1/22/2006 - Take 2000 steps and call me in the morning

I saw my orthopedic surgeon today -- all things considered, a very positive meeting.

• No surgery (yay)
• No need to stop walking (super-yay)
• No need to do exercises (yay. OK, I'm lazy)

There were two aspects of the meeting that were odd, however. First, my doctor objected strenuously to the notion that building up my muscles (through exercise) could do anything for my ligaments. I had heard this notion from so many other people in other contexts that it got to the point where he appeared to be rebelling for rebellion's sake (oh, I'm afraid that the ligaments are fully operational).

Second, in order to explain how I had gotten into this mess, the doctor wanted me to believe in two traumatic incidents. The second was likely to have occurred on New Year's day, while I was pushing the (well-bundled, sleeping) baby through the snow over the course of almost 2 hours. This would be the event that led to the swelling and recurring pain I have experienced since. I have no difficulty believing in the existance of this traumatic event.

The first event would have been something in the distant past. A very traumatic event that essentially knocked my knee permanently out of alignment without my having noticed. The appointment slowly evolved into a Freudian search for some subconscious recollection of an event that would explain the rather uncommon injury. We finally settled on a grate I fell into when I was 16. I also discovered that I was a fishmonger in a past life.

The Wife thinks that I have complained about the knee for some time, so that kind of validates Dr. Freud's diagnosis.

The good news is this: If I suffered this injury long ago, and have run a significant amount since (I was running 4miles at a stretch as recently as 6 months ago), I can't be too hobbled by the injury.

And the pain? Dr. Freud's theory is this: By now, my knee is probably only 80% recovered from the injury. I shouldn't expect to be 100% for 3 months after the injury, so that would be, what? April Fool's Day. Swell.

10,600 mending steps today. Cheers,