Well, after asking a track coach, and trolling the CrossFit forums, as well as doing a lot of reading and some basic do-it-myself therapy, I've self-diagnosed...myself...with patellar tendonitis. I actually feel pretty good about this diagnosis because A) it fits with both knees being terribly sore, and B) they seem to respond very well to the treatment (icing, stretching, resting, etc.)
At first I was afraid that lots of years of soccer and ultimate frisbee had finally caught up with me, and that tons of slight injuries had finally started to accumulate against me. But the one weird issue was that it was evenly painful in both knees, which a sprain/turn/etc should have targetted more on one side or something. Also, since the pain is right up front, in the "middle" of the knee right below the patella, it's unlikely to be a meninges kind of thing.
It was the track coach (Hi, Lee!), who pointed out that it might be patellar tendonitis, or Jumper's Knee, as its more commonly known. So I did some reading:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/patellar-tendinitis/ds00625
http://www.hughston.com/hha/a_13_4_4.htm
http://www.stms.nl/download/Jumpersknee.pdf
The short version is this: There is a tendon that connects the patella to the shin. When you do exercises that create a lot of impact on that tendon (box jumps, double-unders, running, etc), *especially* if you are not yet in perfect form on those exercises (*double-unders*...daily!!!), then you are banging the crap out of those tendons. Also, since the way I exercise targets both knees very evenly (unlike say a basketball player who might land on one leg more than the other, depending on her technique), that also explains why both knees are equally sore.
Everything said pretty much the same thing. Short-term therapy is to stop pissing that tendon off (ie, rest it), ice it, and make damn sure to stretch all the muscles around it (calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, etc.) And you know what? When I do that, everything stops hurting for a good 20-30 minutes, until it all has a chance to lock up again. But if its getting results (and things are already less sore, which is good), then I must be on the right track.
So here's the game-plan: continue the rest/ice/stretch therapy for the rest of this week. Next week, begin easing back into WoDs, but making sure to adjust/scale/skip anything that might put ANY strain on those tendons. Push-ups and pull-ups? OK! More box-jumps? Hells no! ;)
Updates as and when they occur.
Monday, April 19, 2010
10-04-15: "McGhee"
CrossFit WoD for Thursday, April 15th, 2010
"McGhee"
Complete as many rounds in 30 minutes as you can of:
Scaled the deadlifts back to 245# after trying a full 275#. I can do the full weight, but not in a timed situation. Its too close to my skill-limit right now to try to crank out a bunch when form isn't my UTMOST concern.
Started out shooting for 15-20 rounds, which seemed doable when I was done with 2 rounds at the 3:00 mark, and 3 rounds at the 4:30 mark. Things slacked off dramatically after that. First of all, standing up from the dead-lifts was making me grey out a bit, and then getting up from doing push-ups was nearly killing me. Remember those knees from my last post? Yeah, that started catching up with me on the box jumps. Basically, by the end, my form on the dead-lift was probably a joke, my push-ups were slow and agonizing, and every jump up to and off the box was making my knees burn like a blow torch was being aimed just below both kneecaps. So, to pull 10 rounds out of that actually makes me pretty happy!
However, there is the aftermath, to be expanded on in the next post. Basically, it boils down to this: patellar tendonitis.
"McGhee"
Complete as many rounds in 30 minutes as you can of:
-
275245 pound Deadlift, 5 reps - 13 Push-ups
- 9 Box jumps, 24 inch box
Scaled the deadlifts back to 245# after trying a full 275#. I can do the full weight, but not in a timed situation. Its too close to my skill-limit right now to try to crank out a bunch when form isn't my UTMOST concern.
Started out shooting for 15-20 rounds, which seemed doable when I was done with 2 rounds at the 3:00 mark, and 3 rounds at the 4:30 mark. Things slacked off dramatically after that. First of all, standing up from the dead-lifts was making me grey out a bit, and then getting up from doing push-ups was nearly killing me. Remember those knees from my last post? Yeah, that started catching up with me on the box jumps. Basically, by the end, my form on the dead-lift was probably a joke, my push-ups were slow and agonizing, and every jump up to and off the box was making my knees burn like a blow torch was being aimed just below both kneecaps. So, to pull 10 rounds out of that actually makes me pretty happy!
However, there is the aftermath, to be expanded on in the next post. Basically, it boils down to this: patellar tendonitis.
10-04-14: Filthy 50 (well, 30)
CrossFit WoD for April 14th, 2010
For time:
Definitely got beat up by this beast. I may have tried a reduced version of this in the past, but this was my first tour through all of these exercises in a row...and boy, did I end up paying for it. More on that to come. Started out intending to do a full 50 of everything, but a few dozen box-jumps in, I realized the insanity of that plan. Full disclosure, this was my first workout after an amazing wedding weekend down in Arizona, which I celebrated by cranking on the weight and not working out nearly enough (the last two entries were actually from AZ, but from BEFORE the food extravaganza began, so...). The implications of doing body-weight exercises with a noticeable INCREASE in said body-weight made me rethink those plans.
Did a pretty good job of keeping the pace up until the burpees. I had already been dealing with Pukie the clown (successfully, thank you!) after the back extensions, but by the burpees, I could only do 2-3 at a time. Still, I forced myself through the last of them, before making myself look like an idiot trying to string together double-unders to complete the workout.
So, as to the asterisks in the list. After this workout, a problem that had been growing more obvious over the last few weeks became a lot bigger: My knees were KILLING me. I could stretch them, and move them through a full range of motion, but just below each knee-cap there was a ball of barbed-wire just waiting to screw me up. Worst was trying to go down stairs after standing for awhile (picture most of a normal train/subway/bus commute in NYC and you see the problem here), but now things were getting serious. More to come...
For time:
- 30 Box jump, 24 inch box*
- 30 Jumping pull-ups*
- 30 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
- Walking Lunge, 30 steps*
- 30 Knees to elbows
- 30 Push press, 45 pounds
- 30 Back extensions
- 30 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Double unders*
Definitely got beat up by this beast. I may have tried a reduced version of this in the past, but this was my first tour through all of these exercises in a row...and boy, did I end up paying for it. More on that to come. Started out intending to do a full 50 of everything, but a few dozen box-jumps in, I realized the insanity of that plan. Full disclosure, this was my first workout after an amazing wedding weekend down in Arizona, which I celebrated by cranking on the weight and not working out nearly enough (the last two entries were actually from AZ, but from BEFORE the food extravaganza began, so...). The implications of doing body-weight exercises with a noticeable INCREASE in said body-weight made me rethink those plans.
Did a pretty good job of keeping the pace up until the burpees. I had already been dealing with Pukie the clown (successfully, thank you!) after the back extensions, but by the burpees, I could only do 2-3 at a time. Still, I forced myself through the last of them, before making myself look like an idiot trying to string together double-unders to complete the workout.
So, as to the asterisks in the list. After this workout, a problem that had been growing more obvious over the last few weeks became a lot bigger: My knees were KILLING me. I could stretch them, and move them through a full range of motion, but just below each knee-cap there was a ball of barbed-wire just waiting to screw me up. Worst was trying to go down stairs after standing for awhile (picture most of a normal train/subway/bus commute in NYC and you see the problem here), but now things were getting serious. More to come...
10-04-09: Running!!!
CrossFit WoD for April 3rd, 2010
Done on a treadmill in AZ, wearing Puma indoor soccer shoes (ie, Sambas). Started off with a fairly brisk (for me) pace on the one mile, and kept bringing it down as needed to keep from tossing myself like a lawn dart into the useless and broken "multi-gym" hulking in the corner of the "exercise room." Feet and legs felt more or less fine after 2.5 miles of "pose-like" running (check out the Pose technique here...I have no doubt I'm not doing it right, having never been coached.) I did have a minor blister on my left big toe, in the crease area underneath, but I think my shoes just weren't tight enough. Legs were super-sore the next day, but it passed VERY quickly, definitely more muscle-sore than leg-pounding, heel-toe soreness. Awesome!!
- Run 1600 meters
Rest 3 minutes
Run 1200 meters
Rest 2 minutes
Run 800 meters
Rest 1 minute
Run 400 meters
Done on a treadmill in AZ, wearing Puma indoor soccer shoes (ie, Sambas). Started off with a fairly brisk (for me) pace on the one mile, and kept bringing it down as needed to keep from tossing myself like a lawn dart into the useless and broken "multi-gym" hulking in the corner of the "exercise room." Feet and legs felt more or less fine after 2.5 miles of "pose-like" running (check out the Pose technique here...I have no doubt I'm not doing it right, having never been coached.) I did have a minor blister on my left big toe, in the crease area underneath, but I think my shoes just weren't tight enough. Legs were super-sore the next day, but it passed VERY quickly, definitely more muscle-sore than leg-pounding, heel-toe soreness. Awesome!!
