Step One: Approach wall
Step Two: Bang head against said wall
Step Three: Repeat as necessary
I'm sidelined again. After Wednesday's great run, I headed out into cool and comfortable weather Thursday morning, eager to try to get my rhythm back. About halfway through, a familiar pain started to emerge in my right shin...
So I need more recovery. Apparently one week just wasn't enough. I am fairly confident through my diagnostics that it isn't a stress fracture. I can hop up and down on it without pain. It only hurts when running. If I place one hand inside just below my knee, the other outside just above the ankle, and push lightly, it hurts (this is a form of fulcrum test). My knee has been tracking lateral to my big toe (meaning outside - see, I could play a doctor on TV!) when running. So I think when my soleus (lower calf) fatigues, its ability to help take the load is diminished. This introduces extra bending stresses into the medial (inside) side of the shin, placing that part of the bone in tension - bone, like most brittle materials, is much better in compression than tension. So pressing on the ankle/knee produces a pain that is the same as what I feel during running.
I don't think it is fractured, but it can't be too far off. Probably a few more hard workouts, and I'd be in real trouble here. So I need to stop running for a while. I plan to take it easy until the fulcrum test no longer produces pain, meaning all of my training will be weight lifting, biking, and swimming. At least I can keep my heart in great shape and stay strong and fit while I wait to run again...
That sucks. Good to know that you could slide right in to any role on Gray's Anatomy, or ER though. Would you be Dr Furry?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I have no idea what the "Gray's Anatomy" is that you speak of - my manliness levels preclude me from researching the issue further.
ReplyDeleteI rarely get sick or injured, so typically my medical knowledge goes towards helping my wife recover from sickness. I usually go by Dr. Husband.