Its that "dry" heat.
Last week on the way home from the office I decided to go for a run.
Up until about the age of 23, running was an important part of my life. I ran to stay in shape. I ran because I enjoyed it. I ran because I liked to thrash myself. For as long as I can remember, I have also had a big problem with running: knee pain. Lots of it. Over the years I have visited many doctors and used the orthotics they prescribed. Somewhere around the age of 23 the knee pain became bad enough and the excuses easy enough that I just stopped running. I bought a used NordicTrack (the total body workout) to stay in shape and just kissed running goodbye. The surprising thing was that my knee pain didn’t go away. Yes, it was less acute, but a general achy-ness still followed me around.
Fast forward 8 years and I am living in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts with lots of time on my hands. I decided that a slim 32 year old should be able to walk around pain free. I made my medical care my own responsibility. I would continue to seek help until I either had a concrete reason why my knees hurt or a detailed plan to become pain free. Four doctors and two years later I make the biggest breakthrough of my knee-having life: I went grocery shopping pain-free. The short answer was that poor foot function and muscle imbalances were constantly irritating the connective tissue in my knees. With new orthotics to address the forefooot as well as the mid/rear foot, strengthening exercises, and stretching I was literally back on my feet.
Through all of this I was studying anatomy and physiology. I was riding my bike and swimming in the local pool. I became certified in strength and conditioning and learned how to coach cyclists and triathletes. I took courses on evaluating stride of foot biomenchanics. Still, becoming a runner was a long way off. Every time I started to run again, the pain would come back after 15 to 20 minutes. So I went back to the beginning to learn how to run. Focusing on form and adding volume in small increments brought me to 2 minute runs. Really. The nice thing about running for only 2 minutes is that it doesn’t require changing out of your street clothes. After 6 months of small systematic increases I was able to run for over half an hour.
As someone who focuses on cycling I make sure I run twice a week so I don’t lose the “ability” to run. I need to maintain the fitness that allows me to maintain my form. I also need to maintain the bone modeling and tissue connections that stressing my body with running has developed. By doing this I can go for a run when I want to.
Fast forward to last week. I got out of the car, ate a gel, walked the dog, then went for a run. I ran 10 miles. I’m pretty sure this is the farthest I have ever run. It took me 1 hour and 26 minutes. At the end I felt a deep tiredness usually reserved for 5 plus hour bike rides. It was definitely an efficient way to thrash myself.
If you are having knee pain or any other type of joint pain while running or cycling, let me know and I’ll do my best to help you find a solution. Sometimes its as easy as the right foot bed or some stretching. Other times it is more complex and requires the help of medical professionals. I may not be able to help you directly, but I can definitely send you to the someone who can.
Go for a run. Ride your bike. Swim. Do all three. Do them fast or slow. Enjoy. Repeat.
What motivates you to run?
Carl
Frances
lauraraybould
Carl, that’s a very inspiring story – congratulations on a super achievement! May I ask where you got the orthotics you’re currently using?
Thanks – Mary
Hey Mary! Thanks for reading. The orthotics I currently use were made by Stride Orthotics and prescribed by Dr. DeCaro (www.decaropodiatry.com). They do a great job for gait specific orthotics. I use a different company for custom cycling footbeds (not orthotics as I am not qualified to prescribe orthotics in Massachusetts) and I do the evaluation.
In my late 20′s and early 30′s I was obcessed with the Ironman Triathlon, I packed my schedule with around a half dozen half IM’s and two fulls, qualifying for Hawaii three years in a row. I ate, slept, worked, and most of all trained, often times piling up 25-30 hours of training a week; I was the classic overtrainer, and couple that with the fact that my carreer as a city letter carrier for the post office has me on my feet 8-10 hours a day it’s no wonder that my racing carreer was cut short by knee pain.
Fast forward to present day, now I’m 36 and have seen every knee surgeon in the area, getting thru a day of work is now becoming diffacult and I haven’t raced or trained competitivly since 2005. Over the last few years I’ve been told my knee’s look like a set of old tires with too many miles on them (Dr. Schlar, springfield), that I have a Bakers Cyst causing most of the burning pain behind my knee, and a frayed or irregular looking acl (Dr. Stevens greenfield). In 2006 Dr. McBride from UMASS gave me Cynvisc injections, which were a complete waste of time and money, and a few months ago Dr. Stevens injected a steroid to try and dry up the Bakers cyst, to no avail. I’ve also tried various pt and orthotics with no results. I feel that I’m out of options…
I no longer have asperations in Triathlon, but I feel that I shouldn’t have to live in pain at a relatively young age either, and it’d be nice to be able to train at a more relaxed rate just for the sake of having fun and being healthy. I ride about 10-20 miles a week and run a few too. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated, Thanks.
Hey Ron! You should make an appointment and come by the office one of these days. I may not be able to help you directly, but there’s a good chance I would have some insight into the contributing factors of at least some of your issues. If I can’t help you, it would be great to catch up anyway… -Carl