Sidelined

I really had planned to write blog posts regularly but that kind of went out the window.  I hopefully will do better and keep up with my three times a week goal, but we shall see.  If you follow me on instagram or Facebook you know that I am currently sidelined from working out.  I have a lovely new accessory a hinged knee brace.

Last Tuesday, we were running hills on flagpole hill.  After our warm up, my knee felt tight.  I thought it was just my muscles taking a while to warm up since it was cold outside.  On the first hill, I felt pain when I bent my knee so basically every stride.  I kept pushing it in hopes that it would loosen up.  But by the fifth hill I knew something was wrong.  I stopped instead of doing the sixth hill.  When I let up I immediately felt pain every time I stepped.  

I asked around and everyone thought it was an Iliotibial band syndrome (IT band issue).  This may sense to me since I have had IT band issues in my hips before.  I picked up a foam roller, iced my knee, and took ibuprofen.  When I woke up the next morning, I was in worse pain than I was before.  I could barely lift my knee without pain.  I was concerned that it was something more serious.  

When I got to work, I called around and was able to get in to see a sports medicine doctor.  Luckily, I was able to get in that day!  The doctor diagnosed me with a sprain LCL.  A lateral collateral ligament sprain is basically an injury to the liagment on the outer surface of the knee joint.  I kept thinking of how I sprained my knee and the only thing I can think of is that I remember stepping on rock during the warm up and that must have tweaked it.

The doctor told me to rest my knee, wear a knee brace, ice, and ibuprofen.  He said no running until I see him again (Wednesday) but that I could try to use the elliptical.  I have been taking it relatively easy ad it was feeling a little better but this weekend the hubby and I went out of town and I did some walking.  The walking definitely hurt my knee.  So today I am back to resting.  I do not feel confident that Wednesday's appointment is going to go well so I may be sidelined for more time.  I will definitely keep everyone posted.

Has anyone ever suffered an LCL sprain?  Any recommendations?