When Your Bad Knee Becomes the Good Knee

I have been training with Fleet Feet (doing their virtual training with The Run Experience group in San Francisco) since April.  My right knee has been "talking" to me the last couple of weeks; which I figured it was overcompensating as the training involves some sort of run/walk, strength training, or cross-training 7 days a week.  I was spending lots of time with the foam roller to give it some extra love after the workouts which seemed to help. The long runs were starting to increase in distance (more than 6-8 miles).  The last long run I did was 9.3 miles; but the last 4.5 was walking.

Thursday, 21 May 2020, I went to Central Valley Physical Therapy for either a final assessment or start of another round of PT.  Measurements were taken of my left knee from how straight it gets to the angle of bend (I don't remember the numbers; but it is straight and can bend pretty tightly now).  Then it was time to see how the knee did with some of the drills we left off with last March; while wearing the knee brace.  I was able to do the ninja jumps with ease - not just jumping up and touching the side of the bar; but I could grab the bar if I wanted to.  I was able to do deep knee bends; running butt kicks; zig-zags; and karaokes (we couldn't figure out what the Mario jumps were that were in my chart).  Then it was time for the shuttle/suicide drill.  Both knees had been doing well with the drills; so off I went.  Back and forth between the cones, touching the cones and turning to hit the next one.  After the last turn as I was heading back to the first cone; I pushed off the right foot, and there was a POP!  And then I hopped.  Then stopped.  What was that...it was my right knee.  So the left knee graduated from PT; the right knee failed.  Mary said, "the only thing holding your left knee back is your right knee."

An MRI is scheduled for June 8th (hopefully sooner, if there is a cancellation).  It does not feel as bad as when I tore the medial meniscus; but something is definitely amiss as it is still painful to go up and down stairs; and obviously run.  I have my suspicions as to what will be found; but am hoping for the best!




[UPDATE 13 July 2020]

MRI Results:

• Moderate to severe patellofemoral chondromalacia (runner's knee).
• Moderate medial compartment chondromalacia (runner's knee).
• Mild lateral compartment chondromalacia (runner's knee).
• Small Baker's cyst (I suspected this guy was there).
• Mild degenerative spurring tibial spines.
• Small metallic artifact of no clinical significance in the anterior lateral soft tissues adjacent to the proximal tibial shaft (I have no idea which childhood wreck this was from). 

Nothing serious, that cannot be cured with taking it easy for 8-12 weeks.  Dr. Chu is working his magic on it (realigned the knee as it was not tracking properly before the MRI).  He drilled into me to take it easy as I could easily cause a fracture if I try to run and ignore the pain. It is getting better as I approach the 8 week mark!