MS150 Update
I went to Austin Sports Med the other day to see my friend Dr. Elenz, who once palpated my knee for a similar injury, years ago. It was weird reading the sheet I filled out last time I was there in 2004: I had only quit smoking 4 months earlier and I weighed 20 pounds more than I do now. So at least some things are improving (my knees excluded.)
He palpated my knees again, twisted them this way and that, and finally pronounced them healthy. Well, probably not damaged, anyway. I'm having an MRI (expensive, yeowch, it'll eat my entire deductible for the year, which would be a good thing if I thought I'd have any other major medical work done this year) just to make sure there's no serious cartilage damage. Fundamentally, though, he said my injuries were just inflammation from overuse.
"The knee swells," he said, "That's just something it does."
"What about the MS150?" I asked, "If my knee is this sore from 25 miles and 60 miles, and the MS150 is 80 miles and 70 miles..."
He smiled. "Oh, you're going to be hurting, no question. But you won't do any permanent damage. Take anti-inflammatories and ice it a lot."
My doctor has officially given me permission to ride the MS150. And this is a guy who has a US Postal cycling jersey hanging in his office, signed by Kevin Livingston, with the message, "Dear Dr. Elenz - Thanks for getting me back in the saddle!" I kind of have to trust a guy whose devoted, grateful patients include professional cyclists for US Postal. The MS150 is hardly the Tour de France.
That said, my knee was still sore today, and I've been taking Aleve all week. I'm really kind of concerned about how bad it's going to be if I do the whole MS150. Ali (with whom I'm riding the second day) called today and offered an intriguing alternative, which is that I could drive out with her on Saturday and just ride the second day of the tour. I need to check with the officials and see if that's okay, but if it is, it may be the happy medium that will satisfy both voices in my head, the one telling me I'd be a chicken to quit, and the one that just keeps listening calmly and then saying, "Boy, my knee sure does still hurt."
He palpated my knees again, twisted them this way and that, and finally pronounced them healthy. Well, probably not damaged, anyway. I'm having an MRI (expensive, yeowch, it'll eat my entire deductible for the year, which would be a good thing if I thought I'd have any other major medical work done this year) just to make sure there's no serious cartilage damage. Fundamentally, though, he said my injuries were just inflammation from overuse.
"The knee swells," he said, "That's just something it does."
"What about the MS150?" I asked, "If my knee is this sore from 25 miles and 60 miles, and the MS150 is 80 miles and 70 miles..."
He smiled. "Oh, you're going to be hurting, no question. But you won't do any permanent damage. Take anti-inflammatories and ice it a lot."
My doctor has officially given me permission to ride the MS150. And this is a guy who has a US Postal cycling jersey hanging in his office, signed by Kevin Livingston, with the message, "Dear Dr. Elenz - Thanks for getting me back in the saddle!" I kind of have to trust a guy whose devoted, grateful patients include professional cyclists for US Postal. The MS150 is hardly the Tour de France.
That said, my knee was still sore today, and I've been taking Aleve all week. I'm really kind of concerned about how bad it's going to be if I do the whole MS150. Ali (with whom I'm riding the second day) called today and offered an intriguing alternative, which is that I could drive out with her on Saturday and just ride the second day of the tour. I need to check with the officials and see if that's okay, but if it is, it may be the happy medium that will satisfy both voices in my head, the one telling me I'd be a chicken to quit, and the one that just keeps listening calmly and then saying, "Boy, my knee sure does still hurt."
Labels: body
1 Comments:
Yay! You switched to blogger! Now I can finally comment on your blog:)
Post a Comment
<< Home