The Case of the Injured Knee

The plan was to resume running tomorrow at Luneta Park.  I've been on Christmas break for almost three weeks, and although I didn't binge much, I didn't exercise much either.  In effect, I gained a few pounds hehehe.  I needed to shed off some of those pounds as well as go back to my running routine to prepare for the upcoming Condura Marathon on February 1.  

That was the plan until yesterday morning, I took a tumble down a flight of stairs, and my plan tumbled down as well.  Well okay not a whole flight of stairs.  I think I started falling right at the second stair step before the landing.  I was bounding down the stairs, already running late for work.  Next thing I knew, my right knee hit the stair step and then I fell completely on the landing.  I got up quickly, bags still in my hands but the flashlight took a tumble all the way down to the second flight of stairs.  I thought it was a funny incident and I was actually laughing to myself at my clumsiness, secretly hoping no one saw me do the unexpected acrobatics.  I brushed off dust on my jeans from where I hit my knee, and then limping slightly, I walked all the way to the office, a little bit slower than my usual pacing.  It's a 3-minute walk brisk walk for me, but no brisk walking just then.

I thought it was fine since I could still walk, but as the day progressed, so did the pain.  I put ice on my knee and it helped relieve the pain.  There wasn't so much swelling and even hematoma because I hit the boniest part, I guess.  But I decided to see the doctor just the same.  The pain got to the level where sometimes, if I was not controlling my movements, and my mouth for that matter, I would have screamed several times.  Yes, it was that painful.  And my mobility was affected.  In fact when I went home, the 3-minute walk took 15 minutes.  

Another ice pack before hitting the sack.  When I woke up earlier this morning, it was still painful to bend my right knee.  Later however, as I was readying my self to go to work, it hit me that I wasn't limping so much and the pain was almost gone, like I just stubbed my toe.  I can walk faster, though not yet my normal fast-paced walk.  I'm still going for the X-ray though, just to be sure there are no fractures, even microscopic ones.  I had to make sure before I go running again.  Better safe than sorry.

I thanked God and was smiling, knowing that I am almost healed, just like that.   God is so good!  My fall could have been worst as various scenarios played in my head yesterday.  I could have hit my head, passed out in the process.  I could have fallen from the top and tumbled, hitting all the steps.  The worst scenario is I could have fallen off the balcony of the second floor...so many possibilities if I let my imagination run wild a little further and yet I hit my right knee, not the left one that was already injured.  

There may still be hope that I can participate in the Condura Marathon in three week's time.  But let's not leave this incident without learning a few lessons.

Well, I learned...

...that no matter how familiar you are with things, accidents can still happen

...that I need to wake up earlier so there's no need to rush and hurt myself in the process

...that first aid, when done correctly could prevent further injuries. 

   Cold pack (ice) for the first 4 days with this kind of injury. 

...to count my blessings, being thankful that the worst didn't happen.

Let's be healthy and safe this year!