avatarJim Farina

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The Knee Pain Was a Relief in Disguise

Sometimes, pushing through pain instead of avoiding it can lead to self-healing

Photo by Dave Contreras on Unsplash

"I'm ordering an imaging scan over at the hospital," The doctor told me as he squeezed my upper calf and worked his way down toward my ankle.

"Is there any pain?" he asked again. I told him it was a little tender, but I wouldn't call it pain. "Well, we need to be sure. If it is a blood clot, it could travel to your lung and become more serious."

The day before I made the doctor's appointment, I was taking a shower and noticed that my left leg and foot were swollen. It was not a slight swelling, but the difference was apparent.

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Something had been going on with that left leg for several months. It involved my knee joint. I attributed it to age. I'm in great shape for 66, but stuff starts to happen with age, particularly with joint stiffness and range of motion. I figured it was part of the package as a senior.

The joint ache in my left knee was just annoying. It was a slight ache and only became a sharp pain when I did squats, lunges, or bent my calf towards my hamstring.

Sitting on the floor in the yoga pose Sukhasana, or lotus, where the legs are folded like a pretzel, was somewhat painful. Sitting with my butt on my heels was impossible. I did what I could, limiting the range of motion to the just-beyond-tolerable level.

I figured it was my new reality, so I resigned myself to officially experiencing the life of an old geezer. I was wrong, and the doctor was wrong, too. The ache in my knee was caused by an aggravated joint or inflammation—a temporary affliction.

After pushing through that discomfort and continuing my exercise routines — weight training, long hikes, jogging, yoga, pickleball, squats, and lunges, after more than a year, something finally happened.

The ultrasound scan revealed that it was not a blood clot that caused my foot and ankle to swell, as the doctor initially suspected, but what is known as a Baker cyst. The cyst apparently ruptured, leading to the swelling limb or extremity edema.

A Baker cyst is a fluid-filled growth behind the knee. It causes a bulge and a feeling of tightness. Also called a popliteal (pop-luh-TEE-ul) cyst, a Baker cyst sometimes causes pain. The pain can worsen with activity or when fully straightening or bending the knee.

I creeped onto my test results through the online portal and saw the good news before the doctor called a few days later to communicate the findings himself. So, my leg was swollen for a couple of weeks until the fluid from the ruptured cyst reabsorbed itself.

I also discovered the pain was all but gone. I had a full range of motion again. It was like getting a second chance. The human body amazes me.

I wondered, had I not pushed through the pain, how far would the problem go? Did I inadvertently heal myself by persevering through discomfort? My wife urged me to elevate my leg and take Ibuprofen. I did neither. I've always felt it's better at times to move and be present with some pain.

It's not wise advice for all medical issues, but it felt right to continue doing what I did in this case. Part of the mindfulness experience is being present with one's feelings and experiences.

We're told to observe as spectators rather than participants. This is often easier said than done. There are times when it would be ill-advised to push through pain, such as forcing yourself through a break or sprain.

The Kenny Rogers song, The Gambler, comes to mind:

You've got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run

The body and mind have always fascinated me. They work so well together if we nurture and permit the two-way connection.

Whatever was going on with my knee joint could likely happen again. Perhaps not — I don't know. But if the problem does resurface, I will be more informed and better equipped to take the necessary steps to recovery.

Knowledge is power. As I age gracefully, I'm working more to tap into mindfulness, one of my most powerful assets.

Mindfulness
Pain
Yoga
Bakers Cyst
Healing
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