No More Trails

I went to the doctor this afternoon about my knees. He diagnosed the problem about 3 years ago as Chondromalacia. Basically, it is where the outside leg muscles, which are attached to the knee caps, start pulling the knee caps outward. The knee caps are suppose to move up and down at the knee joint. This outward pulling creates bone on bone pressure and a lot of pain, especially when sitting for a long time with the legs bent. There is also some arthritus under the knee caps. The surgical fix is to scope the joints to get rid of the arthritus and then loosen the outside leg muscles. To avoid surgery (a streak breaker), I am suppose to be doing exercises to strengthen the inside leg muscles, which are also attached to the knee caps. The braces, which I have worn occasionally, help keep the knee caps centered. Anyway, I have to intensify the exercises. The doctor will also give me a series of three shots of SYNVISC to lubricate the knee joints. The other thing I have to do is STAY OFF THE TRAILS. That will be the hard part.

After a workout at Nautilus this evening, to include my leg exercises, Mary Sweeten and I ran the 5-mile Tour de Huntsville course. The course includes some busy streets, but it traverses all four quandrants of the city. Mary just signed up for the Texas Marathon in Kingwood on January 1. This will be her first. I have no doubt that she will run it and finish.