I don't like to run...

...but I sure love how I feel after a productive run, and I really like being able to fit into my clothes...

About 6 months back I started having an uncomfortable feeling in my knee.  I blew it off for a while, but it just wouldn't go away.  I made an appointment with my doctor just to be sure I hadn't really damaged anything.  She said it wasn't a meniscus tear and I had most like sprained my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).  She sent me home with stretches and strengthening exercises, which I naturally didn't want to do, but occasionally did anyway.  But it wouldn't go away.  This thing was annoying beyond belief.  It didn't just bug me when I was running or walking, it was all day everyday, sitting, standing still, and then some in my sleep too.  Not that I wanted to overrule my doctor, but it just seemed like the pain was coming in a weird spot for it to be my ACL.  It was on the inside of my knee, but about 1-2 inches below the level of my knee cap.  And no matter what I did, or didn't do, it wouldn't go away.

I investigated further and finally came across information on "pes anserine bursitis".  They described the location where three ligaments converge and attach to your shin, on the inside just below the knee cap.  The ligaments are protected from rubbing on the bone with the aid of a sweet bursa (fluid filled sac) that lies between them and the bone.  Buy bad shoes, over-train, accidentally twist your leg while your foot remains planted, sport some tight hamstrings etc., and you can overstretch those ligaments and irritate the bursa.

Wait?  What?  Back that up?  Buy bad shoes???  AHHHHH!  Yup, 7-8 months prior I bought the worst pair of Adidas of my life and now I was suffering for it.  I love Adidas, they have never done me wrong, so when I saw a pair on sale I thought nothing of it, didn't even try them on.  I certainly wasn't over-training... I mean I'm no marathon runner and if my body can't handle 3-6 miles at a time without throwing in the towel, then I'm going to scream!

I read more on this pes anserine bursitis.  You have to rest the leg, stretch the hamstrings well, reduce inflammation... hmmm, rest the leg.  Rest is not something I relish in.  I'll sleep when I'm dead.  How was I going to keep myself on "the bench" for even a day after this thing felt better?  Our disgusting dog helped with that.  A while back (I'd say about 2 years now), I relayed a story of stress incontinence (http://www.mygradeabologna.blogspot.com/search/label/pee) for which I sought help and was granted the most miraculous "anti-pee-your-pants" device without surgery - and this thing changed my whole after mommyhood world.  It normally was stored in the safest of places  ;)  but on this particular day it was readily available in the shower and our adolescent dog was all over it.  Needless to say, after being able to run for the past 2 years without having to worry about wet pants, now I was back in that position again.  Anywhoo, certainly made it easier to rest my knee while I waited for an appointment to get a replacement device.

So I rested up, my knee felt 100% better, I bought new shoes, I got my new vagina accessory... and it was time again to go for a run.  Or maybe not.  I've been for 3 runs now, and the dull pain is starting to come back.  My knee doesn't feel swollen like it had before (though it was never really puffy, just didn't feel as bony as it normally does), but I know it's only a matter of time if I keep using it.  I'm frustrated.  I don't have time for this.  So I discussed it with a good friend who had knee trouble 100-times worse than mine.  She gave me some of the best suggestions, and the next time I see her she doesn't even know the sweet SWEET lovin' she's got in store.

She first suggested using Turmeric (which contains the active component Curcumin).  Now this I'm familiar with, because I'd been recommending it to a few people at the nursing home, and I had written up on it's uses as an anti-inflammatory spice, but I guess I was correlating it more to chronic systemic inflammation, not necessarily inflammation that occurs with exercise or arthritis - but she was so right to clear my head on that one - because Curcumin doesn't care what kind of inflammation it is, it helps with it all!  So I have some ordered and on it's way - and am so excited to test it out - though I will say I'm not looking forward to possibly orange-colored poop which can happen with so much Turmeric going through you.

hmmm, Curcumin BP?  Blood Pressure?  No that doesn't make sense.  Ah, BP stands for Black Pepper, they use that to enhance the absorption of it.

Then she suggested talking to a Physical Therapist about kinesio tape.  Years back when I played Rugby (and I mean forever ago in college) I used to get taped up a bit to support my dumb achilles tendons which had a tendency to strain.  I kind of thought it would be the same sort of situation, until I looked up a youtube video to see what she was talking about.  Found this one produced by KT tape, which is some awesome kinesio tape!

KT Tape Application for Pes Anserine Bursitis

Went to Walmart last night to see what was available.  They have tons, but I think next time I'll just order it off Amazon as the prices were pretty much the same and Amazon had a better selection.  There are 2 different types of kinesio tape, Cotton and Synthetic.  I would guess the kind used in the video was the synthetic.  I grabbed the cotton as it was cheaper and I just wanted to see if I could replicate the video, but next time I'm definitely going for the synthetic.  It stays on longer and provides more support.

 They have a variety of colors available.  I highly recommend going for a color as far away from your skin color as possible - because if you're trying to make it look less obvious, you're going to fail.  A flesh-toned tape is going to look like you had some sort of massive skin graft as opposed to looking like you applied the tape, on purpose, for an injury.  Just my opinion, but I'm usually right...  ;)

So I applied the tape, I think I did a pretty good job of mimicking the video.  And I can say that I instantly felt better.  It seems weird that tape could do that, no matter how fancy or flexible it is, but it really did.  It felt as though instead of those ligaments pulling at that sore spot by my knee, their pull was relocated further up my thigh which felt way better.  You don't take it off for a few days, which is fine with me.  It stayed on perfectly all night and I even slept better - maybe with 50% of the pain I was used to at night.  I'm in love.  If you have some other sort of injury, like a muscle or ligament strain, I highly recommend trying this stuff out.  KT Tape has tons of youtube videos to show you how to tape just about anything, or you could ask your favorite physical therapist to show you how.