Well That's A Pain

So, I mentioned a while back that I'd had to stop running for a while because my knee was really bothering me.  And it was!  It hurt when I went up and down stairs, it hurt when I was driving, it hurt when I walked the dogs.  In fact, the only time it didn't hurt was when I was bicycling (curse the flat tire that prevented me from biking more often).  So, today I finally went to see an orthopedist.

As is the case with most things that cause us problems, the knee wasn't acting up today.  There was some tenderness, but nothing too major, and I almost canceled at the last minute, but I decided it had been enough of a problem for long enough that I should go.  A few x-rays and some stretches later, and we have a diagnoses.

Patellar Tendinitis

Basically, it's nothing serious yet, but if not treated it could cause problems.  The doctor said I may also have lost some cartilage, but that's no concern at this point.  For now, I have a few physical therapy appointments, and a patellar strap to wear whenever I'm standing.

This is not my leg, but it is what my strap looks like.

I can tell that strap is going to help tremendously.  Already, I'm able to climb the stairs without wincing in pain, and going on a walk does not leave me limping at the end.  So, I'm excited to get this thing worked out and get back into action!

Oh, and in case you're wondering what could cause patellar tendinitis: It's generally caused by repetitive motions like jumping, running, or biking, but there could be other contributing factors such as wide hips (thank you to my baby-making hips), or hyper-extension (apparently I do this a little too).  Also, don't tell the doc, but I think that having dogs run into your legs multiple times a day could be a contributing factor.  :)  Either way, let's hope I'm up and running again soon!