Inspiration & Healing

It's Sunday, and so far today I have had no knee pain (YES!).

I talked to my aunt earlier this week about my injury. She does all kinds of running, biking, hiking, paddle boarding -- you name it! Here's a picture of her after at the Irvine Lake Mud Run 2010:

Courtesy of Facebook

When I explained my symptoms and location of pain, she knew exactly my injury because she has had it herself. She said I have ITBS, or an injury of the IT band. Here is what Wikipedia says about ITBS:

"ITBS is one of the leading causes of lateral knee pain in runners. The iliotibial band is a superficial thickening of tissue on the outside of the thigh, extending from the outside of the pelvis, over the hip and knee, and inserting just below the knee. The band is crucial to stabilizing the knee during running, moving from behind the femur to the front while walking. The continual rubbing of the band over the lateral femoral epicondyle, combined with the repeated flexion and extension of the knee during running may cause the area to become inflamed."

EXACTLY! Finally, an answer to my "What did I freakin do to my knee?!?" question. And the best part? It's not a serious injury and it just takes a few weeks to heal. What great news!

Also, my aunt recommended kinesiotape (or KT tape), which, thanks again to Wikipedia, is defined as "a cotton strip with an acrylic adhesive that is used for treating athletic injuries and a variety of physical disorders. It was invented by Dr. Kenzo Kase, a Japanese chiropractor, in the 1970s."

Basically, they are used to help support healing of sports injuries. You use one or two strips of KT tape as an anchor, then using tension, use other pieces of KT tape to help reduce swelling and improve circulation to enhance the healing process. The best part is, there are YouTube videos that show you how to use KT tape for specific injuries. Here is the one I will use when my KT tape comes in the mail (hurry Amazon!):

Neat, right? I'm also going to invest in a roller... my runner friends have recommended that thing enough for me to believe it works. :)

On another note, I'd like to dedicate this blog to my friends, Pat & Amy. They finished the Rock and Roll Half Marathon today, and I could not be more inspired. Congrats you guys! You rock!

Courtesy of Facebook