Last weekend, I hiked from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon down to Plateau Point and back. The hike was just under 12 miles and was about 3000 feet in elevation change. Starting down the trail in the brisk morning air, I was on top of the world (pun intended) and confident that, with my new orthotics, I would be literally feeling no pain.
About 2 miles later the all too familiar stabbing in outside of my left knee began. I began to stumble down the switchbacks of my mind. The same feelings of despair and frustration that I would never heal weighed me down. These orthotics were supposed to be my answer. I am supposed to start running again next week, but how?
And then it hit me. During the orthotic fitting, I was wearing my Montrails, which have a bit more stability control when the orthotics are combined with the shoe's posting. Unfortunately, they were now a half size too small with the orthotics, so I used my other, more minimally supportive trail shoes for the Grand Canyon trip. I could only speculate this was the reason for my current onslaught of pain.
I continued to hobble down the trail using my trekking poles as make shift crutches and forcing my hiking mates to slow down. Like usual, the pain began to subside as the trail leveled out, and I felt perfect during the ascent. That night the pain viciously returned to my knee, so I iced it. And while I was sore all over the next morning, there was no more knee pain!
So now for the good sign. Yesterday morning, I went for a hike through Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve (which is beautiful). We took the Way Up Trail, which, true to its name, switch backed its way up in a very obvious way. The thought of descending made me cringe, but I was wearing the Montrails to test my previous theory.
Final report: there was not even a twinge in my knee. (However, I will need to get a larger size so as not to destroy my toes.)
Watch out trails, I am coming for you... in a very slow controlled fashion of course!
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment