Forums >Health and Nutrition>Here we go again, surgery # 3
Sorry for sharing my pain folks (pun intended) but i am about to go under the knife for the third time for back surgery. I have always managed to run through the pain thanks to injections, and yes pain killers. But although everyone gives me that raised eyebrow look,
( I am sure you all know the one) and say "what does your dr. say about you running" for me it actually helps, the more i move around the better i feel. It's sitting at my desk eight hours a day that hurts!
But now that is not my only pain, i can run through the back pain, but all the sudden my knees are going! It hurts so stinkin bad sometimes i can't make it back to my house without having to sit down! They tell me i have severe arthritis in my knee, i wrecked on my bike last fall but I am sure they will blame that on running too. I am at the age that things are starting to go south i guess, more than the obvious but how do i run with bad knees!
I am so depressed about this, i usually run about twenty plus a week, but i had to cancel two half marathons in the last two months. I really wanted one more race before i am sidelined. I am fifty five, ride horses, hike and walk my dogs twice daily. I can't sit, and now i can't walk. I guess i am just looking for some sympathy here, sorry to whine but anyone with suggestions about what i can do about my poor achey knees would be truly appreciated.
Whine away!! I honestly don't know what I would do if running wasn't an option for me, so I, personally, 100% understand. I am so impressed that you recover and get back out there!
The only thing I would suggest is: find a really good sports medicine doctor who understands both aging and the passion for activity til you die. Such a Dr. will help find strengthening, flexibility and stretching exercises that will make the most of your current condition and get you back to your aerobic activities, including running, despite your body trying to call it quits on you.
Don't give up!! Line up that sports medicine Dr. and associated physio so you can focus on healing well!! Best wishes for your surgery!!
I had a co-worker who had a couple of back surgeries and potentially was going to have a third. He wasn't a runner, but running was definitely out of his future.
are there any other physical activities you like? There is a fairly expensive tool called "elliptigo", which I think gets marketed to runners as a cross training activity. It's like an elliptical machine, but you use the bike lane outdoors.
Faster Than Your Couch!
Depends on what kind of back surgery it is. I've had 4 disc surgeries, no fusion, still have one more herniated disc (and this one remains as is because it does not cause major problems), and my running is better now than it was years ago. Way longer distances, higher mileage, and faster.
If I were you, I'd get a second opinion on the surgery, and what can be done for the back. The usual aggressive fusion surgery which is common in America is not necessarily the best or the only way to fix back problems. In my case, I had severe neurological restrictions and damage, but the neurosurgeon just removed the protruding parts of the discs and did not cut any muscles, tendons, ligaments or bones, and the recovery time was minimal, while the surgery still resolved my problems.
For the knees, these problems might also be caused by a bad back, so I'd look further into that and find the cause and an appropriate treatment. Arthritis does not always require significantly reduced activity, and you may still be able to run, perhaps a bit less mileage, and on softer surfaces, but still run. I am not sure that the biking can cause massive knee damage, but I'm no expert on that. My assumption, however, is that it might be rather a back-related problem. Just my non-educated guess, food for thought maybe.
Run for fun.