MRI Results

Good news.  I just got my results from my MRI, and I have no "acute bony, meniscal, or ligamentous" injuries.  Instead, I was diagnosed with iliotibial band syndrome.  What does that mean to me?  No surgery, no permanent damage, and no discouragement from being a lifelong runner.  Woo hoo!  It also means, according to my doctor, that I need to do even more stretching and icing than I have been doing, and I may need to start physical therapy.

I have no formal training reading MRIs as a Writing Program Administrator (big surprise, I know), but I did order the images from the lab and thought I would post a couple of them here.

Isn't this cool?  This is a picture of my knee.  (I could be a doctor...)  From this picture (and others like it), the specialists decided that I do not have bone damage.

This picture is a cross section of my knee.  The bright white stuff below my knee cap and along the side is fluid that shouldn't be there.  The report states, "There is abnormal fluid signal deep to the iliotibial band at the level of the proximal fibular collateral ligament."  Bad fluid. :(

Even though I am not pain-free when I run, I am glad that the mystery is solved and that I have some direction for recovery.  I plan to follow my doctor's advice and that of trusted websites.  My dad and step-mom also bought me a new pair of Adrenalines for Christmas, so I should be good in terms of foot support.  I'll be running that half marathon before you know it.  See you out there!

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