Spring Break Slip-Up–April 8, 2014
Spring Break Slip-up
Cara’s Spring break mishap
Day 1- Knee Swollen, throbbing, not bending much.
Day 3- Limping badly, not bending much.
Day 4- Kinetic Bridging®. Bending! Limping gone.
Day 5- Swelling gone!
Day 7- Elliptical for 45min.
Day 8- Run 5 miles on trail!
A wonderful week of hiking on the coast filled with sun and activity. Canyons, cliffs, inclines, drop-offs, streams, waterfalls—all sights not seen in Chicago. It was amazing! My long-awaited spring break.
The week was filled with delightful experiences until the stream crossing…the last boulder in the third stream crossing to be exact. One slight misstep and slip, splash, and down I went. My fall softened by my knee, hand, and elbow as they hit different parts of the rock. Despite the fall I pushed on, feeling my knee stiffen more with each step. I was afraid to look.
It was not good, especially since there was another three miles to get back to the car. Three miles going down 500′, up 500′, and back down 500’—not three miles of prairie flat. About halfway back, I paused to check—swollen on both sides and pain on the side of the kneecap where I landed. My hand and elbow were hanging in there, bracing my every step with my trusted hiking pole. Two hours later I made the final descent, exhausted from the inefficiencies of traversing with a bum knee.
Day 2: Lots of ice! Won’t bend. 🙁 
Sleep that night was fleeting. There was no comfortable position to sleep while keeping my throbbing knee elevated. Ice the following morning and night. The next day was my flight home. Every movement hurt—getting up from bed, into the shower, dressing, using the toilet, and getting in/out of the car. Wow, I sensed this was a karmic lesson to understand the challenges my clients have dealt with.
Home at last! Bleary eyed from the red-eye flight, the first thing I did was jump online and schedule myself an appointment with the first available Specialist of my Kinetic Konnections team, Leslie. I took a nap and headed to Northbrook. She assessed my resultant poor balance and made note of how badly I limped in. Working first to undo the many protective compensations I’d built up in just three days, I began to feel more relaxed. I had no idea how stressed my lower back felt until the stress melted away. Even my shoulder had tightened up compensating! She re-calibrated the movements at my knees and checked to see that my balance was restored. Wow! All that in an hour!
I walked out of the office and down the stairs to my car with no pain and no limping. Best of all, I went home and fell into a deep sleep. I was so relieved to have all my muscles calmed down and working together again. The swelling went away over the course of two more days (without any additional ice.)
Day 5: One day after Kinetic Bridging®
And miracle of miracles, eight days after the fall I ran five miles outside on the bike trail—no pain, no stiffness, and no brace or tape. Truly, I am amazed and grateful for the stability Leslie restored this week.
If you find yourself in unfortunate circumstances with a painful injury and need to get back to life quickly, we are here to help.
A Note from Cara
Sun and fun are the top features for many spring breaks. Often accompanied by activity and water, the risk for slipping increases. Slipping often leads to sprains and strains of ankles and knees. Sand is also known for playing havoc with ankles and knees. The idyllic walk on the beach can end in crazy weird pains the next morning.
Knee pain is something we’ve been seeing quite a bit of lately. Knee pain comes from many sources—slipping on water that didn’t end well, stress from gymnastics and indoor soccer, or residual pain following surgery. After just a session or two, everyone is moving smoother and feeling better.
Whatever your destination, enjoy your spring break escape and keep it safe!