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vikki
95 Posts |
 Posted - 09/29/2007 : 19:04:06
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Hello all,
Two years ago, I suffered from neck, shoulder, buttock, and leg pain for about 6 months. It was ruining my life. At that point, I discovered Sarno, and was able to get rid of most of the pain and get my life back. I tried psychotherapy and journaling, and this was not very successful. The approach that finally worked for me was to just start doing things, and to bear the pain. When I did that, the pain diminished. I still have a little neck/shoulder pain, but it's just a minor annoyance now.
Fast forward to the present. I'm currently training for a marathon. Last week, I did a 20-mile run. Later in the day, I felt a sharp pain in my left knee when going down a set of stairs. Not in the joint, but towards the left/front just below the kneecap. I figured, okay, I did just run 20 miles. I do still "believe in" running injuries -- but I believe that they should heal without becoming chronic. So, I took it easy for a couple of days and iced my knee like you're supposed to do with an injury. Went for an easy run two days later and didn't feel any pain. I did still feel pain going down stairs. Took another day off, then tried a few more easy runs -- one every other day -- and the pain got worse. On Friday's run, it was bad enough that I actually quit after less than a mile. At this point, I started thinking about TMS because:
1. There is nothing objectively wrong with my knee -- no swelling, no instability, no problems with range of motion, etc. Nothing looks wrong.
2. It seems to be getting *worse* with rest, not better.
When I used to post here, someone once told me that when you prolong the treatment, you prolong the pain. I don't remember who it was, but I thought those were wise words. So this morning, I went out to do my scheduled 13-mile run. For the first three miles, the pain was really bad. Worse than on Friday's run. I almost quit. But I forced myself to keep going. At some point during the next three miles, my knee stopped hurting. I finished the run with no more pain. It was a good run.
Soon after the run, I felt the pain going down stairs. So I found three more flights of stairs and went down those too. The pain diminished considerably, and I was able to walk down several more flights later in the day with only a little pain.
Why am I posting this? Well, I guess I still have doubts, and I need support. I've got a tough week of training coming up, and I'm scared that the knee will interfere with that. When I had the neck/buttock pain two years ago, I had basically been a couch potato for 6 months, so it was *obvious* that my activities were not the cause of the pain. This time, it's not as obvious. I guess I wanted to assemble all the evidence, partly to convince myself that this is most likely TMS. Also, I'm really angry that I'm having to deal with persistent pain again!
Any advice or support would be appreciated 
Vikki |
Edited by - vikki on 09/29/2007 19:05:45 |
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skizzik
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2007 : 19:37:47
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All I know is what you just posted made me feel very good. I know, thats not advice, but perhaps it's support somehow. |
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HilaryN
United Kingdom
879 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2007 : 04:36:35
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Go for it, vikki! You'll do great!
Hilary N |
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skizzik
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2007 : 11:59:29
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vikki, I just wanted to say that your post has helped me a lot as far as taking a long term view. I liked your phrasing that you decided to "bear" the pain as opposed to "ignore" the pain.
I think thats some of what I've been looking for. To accept it, we must bear it. TMS pain is real, and therefore can't be ignored.
I can't keep waiting for the pain to go, in order to resume life. I must "bear" it and move on in order for it to diminish. Thanx again. |
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AnthonEE
USA
80 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2007 : 15:16:45
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Hi Vikki
Just as the others have said, I think it's great that you decided to resume your life despite the pain, and it worked out for you. I'm just reaching the stage where I've decided to gradually take that leap myself and I'm not yet sure how it will go. But I'm very encouraged by your experience.
About the knee pain, I also have anterior knee pain on the right knee, and have had it for several years now. I spent many years training as a serious runner, and as of about a year ago my knee hurt so bad I could hardly go up a flight of stairs. Even after I haven't run now for almost a full year (!!!) it was almost as bad as ever. Rest absolutely did not help. It was a little concerning to say the least. The X-rays, etc, all look normal, and the ortho doc says I've got nothing wrong, just classic case of patellar femoral syndrome, like runners knee. It feels like it's something very sharp just under the top of the kneecap. It's excruciating going up and down stairs. At first it felt like it was outside the kneecap, but as it got worse I now think it's under.
