declared that my knee was in excellent shape, all it will take to cure the residual pain is the plan above, and (unfortunately) more time. This is the worst part of it. I don’t have more time. I should be training for the half marathon in May right now. It’s probably past the time I can get fit enough for it. I must emphasise the physical pain associated with this incident is very mild and quite bearable in comparison to the utter mental anguish at all the running and other activity, not to mention physical conditioning, that this injury has robbed me of. But hopefully in a few weeks I’ll be able to run again and focus on the City to Surf. Fingers crossed for a rapid end to this journey – Destination: injury-free long-distance running…
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