The Management of an Injury via a personal experience, which is still on going. To read from the beginning, please use this link - here - which then leads onto this time and date.

...Latest update here.....

Sunday July 17, 2011 9:21:

The D-Day of 15th July 2011 has passed. The aim of this date was to assess the amount of swelling around the Lateral Meniscus (and knee in general). Whilst the swelling has gone down the 'pain' has not 'fully gone'. By that I mean on how I move the knee whilst walking depends on the amount of 'pain'. PAIN IS NO GOOD. As in anything you do, if you have 'pain' then you are in trouble. The saying 'NO PAIN NO GAIN' is 'badly written'. It should be 'NO HURT NO GAIN'.

'Pain' (secondary link)means trouble and might not go away - 'Hurt' means you have worked hard and it will subside.

The 'feeling' I get from the knee area (apart from lack of confidence moving it at the moment) is that If I 'lift my quad on its own' the knee 'separates' and therefore creating pain. Sometimes that settles down (30mins), other times it take a little longer. In short I have to remember to lift the 'whole' leg.

Wednesday July 20, 2011 14:34:

Set back (nothing strange there then) Now that the swelling has gone down, the pain on the right side has not really 'gone away'. Therefore on Doctors advice I am at the stage of no further progress. The outcome of that is I now have to wait for the specialist.

Monday August 8, 2011 19:17:

Regarding my Meniscus injury, I've been 'viewing the internet' and I have found an article which is familiar to my 'problem'. Titled - A Patients Guide to Meniscal Surgery - it runs through possible problems with the Meniscus and the Surgery and Re-Hab. Both of which I've been through with my right knee. I have an appointment on the 17th August 2011 with the specialist, so here's hoping (some additional images supplied below).

**Foot Note - Nutrition based.

As of the injury date (05.07.11) I have undertaken not to eat Bread and Pasta. Reasoning is simple, this being, no cardio exercise equal's no weight lose. Pasta and Bread are 'filling based' something that I don't need. Also taking in a regular amount of fresh fish. Start date weight 85kg 600gms, as of this date weight is 83kg 900gms.

Thursday August 18, 2011 8:40:

Quick update on injury. Torned Meniscus is the outcome, with a 3 to 4 months waiting list for an operation.

Tuesday August 30, 2011 21:09:

Booked in for an MRI on the 24th October 2011. Trying to stay positive on date. Made plans for 2012, but these plans have 'cut off dates'. The first of those is 16th December 2011. That date is to be 'fit and well'. The second is 15th January 2012.

Friday September 23, 2011 20:23:

Date set for my operation, 28th Oct 2011. Could of had it a little sooner by an MRI is needed first, but a date is a date(!) now I can look forward in a positive manner. Looking at 6 to 8 weeks re-hab, therefore end of the year to re-start either running or cycling.

On another note the weight is holding steady - 83kg 400gm as of this date. If I can keep it off during thr re-hab period I shall be happy and it must help on the road to full fitness.

Update on operation (Friday 28th October 2011). According to the surgeon it went well, with a 'larger' than expected 'piece' of meniscus being removed. Slightly wierd sicknote and information from the recovery room (but will sort that out this week at Doctors).

My draft recovery plan (always open to amendment!) begins today. Hopefully I might be able to get hold of my MRI scans (Mon 24th Oct) to publish. The images show the amount of 'damage' around the meniscus, hence the cutting out of the majority of mensical.

So update time. Been a while but here goes.

It seems to me to be a 'mirror' of the last rehabilitation period. Yes a different operation (meniscus not wash, cut and trim) but similarities. I am at end of week 4, which has now had me back on a static bike (spinning) with little or no resistance, with the added exercise of leg work on the cable machine.The reason for that one is that prior to running (impact work) I must work on my 'other leg muscles' (calfs, hamstrings and quads) which by now are 'weak'. If I do not work on them and I begin the impact work (week 6 or 7) then I may create another 'injury' because of a 'weakness'. A bit of prevention really.