So I just bought a house, and for the first time I have to go up and down the stairs several times each day. No choice, assuming I would like to get to my room to get some sleep. I was worried that maybe I'd be unable to do it, as if I was 80+ years old or something (I'm half that age). Interestingly, about a month now, and my knee pain is almost entirely gone. Can you believe it? Going up and down the stairs regularly, several times each day, has dramatically improved my knee? I've just learned about TMS, and I'm reading the books and trying to apply the knowledge to my many other problems, but the knee pain seems to have been mostly resolved. I don't think TMS is the reason, because it started getting better a few weeks after I bought the house, before I really learned about TMS.
Anyway, I thought you might be interested in my experience. |
Edited by - AnthonEE on 10/02/2007 08:24:30 |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2007 : 07:11:52
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Hey Vik,
Me too...I get better simply by pushing through. Journaling, self-analysis, these things for me anyway, are counter-productive.
Running through pain takes guts and I congratulate you on your courage. And it doesn't necessarily get a whole lot easier either, because there's always that same fear, well perhaps this one is real...
My bottom line is to plow ahead and see. If the pain gets truly bad/intolerable, or there is something about the pain in some other qualitative sense that raises a big red flag< I'll stop. But that happens quite rarely.
I wish you the best on your marathon..I hope you'll report back and let us know how you do... |
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vikki
95 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2007 : 15:30:22
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Hello everyone,
I am sorry I didn't respond earlier -- my internet connection has been giving me problems.
Thank you all for the support! I continued to run through the pain. It still did not get any better, so I actually gave in and went to a physical therapist. The PT looked at my knee then gave me a vague diagnosis of "tendonitis" caused by various hip issues, and the fact that one of my legs is longer than the other. He wanted to start me on a hip stretching and strengthening program, and send me for custom orthotics. This reminded me so much of the many PT visits when I had my butt and shoulder issues! And it turns out, this is exactly what I needed to confirm that this was TMS. The very next day, I went out and ran 10 miles with very little pain. The knee has barely bothered me since :)
Anyway, now that the knee pain is gone, I have started having pain my right outer ankle. Again, no swelling or other abnormality -- just pain. This really doesn't make any sense, because this past week was the first week of my taper, so I wasn't running as many miles as ususal. It didn't hurt yesterday during and after my 15-mile run. It just started hurting this morning when I walked to the store. There's enough about it that doesn't make sense (from a physical perspective) that I am going to continue to treat this as TMS.
skizzik -- yes, I think there's a distinction between bearing and ignoring the pain. Bearing it is a decision to get on with your life regardless of the pain. I think this is what helped me get better two years ago.
HillaryN -- thanks for the encouragement!
AnthonEE -- Sarno believes runner's knee is generally TMS. I think your experience is consistent with mine -- doing the thing that causes the most pain can diminish it. I think of this as challenging the pain. Keep reading, and I really do encourage you to take that leap of faith. You know, I didn't buy it 100% myself (and still don't) -- but I realized that you can never be 100% sure of anything. I decided that while I can't be sure, I can at least *act like* I'm sure. So, that is what I did, and it helped me. Good luck!
Art -- I can really relate to the "what if this one's real?" feeling. That is what I'm going through now with my ankle. But I will keep running, and see what happens. |
Edited by - vikki on 10/14/2007 17:47:24 |
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shawnsmith
Czech Republic
2048 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2007 : 13:48:43
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Remember also Viki that all of this training for an upcoming competition is generating a lot of emotions within you. You might want to reflect upon what drives you to train and compete.
What is it about being Viki that generates pain?
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Sarno-ize it!
Read chapter 4 of Dr. Sarno's "The Divided Mind." Also chapers 3, 4 and 5 in Dr. Scott Brady's "Pain Free For Life" are very important. |
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TMS -- 2 years later
