1 Year Anniversary: HIp is Great, Knee Hurts Like Hell!

November 21, 2002

How Ironic.

Next Tuesday I go in to my local OS for 1 year anniversary hip xrays

(Right BHR, Mr. Treacy 11/19/01) that will get sent to Mr. Treacy.

I'm sure everything will be just fine. As some of you may know from

earlier postings, I have had a great recovery and have been road

cycling at intense levels since 6 weeks post op. Stronger, faster

and without pain than at anytime before surgery.

This is now the " off " season " for cycling training so I've started

weight training and some cross training like mountain biking. Since

I used to be a religous runner I decided that after a year I would

try a little jogging to both get in a little cross training and

provide some weight bearing exercise for the hip. The first week I

jogged one day, three easy miles on a track. I felt stiff and tired

(amazing how even though I'm in great shape the muscles used for

running are so different than cycling) but the hip felt fine and I

took it very easy. The next week (last week) I jogged the same on

Wednesday and felt even better, warming up sooner and feeling a

little more fluid. Then on Friday the hammer fell. I went out to the

same track to jog another easy three miles but stopped after 2-1/2

miles as I felt my knee " binding " while jogging. It didn't actually

hurt then but it just didn't feel right so I cut the session short.

Well, that was the start of a week from hell (which is still on-

going). I did something to my knee(s) and it is very painful. By the

end of the day the right knee is very stiff and painful making

walking (very) uncomfortable and stairs a nasty thought.

I smile at the irony that a year ago I was hobbling around with my

hip, while now my hip is perfect and I'm hobbling around with a

screwed up knee. Hopefully more rest and an inspection by the OS

next week will lead to relief. I had to break down and actually take

aspirin for the first time since my operation last year.

If there's a moral here it may be that it pays to be very careful

with exercise even if the hip feels fine. In many cases it's been

years since the other muscles/joints have been pushed and injuries

may result.

Recommended Posts