The previous period (weeks 1>3) has been cable machine work and free weights work (all top half of body). Week 2 also saw the introduction of swimming (treading water with buoyancy aid) which I also did during the first rehabilitaion period.

The massive general rule of no impact for 6 weeks still applys. Personally at the moment I'd be surprised if that date is not a little early. Different from last time is the fact that I am walking a lot more. Week 3 saw me take a bus up to Les Ormes (for my gym work) and walk to Les Quennvais (for my swimming work) then walk back home. Week 4 saw me walk both up and down (1hr 45min for each) with a 'weighted bag' (2kgs plus all equipment) with week 5 having another 2 kgs added to the bag (total 4kgs plus equipment). This is where my reasoning for the '6 weeks is to early' is made. Walking at the moment is 'deliberate' not 'fluent' a wrong move or over confidence has me receiving a reminder at the back of my knee (and the rest of my body if I'm honest!).

The one (maybe more) downside to everything at the moment is the personal weight (up from 83 to 85kgs) I think the lack of kayaking has taken its effect (something to remember for thr future) out on the water for 3 to 4 hrs seems like a good workout session.

So this brings me upto date, with week 6 being the next 'target date'. This will tell me where I am and where I am going (make sense?). Of course aims have been made (provisional) you have to really, early 2012 aims and late 2012 aims. But as always its all dependant on the recovery phase, as well it should be.

Tuesday November 29, 2011 15:19

Something which is (or could be, or maybe not depends on rehabilitation) a negative is the fact that now I have a 'level' that I can only get to. By that I mean because of the nature of the surgery and the 'items' taken out my level of competing has to be 'found' again.

Confused(?)....simply put, in distance terms, if I run for one (1) kilometer and all is fine, and I then run for one (1) kilometer and 100m and it hurts (or a reaction) then my 'level' is one (1) kilometer. The same is for speed work, twelve (12) kph is fine. thirteen (13) kph hurts (or a reaction) then twelve (12) kph is my 'level'.

That rule can be broken, but that would not be the only thing broken(!). Its not a progressive injury rehab either. By that I mean I (you) cannot 'build' on my 'level'. The 'level' is the 'level' (!). Now taking a positive side (because you have to) I don' t know what my 'level' is, so therefore thats my 'aim' for the following months (after 6 weeks or whenever running can begin) is to find that 'level'. It could be five (5) k, ten (10) k or further (the same for the speed). The same 'level' applies to cycling as well (just in case you wondered) maybe that 'level' will be 'higher' due to the nature of 'less impact' on the knee joint. But of course intensity (and power) might take over on that one.

Friday December 16, 2011 15:46

The six (6) week period has now passed. That mark was for no impact (running) and the first test was done on Monday, which didn't work. Tried again on the following Wednesday, but again this failed. So now the plan is to test again this coming Monday (19.12.12) on astroturf (not a running machine) to see if a 'softer' impact might help. So therefore it'll be seven (7) weeks no impact. Not hopeful of next Monday (the 'pain' is from the affected area, righthand side of the knee). If no go then might 'bin' for at least two (2) more weeks.

Wednesday December 21, 2011 15:12

Ok so now we have moved on to (or indoors to) the astroturf. First couple of days (Mon/Tues) were an 'experiment' with the 'feeling' of three (3) on the 'pain' barrier (1 lowest > 5 highest). Wednesday was a little better (2.5) with the main aim not to 'overload' the right leg/knee. Exercises being done are single runs (this is being done on a square pitch) one sided, and then doubling that up, followed by the four sided run ( x 4 of each). The leg movements are trying to get a 'good gait' running action. This is not easy (for obvious reasons) so the rest of he week and next week will decide on how I 'tackle' the 'problem'.

Friday December 23, 2011 18:52

End of week 8. Astroturf done. Feelings started at a '3' level and finished at a '1.5' level. So the next move is to try an outdoors 'run'. Boxing day (26th) is the starting date/day.

