Monday 9/7 (labor day) - Went to a movie, stood up afterwards... "Hrm that's odd my knee hurts... whatever."
Tuesday 9/8 - 5:30 AM Boot Camp, knee still bothering me... wierd? Went and saw Kings of Leon that evening, consumed copious amounts of boxed wine and flavored vodka. Knee pain what knee pain?? Wheeee!
Wednesday 9/9 - Ran 3 miles. Knee really bothering me.. WTF! Went to drug store and purchase a band.
Thursday 9/10 - 5:30 AM Boot Camp, knee is really bothering me. Wearing the band during my work out and I still had to modify every exercise to stay off my left knee, could not sprint at all. Not looking good for soccer games this weekend. Iced my knee for half an hour after the work out, wore ace bandage and band all day. Sent warning email to soccer captains that I didn't think I would be able to play this weekend.
Friday 9/11 - 4:45 Am Alarm goes off for boot camp. Knee is bothering me big time. I decide to lay off of it. There's a slight tickle in my throat. I go back to sleep for a few hours.
Friday Noon: It's pouring down rain and cold, had to go run some errands for the j.o.b. in this shit weather. Throat still bothering me. Knee is wrapped/banded.
Friday 2:30 PM: Throat problem turns into cough, I'm getting light headed, and my back is starting to hurt Ruh Rohh! not a good sign.
Friday 3:30 PM: Feeling pretty delirious, ache in knee is replaced by aches all over my body, very light headed throat hurting really bad and coughing more.
Friday 4:30 PM: Leaving the office early had to call my mom to drive me home because I was so light headed. Took ibprophen and passed out. Woke up with really bad cough and burning in chest.
Saturday 9/12 - Super sick, delirious in bed all day. Knee pain? Ha! I ache every where! Probably have a fever but I don't own a thermometer. Definitely not playing soccer.
Sunday 9/13 - I purchase a thermometer. I have a FEVER! ACK! What the hell? I never get sick!
I have a fever and the only prescription is... MORE COWBELL!!
Monday 9/14 - Went to Dr. spent the day in bed sleeping and coughing. Told the boot camp people about my cold and they said I should probably take the week off that way I'd let my knee rest too. What!? a whole week with no exercising. Well, to be honest the way I was feeling I wasn't about to argue with them.
Tuesday 9/15 - Tried to go into work but they sent me home. Co-worker told me he didn't want my "swine flu". Spent day in bed resting and coughing.
Wednesday 9/16 - Back to work (um, yay?) starting to feel human again! I want my routine back!
So there you have it that was my week in a nut shell. Knee pain and then a sudden nasty cold. Fuck me! I have definitely been sidelined from any kind of working out.
The whole experience made me wonder... what are the dangers of working out if you're sick or slightly injured? I found an interesting article in Runner's World about working out with a cold:
David Nieman, Ph.D., who heads the Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University, and has run 58 marathons and ultras, uses the "neck rule." Symptoms below the neck (chest cold, bronchial infection, body ache) require time off, while symptoms above the neck (runny nose, stuffiness, sneezing) don't pose a risk to runners continuing workouts.
This view is supported by research done at Ball State University by Tom Weidner, Ph.D., director of athletic training research. In one study, Weidner took two groups of 30 runners each and inoculated them with the common cold. One group ran 30 to 40 minutes every day for a week. The other group was sedentary. According to Weidner, "the two groups didn't differ in the length or severity of their colds." In another study, he found that running with a cold didn't compromise performance. He concluded that running with a head cold--as long as you don't push beyond accustomed workouts--is beneficial in maintaining fitness and psychological well-being.
So yea that seems pretty obvious if you have an upper respiratory infection you're probably going to have a problem breathing while you're trying to get in your cardio.
How about when you have a FEVAH!??
Temperature Control
If you're still in doubt about whether it's safe to run or not, take your temperature. If it's above 99 degrees, skip your run. "Some people think that they can 'sweat out' a fever by running," says Nieman. "That's wrong. Running won't help your immune system fight the fever."
Nieman saw this firsthand when his running partner once ran a marathon with a 101-degree fever. Soon after, the runner developed severe and persistent symptoms similar to those of chronic fatigue syndrome. "Every day he'd wake up feeling creaky and arthritic," says Nieman. "When he tried to run, he'd stumble and fall." Eventually doctors concluded he had a "postviral syndrome," a latent condition that was exacerbated by the race.
Although this syndrome is rare, it's an example of the risk you take by running while ill. "Running with a fever makes the fever and flu-like symptoms worse," says Nieman, "and it can lead to other complications." During exercise, your heart pumps a large amount of blood from your muscles to your skin, dissipating the heat your body generates. If you have a fever, your temperature will rise even higher, and your heart will be put under greater strain to keep your temperature from soaring. In some cases, this can produce an irregular heartbeat. Also, a virus can cause your muscles to feel sore and achy; exercising when your muscles are already compromised could lead to injury.
Nieman recommends that runners with a fever or the flu hold off until the day after the symptoms disappear--and then go for a short, easy run. Runners should wait one to two weeks before resuming their pre-illness intensity and mileage. Otherwise, you risk a relapse, he says.
Above all, obey your body and the thermometer--not your training program.
OK got it I need to take time off until my burning cough goes away. (Which I swear better be by Friday because I don't want to miss two weeks of soccer!!!!!)
So what about the knee pain??
I'm almost certain that my knee pain was iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) based on the location of the pain. This is just self diagnosis but my boot camp trainer agreed. Say what??
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is most common in athletes who participate in long-distance running. Studies have indicated a 4.3-7.5% occurrence rate for ITBS in long-distance runners. ITBS is less common in shorter-distance or sprint-distance runners. The higher rate in long-distance runners is primarily because of the increased stance phase during longer-distance running. ITBS also has been reported in military recruits, cyclists, and tennis players. The frequency of ITBS is also increased in adolescents undergoing the rapid growth phase. (Source: eMedicine)
It's pretty common and caused by over use. It was recommended that I use a foam roller or stick to loosen up the muscles along my outer thighs.
Here's some other recommendations by Runners World:
Stretch
Many yoga poses stretch the ITB, but some are too intense for tight leg muscles. Here's a gentler move: Lie down, arms extended out, knees bent, right knee crossed over your left. Drop both knees to the left as you roll to the left hip. Rest your right foot on the ground and keep your right shoulder down. Hold for two to three minutes. (Connective tissue needs time to release.) Repeat on the other side.
Strengthen
On a run, your thigh moves inward after your foot hits the ground. Too much of this can cause ITBS. But if you strengthen your glutes, they can off set this inward motion. Lie on your right side. Bend your left knee and rest your left ankle just below the right knee. Keep your ankle there; lift your left knee; lower. Do two sets of eight reps on each leg. Too easy? Put an ankle weight just above the knee.
Massage
Deep-tissue work can alleviate tightness in the ITB. Partner massage: Lie on your side with your knees bent. Have your partner put his forearm on your outer thigh and push. As the area loosens, apply more pressure. Solo massage: Sit on the ground and pull your foot toward your glutes. Rotate your knee inward and gently knead (squeeze and pull) the outside of the thigh. Work from your hip to your knee.
and of course there's the recipe for a lot of common sports injuries... RICE:
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
So far for my knee I have been resting, icing, compressing with an ace bandage and a band and elevating by placing a pillow under my knee which also helps keep it in a more relaxed position instead of stick straight against the surface of my bed or couch.
p.s. if you are seriously ill or injured please don't self diagnose... go to a Doctor!!
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