I’m Loose…

…in my ligaments. That was the diagnosis yesterday from the sports doc. What does that mean? Basically, it means that my ligaments are weakened. They’re kind of like an elastic band that isn’t pulled taut.

Why does that make my knees and my back hurt?

My muscles are trying to overcompensate to protect the ligaments from tearing. That’s why my muscles always feel so tight. He said this has caused slight tendonitis in my knees and a really tender piriformis. (You were right, MF!)

What causes it?

It’s part genetic and it could also do with the extra strain I put on my muscles carrying around extra weight for a few years. The doctor said the good news is that because I’m in such good shape, I should have a quick recovery. He also brought up an interesting point — since my metabolism has so drastically changed, I may have some vitamin imbalances or my body may have changed the way I metabolize some vitamins. (I forgot to ask him what this means and what vitamins I might be lacking…)

What Am I Going to Do About It?

The doctor prescribed 2-3 weeks of physical therapy, which I’m actually pretty excited for. I’m excited to learn new exercises and strengthen these loose ligaments. The doctor said that it wouldn’t be too hard and that my running would be much better for it.

He also said I didn’t need to stop running! Whew!

I’ll have an official plan after Monday, but in the interim I plan on:

• doing some more research
• doing some of the exercises on Healthy Tipping Point
• trying to get in a yoga or pilates class
• really concentrating on my stretches and foam rolling
• icing after running

If you know about this or have experienced it, I’d love to hear about your experience!