The Waiting Game

Some good news on the medical front: my injury to my knee is not major; so minor, in fact, that I've run twice this week. But the good news isn't great for one reason: I still have a scheduled MRI on Thursday. What the orthopedic surgeon saw on X-Rays and through mobility of my right knee is that it could be a small amount of scar tissue that makes me feel the "pop" behind my right knee when I climb stairs. That would be great news. The tissue will dissolve eventually and won't harm me in the long run.

But the potential bad news: it could be loose cartilage, in which case a minor surgery would be needed to remove any cartilage that's hanging out in there but not in place. As cartilage is the "cushion" for the knees and absorbs the impact of contact sports and the stresses of running, I need all I can get. So for many reasons I'm crossing my fingers for scar tissue. When in the world will I ever say that again?

There is also hope for me in that while I was informed that, at 38, I have arthritis in my right knee due to all the trauma of previous injuries/surgeries, that arthritis will not limit my running. "They're not incompatible," says Dr. Parker. And, if you think about it, running and staying healthy will help my joints by limiting weight gain (a real bear on the joints), creating endorphin rushes to help with mood, and work on my cardiovascular system, which supports overall health. 

The most amazing thing I learned at my appointment last week was that there is a new treatment for runners (NFL players, basket ballers, basically anyone who is super active and tough on their knee joints) called Synvisc. Synvisc is a joint lubricant that an athlete can get (injected into the knees, yes) once or twice a year to work in sync with the cartilage and to work as a "shock absorber"; it also does wonders for pain relief.

Now, the question is, to research Synvisc and runners; who uses it? What have been their results with it? Also, will my insurance cover the costs?

Health care is expensive; but I think it would be more expensive, in the long run, not to run...

References Cited

Parker, D. Andrew. Interview: March 9, 2012. http://commonwealthorthocenters.com/