Thursday, May 5, 2016

Update on bruised knee

After several  days of dead rest starting last Friday, I got the knee checked out yesterday and nothing is broken- but the doc confirmed its a bad bruise ("pre-fracture") and said it would likely take 4-6 weeks to heal (with rest).  The swelling and crepitus he says is likely due to fluid from the injury and will take more time to abate.   Last night and this morning I stretched the knee -  quad stretches with bent knee had been quite painful since last week's fall so I'd been skipping that from my routine; so I did these stretches  quite gingerly and while it was a uncomfortable it did seem to feel better afterwords.  Today  I took an 8 mile walk and pushed it - its surprising what a clip one can achieve with more of a race walking gait.  It felt great to get out and cover some ground on the Sawpit wash.

This workout didn't seem to aggravate the knee.  Walking directly down stairs still hurts but I'm going to continue daily walking now, and try some running -  I'll focus on shortening up my  stride and we'll see how it goes.  I checked with the SD100 race director and its  too late for another runner to take my spot at SD100 so:  I'll give it a shot and see if I am able to get some significant miles in.  If I can, I'll race.

I've also been working the hip circuit and have transitioned to a shorter, but twice-daily routine with glute bridges, clamshells,    "figure-4"  piriformis isometric exercises  and piriformis stretches (top piriformis exercises).      The piriformis routine plus tennis ball massage of that area is to address some glute pain I've been experiencing in recent weeks.  Doc says that indeed, the piriformis had been cut to access the acetabulum and that the piriformis runs directly over the plates put in in 2014 to splint the fracture, so maybe this is the reason.  In any event the stretches and piriformis exerises seem to be helping.

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