Running and a Staph Infection (Read 65 times)

Over the weekend I was hospitalized, (for four days), with a Staph Infection in my knee. At first, I thought it was an infected hair folicle, but it kept getting worst. The doctor had to conduct surgery and drain / clean the infection, and of course I am getting antiboitics until they decide I am clear. (Yuck!)

I presume I was infected during martial arts training, but the doctors said it could have been from anywhere. My questions are, have any of you had a similar infection, and if so, how long did it take before you could run?

My doctor said that once I start healing, it will be quick, but I can't "workout" for 4-6 weeks. No martial arts for at least 8 weeks. In terms of wear and tear, (especially on knees), should I expect 6 weeks, 8 weeks, or maybe even longer?

Thank you,

If you are taking a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, the most common of which is Cipro, you should be very cautious about tendon rupture.  Better yet, have your doc switch you to a different drug.

I will have to look and see what I am taking when I get home. I know that my family doctor is HIGHLY aware of how important my tendons / joints are, so if he is aware of this issue, he wouldn't have prescribed it. I am fairly certain it isn't Cipro, but I will look to find our more specificly what it is. His son is one of my students and the surgeon and I sat down and talked for a lengthy amount of time regarding "what I do". She is a sports injury specialist and was very familiar with what body movements I require. I am still concerned with the surgery. The tightness in my knee didn't go away as completely as they both said it would.

But regardless, thank you, that is very good advice, and I WILL check.

Was this an infection like a cutaneous abscess (a boil on your skin that can commonly start similar in appearance to a pimple) requiring an incision and drainage?  Or was this a joint infection requiring surgery to cut open the skin and wash out your joint?

 

 

I'm also curious why you're seeking counsel from an anonymous internet forum when you claim that your doctors are aware not only of your activity level but how important it is to you to be able to be so active.  If they really are that aware then a discussion with them is going to be your best source of information.  This is especially so since, presumably, one of the doctors is the one who did the procedure.  That person will be best able to tell you what kind of recovery time you're looking at.

 

This started out simple, but became a joint infection, which had to be cut open and washed.

The reason I am asking here is because we on RA are runners. I am more looking for others who have had similar issues. I trust my doctor, as far as treatment, but I have been told that she also drags things out a little longer than nessasary, so she can collect more money. (Which I would like to avoid). I want to be cautious because I know myself and those I train with. I don't want to do something stupid and prolong the injury, but I also don't want to sit around and miss out on potential training.

I have a martial arts rank test in 7 weeks. Unless they make exceptions, there is positively no way I can pass (or even be ready to pass), with this injury. I know the masters administering the test, and they will ask me to show up and fail, rather then hold off. They are all on vacation now, (lucky for me), but at the first of the year, I will need to go train, to "some" extent. I DON'T want to overdue it there.

So overall I am just trying to get other opinions on what to expect as far as limitations.