Doctors?

I finally decided that maybe I should go in and see a doctor, what for, well when I ran Pscyho Wyco back in February I fell numerous times and on more than one occasion my hand hit fairly hard. The day after I figured it was just a bruise, a week after I was surprised it still hurt but my fingers worked and my wrist seemed ok, I just couldn't lift anything heavy, squeeze things or put weight on it like doing push-ups or move it in certain directions quickly. It was a weird injury that didn't really seem to be too serious except that after a month it was about the same, so I was puzzled, so after 5 weeks and still the same, I decided to head in and get it checked out.

But before I explain the results, I should explain that this is a record time for me to go in and see a Doctor, I normally procrastinate it for even longer, usually a year or more. I have always used the philosophy that if I can move it and nothing is at odd angles it will heal on it's own. I probably wouldn't recommend this approach to anyone as it has led to some interesting ricochets meaning additional injuries as I favored the injured area. I could write way too many stories of me ignoring injuries and then having other issues but I have always been unwilling to go in to see a Doctor for fear that they would tell me to take time off (and yes a few have so I did the right thing and found a different Doctor). I think in this way I am like most runners. The nice part about this injury it's just a hand which is probably why I went in as it bugged me enough in other areas and they couldn't tell me anything that would affect my running.

Good news and no surprise, nothing was broken. He said I had sprained a ligament in my hand and that it would take probably up to 8-12 weeks before it was healed. So all I had to do was not re-injure it and all would go well.

So since today was such a beautiful day I decided to head out for a run, what a grand day temps in the mid 40's, rain, a perfect day for running in the rain again splashing through puddles, slipping and sliding my way around. I decided to run along the river bottoms entering at Cedar Avenue. I do love spring, no snakes yet, no bugs, cool temps but I can run in shorts, I wish it would last for months and months. What fun.

All was going well, my legs felt great, until I hit one of the raised wooden bridges that span the marshlands. What happened, well, I hit the bridge at full speed (which isn't that fast) and the next thing I know, my feet are sliding out from under me and I am going horizontal until I land on my hip and my hand as my feet and legs go into the marsh. It was exactly how I fell at Psycho Wyco, as again I thought to myself safe, except the hand hurt right away but hey no odd angles, nothing to worry about. Don't know if I re-injured the hand or not, time will tell, but I did find it ironic that the day after I went in to see the Doctor I wipe out and land right on it. What if I had waited longer, my guess is I wouldn't have had an issue at all as I am sure I wouldn't have fallen and landed on it and all would be well. Guess this is a gentle reminder to not go in until it's serious or at least affects my running.........