Treading Water

Four and a half weeks later, I'm still dealing with the aftermath of knee tendinitis. There have been some frustrating moments, in that it hasn't healed as quickly as I hoped. I tested it several times and have had to back off, due to the pain.

However, it looks like I'm finally recovering. For the first time yesterday, I was able to push it with some weightless squats, weightless lunges, karate kicks, and one legged wall squats. My knee held up with minimal pain and there's no soreness today.

I have been lifting weights, all upper body, during this recuperation period. I used to despise working out my legs, but have discovered over the last year, that working the leg muscles (not just running), is the foundation of a great exercise program. I fully believe that leg work, and by extension, the core, is what escalates fat burning and weight loss. Over this last month, I've been pretty down on my workouts, because of my inability to perform leg exercises. I'm in maintenance mode right now, and treading water.

Unfortunately, I've let my diet go a little. I've eaten well overall, but have had moments of just letting go, and wolfing down pizza and guzzling beer. However, despite this, I've only gained 1.5 lbs. since the injury. However, I'm not as "tight" as I was before I injured myself.

I've begun cracking down on the diet and hopefully next week, I can begin running again. Now that the spring weather is here, I really want to get outdoors and go for some nice runs. Things are looking up and I'm feeling optimistic about my exercise program again.

Dealing with Injury

Last Sunday it all came crashing down on me. It was the first workout of Week 8 of Insanity - The Fit Test and Max Interval Circuit. Two hours after the workout, I couldn't lift my arms above shoulder level without pain.

I had been dogged by my left shoulder hurting from overuse throughout Insanity, but figured with 2 weeks left in the program, I could make it through. After what I went through last Sunday, I decided to quit Insanity. There's good pain, then there's the debilitating type pain I experienced after that 1:25 workout.

My shoulder was overused from all the planks and pushups in the program and couldn't handle the strain. I should've backed off and opted out weeks before. I generally don't quit programs, but in retrospect, Insanity wasn't for me. This is due to the raging case of knee tendonitis that began the day after that Sunday workout. I believe I acquired the knee tendinitis from compromising form in doing squats when I was fatigued during last Sunday's workout.

I've had knee tendinitis before, but never this bad. I couldn't bend my left knee last Tuesday or Wednesday, without yelling in pain. The knee is healing and it is better, albeit the healing process has been slower than I hoped.

I have taken a week off from all working out for the first time in a long time and it feels great. My shoulders no longer are hurting and I believe I'm ready to begin transition into some light weightlifting (upper body, of course) tomorrow.

The message is, listen to your body. There's a fine line between digging deeper and backing off.