Out There: A Knee-Jerk Reaction To Injuries

Susan Lacke discovers her aches and pains are not rooted in her knees.

I have bad knees.

Actually, I should say I have bad hips, which cause my bad knees. I also have a wonky ankle, which somehow, in turn, makes my knees grumpy. Sometimes, I have weak hamstrings, which make my knees hurt too.

So really, my knees are just fine. It’s the rest of my body that’s going bad.

About two or three times a year, my knees decide they’ve had enough of hill repeats and tempo runs, choosing instead to go on strike. If they weren’t attached to my body so well, I’m pretty sure they’d jump off and form a picket line, hoisting signs in the air that say “NO MORE 10KS” and “FARTLEK IS A STUPID WORD.”

But instead, they ache and groan and lock up when I try to go down stairs. When that happens, I head to Dr. Ball’s office, where he looks me up and down before declaring my knees are just fine.

“I’m sorry, what? No, my knees are not fine. My knees hurt.”

“Your knees are fine, Susan. The problem is actually riiiiiiight…” Dr. Ball takes a thumb to my right glute, causing me to yelp in pain, “there.”

“There” is never the same location. One month, my knee problem will be caused by weak hamstrings. The next, tight calves are the culprit. One time, after almost a year of pain-free running, my knees went on strike again, prompting another visit to Dr. Ball. He stood five feet in front of me, cocked his head to the side, and pursed his lips.

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“Have you rolled your ankle since the last time I saw you?”

I squinted at him suspiciously. How did he know?

“Yes, but that was four months ago. It’s healed. My knee is the issue, what does my ankle have to do with—”

“Everything,” Dr. Ball interrupted with a snap of his fingers. “Sit down and let’s get to work.”

Every time my knees are fixed by adjusting everything but my knees, I’m reminded of how my body is nothing more than a flesh-and-bones game of Jenga. When one block is removed, the rest of the stack leans precariously; subtract another, and the whole tower goes down.

Dr. Ball is right: My knees are never the issue. Instead, it’s something else I’ve neglected in training, whether it’s strength work, foam rolling, form drills or proper recovery. When I don’t fulfill my end of the bargain, my knees go on strike until I learn my lesson and promise never to do it again. One of these days, I’ll actually succeed at it.

Until then, I have an ongoing game of Jenga to play.

RELATED: 7 Plank Variations For A Strong Core

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About The Author:

Susan Lacke does 5Ks, Ironman triathlons, and everything in between to justify her love for cupcakes (yes, she eats that many). In addition to writing for Competitor, she is a featured contributor to Triathlete and Women’s Running magazines. Susan lives and trains in Phoenix, Arizona with four animals: A labrador, a cattle dog, a pinscher and a freakishly tall triathlete named Neil. She claims to be of sound mind, though this has yet to be substantiated by a medical expert. Follow her on Twitter: @SusanLacke