Having (thankfully) had some more knee problems diagnosed as a case of runners knee aggravated by some knee cap misalignment - my doctor has advised me that whilst I may be able to run again, pain free, these problems are likely to recur and get worse over the next few years.
This last injury meant that I want unable to do any exercise and while I'm tempted to ignore the advice and / or seek a second opinion, I'm not prepared to be unable to exercise at all in say five years time.
I'm going to give it some more thought over the next 3-4 weeks but I suspect I will decide to stop running altogether.
What would you do in this scenario?
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Less Running More X-Training
You know it make sense
As you say, its really more important to keep doing something, whatever it is, just so long as it doesn't preclude anything else.
Have you only had this opinion from the one Doctor? If so you really should get a second opinion from a sports related professional, who may be more optimistic.
Surely someone can fix you
I have really enjoyed my cycling over the last two years and in any event would not now return to running "full-on" but there are enough warning signs to make me worry.
I have invested about 2,000 quid in bikes over the last two years so I want to get maximum use out of them.
I've been prescribed physio so we will see what that brings.
But then, running isn't nearly as important to me as it is to most people on these forums.
Might be something in Bryan's advice to try a different style.
Cycling would seem the obvious choice, or indeed triathlons with short running section.
15 years ago Mr. IW was told he had arthritis in his knee and shouldn't run. Aother doctor said he didn't have arthritis in his knee, it was patellar tendonitis but he shouldn't run. A third said it was ITBS. He is still running.
A year ago I went to a sports doc with knee pain I thought was ITBS and was told it was a torn meniscus, I needed an operation. I insisted on a computer tomography at the University hospital and they confirmed my own diagnosis.
I said on some other thread that we are not professional athletes and we are all motivated to run for various reasons.
A professional athlete may spend years and £thousands to get a similar problem fixed but at what cost? For most of us there is more to life than running. Unless you can find a solution which completely cures your current problem, and by all means get a 2nd/3rd or 4th opinion, what is the point?
Although cycling gives you great enjoyment it may also be an opportunity to try out some other sports that are more forgiving on your knees.
You never know, there may be some other sport that gives you as much or even more enjoyment than running.
At this stage I think that it is very important for you to explore your long term goals and look at all the options available to you.
You also asked what we would do, given the same scenario....
I love running, but my health is more important. Being unable to take part in any sport would be my worst nightmare. I wouldn't hesitate in giving up running, in this scenario, if the decision enabled me to continue cycling, playing golf, tennis, etc, well into my 90's
i didnt realise running was so crucial for me
ive done other exercise, and ive only been running 2.5 years
Still not convinced martin , though
Cycling sounds to be the answer, you can join all the other chaps circling Richmond Park on expensive bicycles (been there myself). Great park but after 3 or 4 laps it gets a bit monotonous.
Anyway, what about rowing?. The Concept 2 is a great machine to have at home and I guess you might not be too far from the Thames.
Ironically, after living in Chiswick for many years it was only after moving to Canada and getting a C2 (now got the space in the house, no space in a pokey little terrace in W4) that my thoughts have turned to maybe taking it up on the water too. (Need to wait for resevoir to thaw out here.)
I think the club on the north east side of Chiswick Bridge do beginners lessons. Apologies if you are already a rower.
The Concept2, it's the way forward (and you can do it in the dry and warm)
I think the switch to cycling won't be such a drama. I've already competed on both MTB and the road and performed reasonably well off relatively little training.
I've also been doing a reasonable amount of rowing (on the Concept 2) which seems to be having lots of benefits.
The challenge, and really the main thing I will miss about running, is its instant accessibility. Pop your shoes on and out the door - being outside is a big thing. I'm lucky enough to live in a big German house with a cellar where I have a gym - so I have set up my turbo trainer, rowing machine and of course TV - but its not the same as being outside.
I've already tried the route of orthotics and this WAS the seconf opinion. On the the MRI scan the problem was really clear my knee cap sits over one side which means it occasionally 'catches' where it shouldn't. This effect is made worse by exercises which involve lateral movement of the knee cap.
However, I'm not really mourning. Lets not forget that I've hardly run in the last two years due to a related but different injury. So I'm accustomed to the loss. Now I've got to set goals and objectives to get my competitive juices going again.
I too am an exercise junkie and having broken my tibia am currently swimming around 30k a week just to get my fix. I so miss running and simply getting outdoors though but as long as I can do something active I stay relatively sane...or at least I think so. Hopefully an xray later today will show some healing and maybe I can introduce some cycling, even if it's only on the gym bike, and at least be able to partial weight bear and drive...funny the little things I'll settle for now having had most of them taken away!
So do what you have to...to enable you to keep fit and active and as pain-free as possible...if that aint running then so be it...maybe tris would be a good option as you would really be able to minimise your running and focus on the swim and bike?
Good luck, Amanda
Apolgies about locatiing you in west London, I mixed you up with Ivor Blister.
It was gone midnight here when I wrote what I wrote.
I would go to see more physios and get more opinions. I remember you were doing so well cycling!
All the best!
All the best with cycling - I hope you have a lot of fun.
but cyclings better
Your comments on what you'll miss about running will strike a chord with all of us I think.
.....I'm not one for messages but....
Are you sure you're not me MartinH?
- ex-pat
- large house with basement
- concept 2, turbo, tv in basment
- mountain biker
Have fun.
.....in an infinite universe anything is possible...
Actually we're currently thinking about relocating (again!) and North America is on our list of potentials (probably Boston as opposed to Canada).
We came to Canada because Mrs CTM wanted to come home and give the kids a Canadian upbringing.
Life's good here. An hour away from the mountains for skiing, biking and hiking. The city has extensive bike/running paths.
My daughter has taken up speed skating and is learning at what is widely recognised at the best skating facility in the world.
Not much happens in Canada, but in some ways that's a good thing.