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jayjb2001
7 Posts |
 Posted - 07/06/2004 : 07:26:15
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I have over a 10 year history of TMS, with various ailments ranging from lower back pain to chostochondroitis to plantar fascitis. With each new problem, I've gone through a similar process in my head: i.e. this seems like a "real" injury..could it be tms? More recently (past 2 years), as I gained more confidence in TMS I've skipped the mostly useless cycles of PT and other treatments and have been able to quickly rid myself of the pain through a TMS protocal.
Anyway, here's the question: I just complete a 3 day bike trip of over 300 miles. The week before the trip I had knee cap pain - symptomatic of chondromalacia (patella femoral syndrome). The knee discomfort was annoying, but managable, so I continued to run and deal with it. I believed it was TMS...caused by my worries over the coming solo bike trip and some issues with my wife. Anyway, during the bike journey I continue to tell myself that "it's TMS..ride through it and it will fade." Well, it didn't get much worse (didn't get better either) until the last day (the day I was meeting my wife). Now it's really flared up and i'm afraid to run or bike this week. Could this really be an overuse injury?? Thanks, JAY |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2004 : 08:53:55
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Chondromalacia is TMS.
Think about the emotions involved regarding your wife. During the trip you were able to escape from it. The pain worsened when you had to face her again. That's quite a coincidence... |
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jayjb2001
7 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2004 : 09:33:42
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| Yes, but on the other hand, the pain was still "there" early in the trip and it may have gotten worse on the third day of riding simply because it had been used so much the previous 2 days of biking. Isn't that also possible? I want to believe that this is TMS, but there seems to be a linkage between the pain and my activity, which leaves room for doubt. Why would the pain occur while biking and running if there's no physical cause? Any suggestions on how to approach this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, JAY |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2004 : 10:27:21
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quote:
Originally posted by jayjb2001
but there seems to be a linkage between the pain and my activity, which leaves room for doubt. Why would the pain occur while biking and running if there's no physical cause?
This is a crucial aspect of TMS that must be understood:
It is conditioning.
TMS pain often occurs as a result of physical activity that you believe might cause it. You have a tendency to believe that the biking and running causes pain. Your brain knows this, and uses it to its advantage.
TMS strives to distract your attention. It wants you to believe the problem is physical. Therefore it chooses symptoms that you are conditioned to believe are caused by physical activities.
Now, is it possible that the pain is due to overuse? Sure. It is also possible that part of the pain is due to the activity, but TMS makes the pain worse. However, I firmly believe that this kind of thinking doesn't get you anywhere. Obviously if you cannot bike or run without severe pain, you shouldn't bike or run. Even if the pain is TMS there is no reason to punish yourself, especially since you will become even more likely to believe the pain is caused by the activity. But if you start to believe that the pain is strictly due to overuse, ignoring the psychogenic aspects, then you are likely to continue to get psychogenic symptoms, either in the same place or in other places in your body. |
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jayjb2001
7 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2004 : 13:41:20
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| Dave - I really appreciate your responses, however, I am bit confused by some of what you said. On the one hand you say that "Chondromalacia is TMS" period. But then later you say that it's "possible" that the cause is physical and that I shouldn't run or bike if it causes pain. Guess i'm confused about that...isn't a key TMS treatment strategy using the injured area in the manner that causes pain - having faith that you are not causing damage (and that the pain will eventually dissipate)? This is why I went on my bike journey with a knee 'injury' ...when I had less faith in TMS I would have called off the trip for sure. If I don't run or bike due to the pain, isn't that doing (or not doing) exactly what TMS wants me to? |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2004 : 14:24:27
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I consider Chondromalacia TMS because it is one of those diagnoses that attributes pain to a structural problem, in this case cartilage. Cartilage degeneration does not necessarily cause pain. Therefore, I do not believe it is accurate to say that Chondromalacia is always the source of knee pain.
I say it's "possible" that the cause is physical. Of course, our tissues are susceptible to injury. But the main reason I said it is possible is to point out that it can be detrimental to think that way. If you think that your pain might be due to overuse injury, or chondromolacia, or plantar fasciitis, or some other "syndrome" then you are leaving the door open for psychogenic pain to continue. TMS feeds on your belief that there is a physical problem.
I say that you shouldn't run or bike if it causes serious pain, not because you will do any damage, or because the pain is physical, but because it can push you further into the physical realm of thinking. But since you have a history with TMS, I think you did the right thing by pushing through the pain. However, you're still thinking physical. This could mean that you are avoiding the psychological aspects of what is going on in your life right now. You hinted at it in your first message ... I wonder if you have really fully explored those feelings, or if you may be avoiding them. Avoidance breeds TMS. |
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Knee Cap Pain
