A little development

Well, this wasn't really expected, but, our family seems like its going to expand again... we have twins who were born in 2006, and now are expecting one (yes, definitely only one) in October this year. At the time of this post, I'm 17 weeks pregnant. :)

What does that mean for my running? Very little actually. I've still been running, and the same sort of distances, but I'm limited now by time because of a new job and long commutes to said new job on 2-3 days per week (rest of the time being worked at home).

So I'm doing a minimum of about 5km most runs, up to 10km at a time. I'm also working in some bike and horse riding too which keeps me nice and fit, and also free of compartment syndrome issues... until the last 24 hours at least!

Last weekend I got some new shoes. Tuesday and Wednesday of this week I decided to wear them to work. Both days I did a fair bit of walking in them, but particularly yesterday (Wednesday) I did extra, and I think it was too much with my muscles not being used to the much heavier shoes. So by the time I stopped walking, the familiar Compartment Syndrome pain was creeping back in my right leg (non-surgery leg)... and its still here now, more than 24 hours on. Buuuuuummmmer!

Downside to pregnancy + sudden change of exercise as I guess you would put this? I can't use the vibration platform. Its not deemed safe during pregnancy... (nor would I want to run the risk of it tearing or ripping at something causing early labour!!)... so, I will have to go back to old-school methods to control the pain... or maybe just rest my legs on the platform rather than standing on it.

I have been trying to find blog posts of women who have been diagnosed with CS and have had a flare-up during pregnancy... and what they did... but I'm yet to find ANYONE who has had it during pregnancy... just have to keep looking I guess.

I suspect if I got out and stretched the muscles doing a normal run, I'd probably ease the pain I have... and that its purely shifting from relatively light shoes to heavy 'clod hopper' enclosed 'business' shoes which I'm just not used to wearing now.

Until next time... I must be due to post more history about me on this blog... fill in more gaps. There are a lot still... whoops! :)

If you read this, please comment so I know that I'm not talking to myself.

Thanks,
K.

From the 9th December 2008... during diagnosis...

I was looking back through some emails today from a while ago and thought I'd share them. My first real flare up of Compartment Syndrome was on 24 August 2008. I had actually been managing it without realising from early in the year, and as I got fitter and competed in more Endurance Rides, it never went away.

The message below is from the 9th December 2008 when I was putting out feelers for others who may have been affected by Compartment Syndrome when horse riding.

By this stage I had tried different saddles, different horses and different riding gear... but the pain was just starting to creep in again after taking it very easy for a number of months.


-------------------------------

Hello all,

I'm writing to see if anyone out there has ever had, or known another rider to have dealt with "Compartment Syndrome" in their anterior (outside-of-leg-bone) muscle of their lower leg?

I have developed what I believe to be Chronic Compartment Syndrome, which came together with a LOT of pain in my legs and I couldn't walk for a number of days after my last 80km ride in late August this year....

My biggest problem is getting a Doctor to believe that I could have this problem, and also, getting them to believe that it could possibly be caused by horse riding!

There are a lot of smaller things which I believe have caused it, the main offender being chapettes which were perhaps too tight and didn't allow my muscle to expand properly... pity they felt really comfortable and kept my legs warm in the cold of winter hey?

Anyway, I've been back riding 3 times per week for a number of weeks now, and I've been legging the horse up gradually... now that we've started to trot a bit, I'm getting the same familiar burning feeling... and a number of the variables I thought were playing a role earlier in the year are now gone.. so I'm at a bit of a loss... I think now I have a residual injury.

So... if anyone can please email me privately (or if you wish to the group, but I'm guessing this is a problem most people here won't have heard of!).... I'd love it if people can make suggestions on what they have done or avoided etc with this problem, and also what others have done to get heard properly by their Dr's!

Thanks in advance people...!

A little bit of history

So I have decided to start this blog to document a little of what I have gone through with my diagnosis, treatment and "winning" (temporarily or permanently yet to be determined) against chronic compartment syndrome. Hopefully it can help others and keep a bit of a record for me in years to come.

I have experienced people telling me I was essentially imagining my symptoms, that I wasn't fit enough (even though I'd been building up to it for months) and every excuse under the sun - both made by me and by others. I've had others try to sympathise with me with their "sore legs" which ache a bit after riding, versus the excruciating pain in my lower legs after riding a horse 70+km after the pain and discomfort began in an Endurance Horse Riding competition.

I will bring you posts from what I have asked others, what I have tried as a result, and how I have now come to be able to run 11km at a time without much of a look-in from my (chronic) compartment syndrome when at one point I had to ice my legs for most of a day after a 6km training ride where I trotted more than a kilometre or two.

If you have questions or comments... feel free to add :)

Me!