My body is disintegrating

DapperKay

I'm serious folks and now I am mentally falling apart too.

Around 6 months back my pects were sprained. This was swiftly followed by a severe case of shin splits in my left leg that took a couple of months to almost heal. I had a comeback strategy and it worked well. First I started running slowly and ramped up. Then my chest started healing and I could now do upper body training. I worked on my core.

And then I recovered ... way stronger than before. I hit my stride and was doing near 12K 3 times a week. It was incredible, I felt on top of the world.

Then suddenly two weeks ago I noticed a very strange clicking sound in my right leg's achilles tendon. This quickly degenerated into pain and swelling. I noticed a weird thick red skin forming at the back just above the heel.

THEN things go worse. My left leg shin splits came back ... stronger than before. Shortly after my right leg started getting shin splits. All in a matter of days. I couldn't even walk for 10 minutes straight without having to stop.

THEN things go worse. My right knee starting hurting about a week ago.

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, today my Achilles pain is SO bad and my back is hurting me.

I am simply falling apart mentally and physically.

Doctor next week, I fear the worst.

It took me years of proper fitness and eating well to shapeshift from being a very obese guy (125 Kg) to be a fit athlete who competes in marathons and has (or had) a very high resistance threshold.

It seems as though my body is punishing me. I feel like my bones have suddenly been converted into biscuits and my muscles into jelly.

Sorry for the long rant. I just needed to let it out. Thank you for reading if you got this far.

I hate feeling sorry for myself. Next week I will draw up another comeback strategy. But first I need to get diagnosed. Wish me luck.

bncreel

I was not in the good shape that you were but I have had a very basic knee scope. It's been two months and I'm beginning to think I'll never get over it.I hope things go well at the doctor.

suruda

You are too young for all of these issues! Hope they figure something out at the dr.!

prettyleelee

Good luck!!! I hit 30 and my body turned against me. Shin splints unforseen surgeries it was horrible. Now I wasn't fit when it happened bit it has pushed me into getting there now.

LeanButNotMean44

I am pretty sure this is a "hazard" of having a very fit lifestyle. Active people, especially those who are even just a bit competitive, tend to put their bodies through a lot. We eschew the "no pain, no gain" mantra and push ourselves beyond reasonable limits. Inevitably, something breaks down.

I have a lengthy laundry list of injuries from my years of running and weight lifting. Plantar Fasciitis (both feet), 2 stress fractures (foot and knee), torn bicep, shoulder tendonitis - need I say more? These are things that can be fixed and are not nearly as impactful on health as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other obesity related conditions.

Moderation in anythingcan be tough. We just have to be good to ourselves and listen to our bodies.

TaurianDoll

Wow! I'm really sorry to hear about this. I hope you get answers and recover soon! I know what it's like when something as empowering as running is taken from you due to injury. Just stay encouraged and know that the pavement isn't going anywhere and it will be waiting for you when you're all better.

Get well soon!

Yisrael1981

I am sorry to hear you are taking such a beating right now. Hope the doc has good news for you. Either way don't let it get you down, you have come too far . make sure to take care of your body

tomatoey

I know how you feel. It's frustrating and horrifying and scary. I'm sorry.

I think, though, that now that you know this is how your body responds to whatever kinds of stressors you're handing it, you've got to take it down a few notches. That's humbling and hard and just as frustrating, I know.

Best of luck. Let yourself heal.

tomatoey

LeanButNotMean44 wrote: »

I am pretty sure this is a "hazard" of having a very fit lifestyle. Active people, especially those who are even just a bit competitive, tend to put their bodies through a lot. We eschew the "no pain, no gain" mantra and push ourselves beyond reasonable limits. Inevitably, something breaks down.

Maybe so, but some people are more vulnerable for whatever reasons, and it can be a challenge to figure that out.

cheshirecatastrophe

[quote="DapperKay;10179080"Then suddenly two weeks ago I noticed a very strange clicking sound in my right leg's achilles tendon. This quickly degenerated into pain and swelling. I noticed a weird thick red skin forming at the back just above the heel.

THEN things go worse. My left leg shin splits came back ... stronger than before. Shortly after my right leg started getting shin splits. All in a matter of days. I couldn't even walk for 10 minutes straight without having to stop.

THEN things go worse. My right knee starting hurting about a week ago.

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, today my Achilles pain is SO bad and my back is hurting me.[/quote]

That sucks! WHen it rains it pours sometimes when it comes to lower body problems, unfortunately. One reason is that the root of a lot of them is inflexibility and weakness in the core (hips, glutes, abs, back), throwing everything else off as it struggles to compensate. That could be why everything is going at once. Also, it could be that the initial problem--whatever weirdness is going on across the back of your right calf--has altered your body's natural stride and even resting position, thus triggering the cascade of other problems.

I really, really hope you are on your way to your doctor or physical therapist to get all this looked at, so you can get back in the action and back in the *mental* space of feeling better. Injuries SUCK.

Congratulations on making the comeback slog once before! I'm rooting for you to do it again!

DapperKay

Oh guys thank you all so much for your super warm and encouraging messages, really made me feel better. Injuries totally suck you are right, it has been a very difficult period, but your encouragement really helped me!

I will post some progress updates as when I know them, especially if others are in the same boat and looking for answers. Focusing on upper body gains in the meantime!

@suruda: I know, it is what I don't understand. But it makes sense when I think about it, because most of my teen years and early 20s I was very inactive and obese, it must have some sort of an impact on my current form. I just dont have a good history to fall back on!

@LeanButNotMean44 I wont lie, I am guilty of that attitude too. There is a fine line between striving for fitness and harming yourself. I generally think it is not always easy to tell which is which if you dont have a certain deep level of understanding of fitness and how your body reacts to pressure.

@cheshirecatastrophe excellent points, I never thought of it this way! I always knew core strength is pivotal to everything, especially running, but I never considered the knock on effect the way you described it. Makes lots of sense!

Cronniss

I'm sorry to hear about the problems that you're having. I do have a question for you. This may sound a bit ridiculous, but it does need to be asked. With your weight loss & dieting, have you been taking vitamin and calcium supplements? I know that sometimes when someone loses a lot of weight (through dieting, and especially bariatric surgery) and they don't take vitamin supplements they can suffer from the problems you described.

I hope you recover quickly.

(Quote from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams.)

BigGuy47

DapperKay wrote: »

Then suddenly two weeks ago I noticed a very strange clicking sound in my right leg's achilles tendon. This quickly degenerated into pain and swelling. I noticed a weird thick red skin forming at the back just above the heel.

And you kept on with exercising for a couple weeks? This doesn't make any sense.

Pushing through DOMs is something everyone does. Pushing through a potentially injured Achilles is foolish. A ruptured Achilles will set your training back an entire year or more.

DapperKay

BigGuy47 wrote: »

DapperKay wrote: »

Then suddenly two weeks ago I noticed a very strange clicking sound in my right leg's achilles tendon. This quickly degenerated into pain and swelling. I noticed a weird thick red skin forming at the back just above the heel.

And you kept on with exercising for a couple weeks? This doesn't make any sense.

Pushing through DOMs is something everyone does. Pushing through a potentially injured Achilles is foolish. A ruptured Achilles will set your training back an entire year or more.

No i think you misinderstood. At that point I completely stopped all, even walking was minimized. Ive been inactive since then until i see the doc.

DapperKay

Cronniss wrote: »

I'm sorry to hear about the problems that you're having. I do have a question for you. This may sound a bit ridiculous, but it does need to be asked. With your weight loss & dieting, have you been taking vitamin and calcium supplements? I know that sometimes when someone loses a lot of weight (through dieting, and especially bariatric surgery) and they don't take vitamin supplements they can suffer from the problems you described.

I hope you recover quickly.

(Quote from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams.)

Not ridiculous at all and very valid question. Didnt do a surgery but I did take miltivitamins yes. Calcium/magnesium on and off but still taking it.

BigGuy47

DapperKay wrote: »

No i think you misunderstood.

I'm glad to hear that you're not pushing it. I wish you well with your doctor visit.