So...what sports/workouts don't use your legs?

[zoidberg]

Finally had my cortisone shot a month ago. It got way worse at first, but after 2 weeks it seemed like it might maybe possibly be getting better.

My follow up appointment is coming up so I thought I would road test it a little, so I "ran" (1 min run, 1.5 min walk for 20 mins) 3 times last week. Barely more than a brisk walk, really.

And it already hurts again. I haven't run since October, or gotten a good workout of any kind since November. I give up. Maybe I'll just do pushups.

[sadlebred]

I'm really sorry!

How about the arm bike at the gym? Rowing? Swimming?

[zoidberg]

Swimming hurts. Rowing might work, I hadn't thought of that. Good call!

[sadlebred]

Beer/wine curls!!!

[zoidberg]

Oh, I am an elite at wine curls.

[kams]

I've been thinking about you.

I'm sorry this is such a long, painful, frustrating experience. It is so unfair.

Do you have any idea what the next course of action might be? Or I suppose that will be part of your follow up?

Blargh.

[zoidberg]

I'm not sure. At my last appointment he said something about lengthening the tendon, which sounds like pretty much the worst thing in the world. I would not do that, I think I would rather live with not being able to run.

However, I'm starting to wonder if it is not something other than tendonitis. More than starting, actually. I am not sure what the alternatives are, but something. I think it is definitely that tendon/muscle, but nothing that is supposed to help tendonitis seems to work.

[Susie]

There are different things you can do in the pool besides regular swimming; have you tried swimming w/ a pull buoy or aqua jogging?

I'm sorry you're in this spot.

[kams]

Yeah, no thanks on tendon lengthening - holy shit.

From a very unprofessional perspective - H has pretty significant tendinitis, and the things he deals with on most days really doesn't sound the same as what you're experiencing. I really hope they can give you info or a dx that you can really work with. Yuck - let us know how the follow up goes.

[zoidberg]

I was thinking of trying aqua jogging, depending on what the doc says on Wednesday. The university fitness classes are starting soon as well, and I was thinking of giving one of the water aerobics classes a try. That might work as long as there isn't a ton of kicking.

[taratru]

I'm' so sorry. I'm only in the beginning stretch of not doing what I love and I want to kill people. I just spin and will start swimming post-Tink. That's all I got. Lots of lifting. Lots of pound adding. :/

[joenali]

zoidberg I'm feeling better too! Still not 100%, but noticeably better. I had a phone follow up with a nurse last week, so my next step is an email to dr. And probably another round of cortisone.

I can't believe how much pain I've been in, now that it's feeling better! But I'm still holding on to a miracle for beg pain free!

[mrs.jacinthe]

Jan 13, 2014 23:02:37 GMT -5 zoidberg said:

I'm not sure. At my last appointment he said something about lengthening the tendon, which sounds like pretty much the worst thing in the world. I would not do that, I think I would rather live with not being able to run.

However, I'm starting to wonder if it is not something other than tendonitis. More than starting, actually. I am not sure what the alternatives are, but something. I think it is definitely that tendon/muscle, but nothing that is supposed to help tendonitis seems to work.

Achilles lengthening (presuming that's the tendon we're talking about) isn't a surgery prone to a lot of complications, so I wouldn't rule it out completely unless you really are willing to give up running.

Can you tell me more about how/where kicking in the pool causes pain?  Is it foot flexion or extension that is bothersome?  Have you seen an ART practitioner for it?  Are you seeing an orthopedist or a podiatrist?

[emuni04]

I think water aerobics sounds like a good idea. Rowing, if it works for you, is also excellent. Seriously, I used to cringe at our rowing workouts at Crossfit. Talk about a challenge!

[zoidberg]

Jan 14, 2014 12:12:51 GMT -5 mrs.jacinthe said:

Jan 13, 2014 23:02:37 GMT -5 zoidberg said:

I'm not sure. At my last appointment he said something about lengthening the tendon, which sounds like pretty much the worst thing in the world. I would not do that, I think I would rather live with not being able to run.

However, I'm starting to wonder if it is not something other than tendonitis. More than starting, actually. I am not sure what the alternatives are, but something. I think it is definitely that tendon/muscle, but nothing that is supposed to help tendonitis seems to work.

Achilles lengthening (presuming that's the tendon we're talking about) isn't a surgery prone to a lot of complications, so I wouldn't rule it out completely unless you really are willing to give up running.

Can you tell me more about how/where kicking in the pool causes pain?  Is it foot flexion or extension that is bothersome?  Have you seen an ART practitioner for it?  Are you seeing an orthopedist or a podiatrist?

Not achilles, iliopsoas. (Which is why I can't bike and the kicking in swimming bothers me as well)

I have had 2 courses of PT and have been seeing an ortho since August.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Ohhhhhhh!!! I somehow was under the impression it was achilles. Never mind me, then.

[niq]

Can you swim with a buoy or kickboard between your legs?

[coconutbug]

Oh, zoidberg, I've been thinking about you and I'm so sorry to hear that you're still in pain! That sucks so hard. Rowing definitely involves your legs, unless you modify the movement somehow, so I'd try aqua jogging or stick to lifting/upper body exercises.

[zoidberg]

I am a really weak swimmer. I have tried a pull buoy and almost drowned myself (lol) so probably it's best for me to stick to aqua jogging or aerobics. Fitness classes start on the 21st and it looks like they have something I can try 5 days a week, which is great.

My appointment is tomorrow morning, maybe they'll be able to tell me something.

[zoidberg]

Update:

Had my appointment on Wednesday. I saw a different doctor this time, but he said that he fully reviewed my file and looked at my MRI. He told me that returning to running is not a reasonable goal for me right now and that I need to focus instead on finding some other activities. He said that they could try to resect the tendon, but since the cortisone shot didn't work he wasn't confident that the surgery would help.

My regular ortho is a little more pro-surgery, so I expect I will hear more about my surgical options when I see him again in 6 weeks.

In the meantime I am going to try acupuncture.

[sadlebred]

zoidberg Is the diagnosis definitely tendonitis? I may have some input on the tendon surgery. PM me if you want details.

[zoidberg]

This doctor said tendonitis, but if it's just tendonitis, why doesn't it ever get better? And it doesn't feel like other tendonitis I have had (granted, that was in my arms). This has been going on intermittently for over a year and constantly for about 6 months.

[zoidberg]

Ygpm

[MrsE]

That stinks.

The stationary bike and upper body strength training are the only things that kept me going post knee surgeries. Hope you find more answers soon.