Running into the New Year! Week of New Year's.

[emily_in_nc]

Crap -- seems I overdid it a bit this week running three miles on rolling trails after doing nothing but walking over the holidays for a few weeks. I have a definite pain on every step above my left knee. DH said it was quadricep tendinitis, which I looked up online, and danged if it doesn't sound exactly like that. I've been icing like crazy today, but the web site I read says to take it easy for FOUR TO SIX WEEKS!!!!

Has anyone else had this? Does it really take that long to heal!? And if so, would putting my bike on the trainer and pedaling with minimal/no resistance be an alternative to running for aerobic activity in the meantime? I don't have access to a pool but I have to get some cardio!

Sigh..........

[Jolt]

Emily--

Sorry to hear you're hurting--what a bummer!! Along with what you're already doing, I'd check for trigger points in the quads if I were you. It's possible your pain could just be coming from something like that as opposed to a tendinitis; if that's the case you can most likely get rid of the pain yourself by massaging the trigger points a few times a day. Is there any swelling or redness in the area? That would be one indication that something really is inflamed. As for your question about the bike, I'm not sure about that. Also not totally sure as far as how long quadriceps tendinitis takes to heal; all I know is anything with a tendon takes a while to heal because they don't have much blood supply. Hope you feel better soon--I know how rotten it is to be injured (still working on coming back from mine and making sure it doesn't happen again)!!

[emily_in_nc]

Jolt - thanks so much for the reply. I am not sure exactly what you mean about trigger points. The "area" (for lack of a better word) is still hurting with every step today, though less than yesterday. I lifted weights in the gym today and avoided all quad exercises and cardio.

And no, there is no swelling or redness in the area, just pain on walking.

Thanks!
Emily

[OakLeaf]

I am not sure exactly what you mean about trigger points.

Get a foam roller or a "Stick" and you won't need any more explanation.

I'm serious. You will feel them. Trigger points in the quads are pretty difficult to self-massage with your thumbs just because the muscles are so large and the trigger points tend to be deep, but either of those is a good tool for getting at them.


- Oak, who can self massage the multiple trigger points in my calves just fine with the opposite knee

[Crankin]

Today was the day i was going to try out my new running skills outside; it's 30 F out and according to the forecast, we might not see that again for 10 days or so. On Sunday, as I was driving home from our snow shoe, I developed a sudden and throbbing pain in one of my bottom teeth. It stopped for awhile, only to return yesterday. I tried x country skiing yesterday AM, with the thought it might take my mind of the pain; no go. The skiing was great, but today I woke up with it hurting enough to call the dentist. I am going in tomorrow to see her, so today is a rest day, which I sort of need, because it's been 8 days since I had a day where I did nothing. I might try and go to the gym tomorrow before the appointment, but it's sort of making my whole face hurt.
Jolt, I got that sports conditioning book you mentioned. It's very thorough! I hope you're feeling better.
Emily, believe me, the foam roller works wonders! My son had one he had left from PT when he was racing. Something made me say, "keep that" when we moved a couple of years ago. I am glad I did.

[rocknrollgirl]

Emily,
Proceed very carefully. I overdid it last year at this time and ended up with tendonitis from hell for months and months and months.....

Taking a week off now will not sink the ship. Pushing through may cause you a long injury. Nip it now......

Ice, ice, ice.....stretch, and ice some more. Foam roller good, stick good.

I would not try to do anything until the pain goes away. You will survive without a few days of cardio. Trust me.....

PM me if you need any more info

Ruth..

Reigning Queen of All Things Tendonitis.....

[Jolt]

Well, today was better--no issues this workout. I went to the Y and ran 15 minutes on the treadmill, concentrating very hard on maintaining good form, and didn't have a problem (kept it to 15 minutes to be safe--focusing so much on keeping proper form is hard!). Then I did 15 minutes on one of the bikes, then ran barefoot around the track upstairs for a little more than 5 minutes. Actually, I didn't do most of it around the track--there were people walking counterclockwise and I am trying to do more clockwise to keep the stress off that left IT band and balance myself out, so I went down to this walkway that goes around above the gym and mostly ran there. Plus, I don't know what it is about that track (maybe just the fact that it's steeply banked which invites one to accelerate into the turns) but it makes me want to just fly! I was somewhat surprised the people on the track didn't comment on the fact I had no shoes on.

[emily_in_nc]

Get a foam roller or a "Stick" and you won't need any more explanation.
I'm serious. You will feel them. Trigger points in the quads are pretty difficult to self-massage with your thumbs just because the muscles are so large and the trigger points tend to be deep, but either of those is a good tool for getting at them.

Interesting, thanks! My pain is NOT in my quad at all, though. It's *right* above the kneecap, at the closest point to the patella in the circled part of this picture:
http://www.itendonitis.com/quadriceps-tendonitis.html

I can press on it and feel the pain. Just wasn't sure if that was a "trigger point" or not. There is also a small, button-size point of pain right on the patella itself, slightly to the inside of my knee. Strange.

rnr, not to worry, I have been a complete slouch this week. Running is out of the question, and even walking other than casual walking around the office and parking lot (can't avoid that) doesn't feel good. I am still feeling pain on every step. I am icing when I can, taking ibuprofen, and just in general taking it easy. I have no plans to attempt running or even fitness walking until the pain is completely gone, and then stopping immediately if it flares back up.

I've had injuries before and realize I have to give it time to heal. I'm just mad at myself for ending up injured when I've been so careful. I just came back too quickly after the holidays without even realizing it.

I'm still doing upper body weights, Pilates, etc., but I hate not working my heart.... And I don't think this is just going to be a week -- I'm afraid I won't be able to do cardio for a month.

Thanks for the helpful support!

[OakLeaf]

Trigger points very often refer pain to the tendons associated with the muscle. VERY often. Actually, according to one of the standard references, the trigger points associated with pain at the quadriceps tendon can be clear up near the hip on the rectus or the adductors; or in the middle part of the vastus medialis.

My new trigger point book, highly recommended by several TE'rs and quickly becoming one of my favorite books aka masochist toy.

No, seriously, I didn't realize that the pain in my Achilles tendons that has plagued me for YEARS was coming from clear up in the big calf muscles... but it sure is going away now that I'm working on those trigger points.

[Aggie_Ama]

Went for a 2.4 mile run last night. I haven't ran since November when I came down with bronchitis, it felt refreshing. It is weird that I have lost weight but feel so out of shape. I was targeting a run I thought was in April but they moved it to March and I just realized DH has a mountain bike race. That stinks.

It is very deserted at the running path right now, kind of nice and kind of creepy. I made it at dusk last night but it was dark at the end of my run. The fire station keeps their doors closed since it is chilly and the kids are no longer playing football and baseball. Maybe I can get DH along when his cracked rib heals.