So this week baby Olive and I went on an adventure to the orthopedic surgeons office! As I mentioned in my last post I signed up for my first Triathlon since I was pregnant with her! Everywhere she goes she's an absolute doll and is such great entertainment. She is the center of the room wherever we go and I love it :)
I made the appointment because my knees have been killing me since Olive was born and I have heard from a number of people you can be injury prone after pregnancy due to all the changes your body goes through! Not just muscles but bones, nutrition, you name it! (You mommies know what I mean) So before I got into an intense workout plan I wanted to see what therapy I should do!
So a little back-story....
I have a lengthy history of issues with my knees! My family is very athletic and I spent much of my life playing all sports (it wasn't until college that I got into running and triathlons for fun). I used to play volleyball, basketball, softball, and was an occasional golfer in addition to recreational activities such as surfing, boogie boarding, snorkeling, etc.
At the age of 14 I had dislocated my right knee for the third time (left once) and underwent surgery to repair the damage from the wear and tear as well as the issues that may have been genetic! Long story long, the grooves in which my knee caps resided were too shallow and not symmetrical (one side higher than the other), my tendons were weak and stretched out from growing almost a foot in one year (and genetics), and I had managed to rip out a small piece of bone from my knee cap. I had what is called a "patella transfer"- basically my knee had to be "re-tracked" in a new groove and held there by creating a bone-tendon-bone sandwich that was held together by two screws!
I was told I could never play all the sports I loved again. Scholarships were off the table. My life was changed forever and I spend years in therapy. Even now I will never be able to ski, snowboard, do anything that requires extreme lateral (side) movements many other activities.
But after years of therapy, doing a lot of research, and finding an amazing and supportive running community I slowly became a runner and then triathlete. Statistically speaking it was something the doctors said I wouldn't be able to do! In 2011 I competed at the USA Triathlon Collegiate nationals 1 month after defending my dissertation (Ph.D.), if you were to ask me which achievement was more monumental in my life, I honestly couldn't answer...
Back to the present day: The X-rays ....
The orthopedic surgeon painted a grim picture- that my racing years are limited depending on my own perceived pain and quality of life. With my hips widening from pregnancy, my loss of a large amount of muscle in my right leg from reduced activity, my previous condition and getting older.... my knee problems are now more severe than ever. I have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis (bone spurs) in both knees and my "grooves" have gotten worse. The OS insinuated I was a lost cause and will inevitably have to have knee replacements in the near future whether I continued to pound them on the pavement or not.
I had a few hours of extreme sadness- I cried multiple times that day. The idea that the activity that brought me so much joy, I might never be able to do again after a few years (or risked having knee replacements before I was 50 if I did). Of course this came 2 days after watching the Ironman Championship from Kona- where my dreams of participating in Ironman AZ in 2015 had me on cloud 9! I get choked up at the end of the program every year- so the thought of never crossing that finish line was hard to swallow!
But, if you find yourself depressed while reading this....
Please turn that frown upside-down!
I am going to do whatever it takes to race- but taking care of my body as much as possible!! I am more determined than ever to race, and train with Olive in front of me!!
I start therapy the week after thanksgiving with Triathlon specialized physical therapy group! I'll spend 6-8 weeks with them building the strength up in my leg and planning a safer training plan! I also am seeing a specialist for all natural supplements, a chiropractor, and revolutionizing my diet to be more of an arthritis reducing- anti-inflammatory diet! (I want to race but also preserve my knees for years to come!)
One thing that helped me stop my pity party was I just got notification that I was selected to be one of the Athleta Espirit de She Ambassadors!!! I get to share my race experiences and learn from women all around the country!
"Beyond the finish line, Athleta Esprit de She is a community of active women connected by a shared desire to celebrate fitness and fun, sisterhood and strength. Our Athleta Esprit de She Ambassadors are the personification of the spirit of her, sharing their journeys and inspiring other women every day."
I am so excited and am ready to take on this challenge! I am so thankful to have the support of my family, friends, and my Espirit de she, Stroller Strides, and Sweat Pink communities!! Keep posted- I plan to load my therapy plans as well as my modified training plans for anyone who is interested!
~*X*~
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