Aloha, I am an avid runner in my mid-40s and had finished my sixth marathon and was training for my 7th in October (2013) when I faced a dehabilitating injury. I was on a run, stopped at a light to tie my shoe, and when I put my leg back to the ground I had incredible pain on the medial side of my left knee. After much icing, Advil, and a few trips to the doctor's office, they finally approved a MRI. What they found was Osteochondritis Dissecans - OCD - basically the end of my femur bone had died due to trauma or repeated small trauma, they aren't sure what happened. I tried six weeks of assisted crutches and this helped with the pain and got me to a point where I could walk with a slight limp, but stairs are incredibly painful still.
I just had arthroscopic surgery to trim the torn meniscus and to try a micro-drilling procedure to make the end of the bone to make it bleed in the hopes that it will form a hard surface and alleviate the pain. I am now in week 2 of six weeks with no weight bearing at all on the knee. Because of my age, the doctor predicted only a 40% chance of improvement.
I wanted to start this topic to see if others have had this type of injury and what they have tried. I have been told that I will never run again. Running was my life and my passion, it is what kept me healthy, reduced my stress, and I was actually getting pretty good. Yes, I could take up swimming or biking, but it is not the same and never will be.
Thoughts, suggestions, discussions?
-Mike
