the results are in.
i spoke with the sports doctor last friday. my first reaction was raw terror, which might seem a tad unusual since i actually don't require a surgical procedure. the issue is that the cartilage in my knee has degenerated, in fact it is worn through in some places.
you can't grow more cartilage and it doesn't regenerate. so what do they do for this? a procedure called viscosupplementation. they insert a synthetic synovial fluid behind my knee cap. the fluid will hopefully provide 'cushion' within the joint, increase my range of motion and lessen my pain. each treatment is a series of three shots, one per week for three weeks.
i have been researching the treatment option and the 'fluid'. i will be honest, my concern is if this will allow me to return to training as i know it. whether i can continue to train and/or compete has no bearing on if i start viscosupplementation. there is no choice. without it, as the cartilage continues to deteriorate, the pain will increase and my range of motion will continue to decrease.
the sports doctor does not work with strength athletes. he can only guess that continuing to train will increase how frequently i will need to get this done. this treatment is not a cure but a stop gap. i guess the fluid breaks down over time and needs to be replaced.
but what truly rocked my world was the revelation that many people who have gone this route, do so to hold off on getting a total knee replacement. fawk me!!
to add insult to injury, my legs are shrinking down to the size of raisins. the left moreso than the right. i've been trying to work within my ROM to lift as heavy as i can to preserve my muscle mass. but i haven't been able to train properly since the middle of september... and it shows.
today's title is a lyric from queen's hammer to fall.
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