These Legs Were Made for Running...Not?

Well, I saw the doctor today. I still have the pain in my right leg. Enough pain that it hurts to go down the stairs. Even after two days of recovery. He felt all around my lower leg until he found the pain and it went all up the inside of my leg - probaby that posterior tibalis muscle again.

But I said it was worse and different from before and that made him decide to take an X-ray to see if I had a stress fracture.

It looks like it's easy to get a stress fracture, especially if you haven't trained enough or if you have changed your training significantly. I changed from the treadmill to outdoor trails, and I was trying to increase my mileage, and my speed. But maybe my bones couldn't take all the pressure!

The doctor had an X-ray machine in his office so they were able to X-ray my legs and view them right on the computer. There didn't appear to be any fractures visible, but there was some very slight build up on the inside of each tibia, right where my pain has been. The bone has a slight curved area to it, which could suggest a recent fracture that has healed. Apparently it is not easy to detect a stress fracture, especially with an x-ray. So I am now going to get a bone scan which sounds like an ordeal in and of itself.

I explained to my boys last night I might have "broken" my bone in my leg. My two year old said I broke my toe and had to go to the hospital. I asked him where he had heard about going to the hospital, and he said proudly, "Caillou!" (the PBS cartoon). I explained I wasn't going to the hospital. But now, for the bone scan, I do have to go to the hospital. I told my two year old he was right after all. Now he wants to go with me.

I was slightly disappointed the x-ray didn't show anything because this has been so frustrating for me. At least if I knew what the problem was I could do something about it, even if it is to drop out of the marathon training (I would still see if I could do the half....). If the bone scan doesn't show anything, I'm looking at an MRI, possibly.

All so I can jog slowly for a few miles like a crazy person. It's what I love to do. After family and work, it's all I have. If you are a runner, you'll understand....