trickytiger
01-08-2008, 11:22 PM
It's just about that time of year for my annual affliction! (Once a year is not bad, considering all that I do)
I think the title says it all. Here's what happens, or at least as much as I can figure out. I think my right quad has become possessed, but only during sleep. On average, I wake up once or twice a night or maybe every third night in excruciating, eye-watering pain emanating from my right knee. The kind of pain like my patella is off track, while my right quad is completely spasmed and my leg is straight- I cannot actually bend my leg while the muscle is firing. It took me a while to figure that out, given my groggy state of mind (ie thinking WTF?) and the patellar pain which kind of distracted me. This usually lasts a minute or two, and then goes away.
Nothing about my usual routine has changed- I run like usual, climb rocks like usual (I'm a weenie about biking in the rain), all the same things I normally do. I'm pretty knee-conscious- run in Superfeet and Asics Kayanos, do my exercises, stretch, etc. During my day, and even upon waking, the knee is totally fine. No pain during activity. I do have a pretty constant battle with iliotibial tightness in that leg, but rarely does it progress to a problem. I don't have any other physical issues at all.
I'm a little confused by this knee-nightmare thing. Plus, it's become a bit of a hazard to the lovely and understanding boyfriend who accidentally got kicked during the last onset at 2 am. Considering I want to preserve my knees as long as possible (and preserve the relationship as well), what could be going on here? I will float this past the PTs that I volunteer with, but I wanted to see if anyone here had ever heard of anything like this....
I think the title says it all. Here's what happens, or at least as much as I can figure out. I think my right quad has become possessed, but only during sleep. On average, I wake up once or twice a night or maybe every third night in excruciating, eye-watering pain emanating from my right knee. The kind of pain like my patella is off track, while my right quad is completely spasmed and my leg is straight- I cannot actually bend my leg while the muscle is firing. It took me a while to figure that out, given my groggy state of mind (ie thinking WTF?) and the patellar pain which kind of distracted me. This usually lasts a minute or two, and then goes away.
Nothing about my usual routine has changed- I run like usual, climb rocks like usual (I'm a weenie about biking in the rain), all the same things I normally do. I'm pretty knee-conscious- run in Superfeet and Asics Kayanos, do my exercises, stretch, etc. During my day, and even upon waking, the knee is totally fine. No pain during activity. I do have a pretty constant battle with iliotibial tightness in that leg, but rarely does it progress to a problem. I don't have any other physical issues at all.
I'm a little confused by this knee-nightmare thing. Plus, it's become a bit of a hazard to the lovely and understanding boyfriend who accidentally got kicked during the last onset at 2 am. Considering I want to preserve my knees as long as possible (and preserve the relationship as well), what could be going on here? I will float this past the PTs that I volunteer with, but I wanted to see if anyone here had ever heard of anything like this....