Wednesday December 28, 2011 21:49

Well the 'outside road running' lasted 3 days. Tried five mile road/les quennvais footy pitch and found it 'uncomfortable'. So 'rip up' that 'aim' re focus efforts. I felt I was doing more 'harm than good'.

Readjusted the training program to concentrate on Plyometrics and Turbo cycling work. Leave the running (impact) for 2 more weeks (16.01.12), have to gain confidence (and gait !) and no 'hurt' in the impact zone.

Wednesday January 18, 2012 16:32:

Ok so 16.01.12 has passed. The verdict? Well the 'hurt' in the knee has subsided a little and with that my gait (stride) has returned. My conscious state of mind has now allowed me to run correctly (not on my toes as before) which says to me that it is 'happy' for me to try this. The testing ground is the footy pitch at the airport. Twice round (easy) and some sprint work (well you have to don't you!?). Edge of the pitch to the penalty box, to the six yard box and onto the other side of the pitch (repeat). A total of 3k.

So now for the next three weeks (as many times as the knee/feelings allow) regular running (around 4/5k max) to make another assessment on 09.02.12.

Thursday, February 9, 2012 15:50

Ok the 09.02.12 date has arrived. So where are we (me), well, after improving a while back things sort of went 'stagnate', which is better than 'going backwards'. Anyway the last couple of days saw me try and change my sprinting routine, which worked out well. No reaction (as per the rules) so we now move on.

A decision has been made to train for an 'aim'. That 'aim' will be the Hash House Half in May. All the rules apply, which means that if any reaction appears then its 'all stop for tea'. A full training program has been devised and will be followed.

So with that I shall bid you goodnight and update as we (I) go, monthly on this bit me thinks.......

Monday April 23, 2012 16:26

Been a while, but with good reason(s), all good, since last post.

Where am I (?), well as of this date (crossing fingers and toes) the rehab program is still on course for the 'main aim', the Hash House Half (20th May).

So that's the training update, figures below (as of this date):

Runs - 46 .....Runtime - 28 hours....Distance - 331.8km....Average Speed - 5.05 min/km.

20'ish days to go, so that's where we'll leave it for the moment.

Regarding other time consuming items, those being qualifications (fitness) which as previously mentioned (somewhere) would be undertaken during the rehab period (well I did have some spare time!), I've passed two (2) so far - NCFE Health, Exercise and Fitness Level 3 and CYQ Group Indoor Cycling to music Level 2 - I'm awaiting results for a Management course and a Resistance Training course. All of which will suit me just fine (if successful).

Otherwise things are quiet and just waiting for our summer to appear (please !!).

Friday May 18, 2012 16:37

Well unfortunatley a slight 'hiccup' in the plans, which has resulted in me withdrawing from Sunday's race. I tweaked a calf last Sunday (on a tapering run of all things!!) and that hasn't healed fully. Tested it this morning and it went again @ 7k so time to pull out.

But on a plus side my knee's withstood the traing program - 52 runs / 38 hours running time / 450.6 k run / 5.02 min/km average speed - which is not to shabby really. Also I did lose some interest went the organisers changes the course, to a boring flat run.

So I suppose that's the re-hab finished. Successful I feel, albeit the aim was to run the half (maybe I'll try the distance in a couple of weeks time?) but the other aim was to test the knee's, which worked out ok.

So where now? Maybe back on the bike, I feel that the knee's require a little rest (plus the calf) and recovery time, so if the weather turns good, a couple of spin outs on the bike will help.

On that note (it's not all that bad) I shall bid your farewell on this page and turn my attention to my new venture (PT'ing) and the club news page

Saturday, May 19, 2012 20:35

One door closes and another one opens..........with the half on Sunday put on the back boiler I did a little search for another race ithin a months time and came up with the Guernsey Half Marathon in June. Which gives me a two week rest period (calf) and then a weeks training to 'test' the calf....nice