10-04-08: Run 800m, 150 D-Us, 50 Burpees
CrossFit WoD for April 7th, 2010
For time:
Subbed running .5 miles for the rowing, then broke the Double-unders and burpees into 10 sets, with a 15/5 breakdown per set. Definitely wanted to quit by the end of the 7th round (shade was getting scarce at the hotel in Arizona!), but forced my way through the final rounds. Skill in double-unders did NOT improve as a result of getting 150 of them. Sigh.
For time:
- Row 500 meters
- 150 Double-unders
- 50 Burpees
Subbed running .5 miles for the rowing, then broke the Double-unders and burpees into 10 sets, with a 15/5 breakdown per set. Definitely wanted to quit by the end of the 7th round (shade was getting scarce at the hotel in Arizona!), but forced my way through the final rounds. Skill in double-unders did NOT improve as a result of getting 150 of them. Sigh.
10-04-06: Dumbell C+Js, Weighted Pull-ups
CF Wod for April 4th, 2010
For time:
10 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
1 Weighted pull-up
9 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
2 Weighted pull-ups
8 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
3 Weighted pull-ups
7 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
4 Weighted pull-ups
6 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
5 Weighted pull-ups
5 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
6 Weighted pull-ups
4 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
7 Weighted pull-ups
3 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
8 Weighted pull-ups
2 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
9 Weighted pull-ups
1 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
10 Weighted pull-ups
22 minutes.
Used a 25# weight, which was ideal from a form and met-con standpoint on the C&Js, and also made me feel better, since this was my first time attempting weighted pull-ups. Was able to do the workout as Rx'ed until the final round and a half, when I switched to unweighted pull-ups, and was still barely able to complete those! Total arm and back meltdown!
For time:
10 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
1 Weighted pull-up
9 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
2 Weighted pull-ups
8 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
3 Weighted pull-ups
7 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
4 Weighted pull-ups
6 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
5 Weighted pull-ups
5 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
6 Weighted pull-ups
4 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
7 Weighted pull-ups
3 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
8 Weighted pull-ups
2 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
9 Weighted pull-ups
1 Dumbbell Clean & Jerks
10 Weighted pull-ups
22 minutes.
Used a 25# weight, which was ideal from a form and met-con standpoint on the C&Js, and also made me feel better, since this was my first time attempting weighted pull-ups. Was able to do the workout as Rx'ed until the final round and a half, when I switched to unweighted pull-ups, and was still barely able to complete those! Total arm and back meltdown!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Updates coming, I swear!
No, I'm not dead, just haven't had a chance to update this recently. Last few workouts have been (mostly so I remember later)
Tuesday, April 6: Dumbbell C&Js/Weighted Pull-ups
Thursday, April 8: Run 800m/150 Double-Unders/50 Burpees
Friday, April 9: Run 1600m, rest 3 min., run 1200m, rest 2 min., run 800m, rest 1 min., run 400m
Feeling sore, and a little blistered after the running, but kudos to me for doing 2.5 miles in Samba-style indoor soccer shoes, *not* running shoes. Definite muscle tightness in the quads, but WAAAY less shin/ankle pain than I'm used to with any kind of running, much less some pretty solid distances, even for me! Updates and specific results/times when the opportunity presents itself!
Tuesday, April 6: Dumbbell C&Js/Weighted Pull-ups
Thursday, April 8: Run 800m/150 Double-Unders/50 Burpees
Friday, April 9: Run 1600m, rest 3 min., run 1200m, rest 2 min., run 800m, rest 1 min., run 400m
Feeling sore, and a little blistered after the running, but kudos to me for doing 2.5 miles in Samba-style indoor soccer shoes, *not* running shoes. Definite muscle tightness in the quads, but WAAAY less shin/ankle pain than I'm used to with any kind of running, much less some pretty solid distances, even for me! Updates and specific results/times when the opportunity presents itself!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)