Instead of just keeping with the same plan of "rest will heal everything" I decided to be a little bit proactive today. I thought a little bit deeper about my knee, where the pain was and what could be the cause of it. As I ruminated there came a small little light bulb... maybe its past injury that is just over a year old on the same leg. Yeah the one where I shattered my ankle and still have metal in there, THAT ONE. I know that my left leg is weaker that my right. I spend about 4 months not using the muscles below my knee at all. And it is still visibly smaller than my right leg.
Not to hard of a connection to make if you ask me. However, I wanted to take it one step further, I wanted to know just what was pulling on what to make my knee hurt so much. So I decided to give myself a little anatomy refresher. Looking at some pictures online and some books Luke's roommate had around the house I was able to identify the muscles and tendons that were paining me and seemingly weaker than they are on the other side. My Rectus Femoris was very tight and requires lots of massaging daily to be normalize with the other side.
That connects directing to the Petala (knee cap) which in turn connects to the ACL below. This keeps the knee from moving too far forward and controls the general rotation of the knee (in conjunction with other tendons of course). Well this is the main area of pain the ACL/Patela. Next I needed to find a connection to the ankle the possible source of the pulling and straining on the patela and ACL. traking down the shin the Tibialis Anterior connects into the same place as the ACL and tracks all the way down to a major hot spot for my ankle injury.
This muscle and corresponding tendons are also wrapped by the Extensor Retinacula down on the front of the ankle. When the surgeon went into my ankle to attach all of the metal after my severe break they had to add an extra pin across the tibia and fibula down around this tendon. This is because this tendon was severely stretched by the break and rotation of the foot during the injury. 
So these are definite weak areas of my ankle that the rest of my body would need to compensate for. During my recovery I was able to get back to walking and a general good range of motion fairly quickly. The physical therapist was happy with my progress but I always felt that I needed more as I could feel the difference between my two ankles. That being said I really was not good about doing the exercises I could at home. I was only and still am only doing the exercises when I hurt. Rather than doing them as preventative measures. Well it appears my concerns about my ankle were valid, and my lack of work have combined to create quite a situation for myself. My weakened ankle and my pushing to ride hard have combined to hurt yet another part of my body. My knee is still in pain and hurts with every pedal that I try to take.
I have yet to resign this campaign down the road. But I am seriously contemplating the pros and cons of continuing vs. putting everything on hold to address my physical well being. The great thing about the road and journeys... they are always there to come back to. If I were to stop riding and take a train down to the bay area it would not be quitting in my mind. It would be following the path I need to, a different journey. Originally I felt that this bike journey would be good for me to process the past 4 years. Maybe I have put too much on hold for the past 4 years and in order to move forward to more adventures I need to actually slow down and take care of myself in a good environment. Finding balance is what keeps coming to mind. So this is what I will set out to find. Wish me luck in making the correct decision as it approaches.
what have you decided to do?? thinking about you, mitosis!
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