I Will Never Run Again

2020 > America

hip bone spur cat scan

I love to run. You know that from my many, many, many running selfies from commutes, communities, cities, and countries, around the world. I love to run to work too. In fact, I ran to work for 20 years. Yes, that sentence is now past-tense, regardless of the novel coronavirus. Here’s the story why.

Back in mid-September 2019, my right hip started hurting after I ran. Being the tough man that I am, I decided I would run through the pain. Right. By mid-October, I couldn’t stand after I ran, nor could I sleep at night, the pain was too great and too lasting.

I figured that I’d just pulled a muscle and if I didn’t run for a while, my leg would heal. Like so many other injuries, if I just gave it time, I could be back running in a month or two. By February, I still could not run and I knew something serious was still wrong.

Then COVID-19 hit and I wasn’t able to see an orthopedic doctor until June. He was quick to say I needed a CAT scan of my lower body. Not an MRI like my knee, but computerized axial tomography to see the structures inside my hip area. As you can see in the photo above, my bone mass is not normal.

That little white arrow is pointing to a bone spur that’s growing up from the inside front of my right hip bone, and matched through cartridge, with a mirror bone spur on my sacroiliac joints. Whenever I run, or do any high-impact activity, the two bones compress the cartridge and tissues around it, causing excruciating pain.

Apparently, because of its location, its inoperable, so I have to wait till the bone spur fuses before I can run again. “When will it fuse?”, I asked the doctor. He just shrugged. Maybe in six months, maybe in six years, maybe never. Hence, I will never run again.

10 Comments on “I Will Never Run Again

  1. Sorry to hear, hang in there. Sounds like there is hope!

  2. I’m sorry to hear this. Maybe there are other exercises you can look at like walking or biking, that won’t be so hard on the hip area.

    With arthritic knees, I already know from the word “go” that running is out of the question. I have to look at other options if I want to get moving.

    • I now swim, lift weights, and do 7-minute cardio (low impact) to keep fit. Oh and I walk 3 mile around the lake in our neighbourhood 2-3 times a week. Not the same as a good 5-7 mile run though…

  3. Wayan,

    That’s terrible. I hope it fuses quickly.

    I took up swimming when I couldn’t run due to a knee issue and I love it. Never really would swim before but find it great and so much easier on all the joints. Now we are in a national lockdown I am very much missing swimming as the gyms are closed but as soon as they reopen, I will be back in the water. Maybe you can swim whilst your spur fuses and then when you do run again (yes you will if you believe), your cardiovascular condition will still be high. Wish you the best in recovery. Kevin

    • I am swimming (our gyms are open with serious restrictions) and its great for now, but damn boring. Black lines and ceilings – nothing like the visual and physical stimulation of running. Then its hopeless when I travel. The rare hotel pool is set up for swimming laps. They’re mainly for soaking. No going for a long swim during a layover either.

  4. Wayan, that is tough news, but keep in mind that this closed door might lead to other doors being opened. You might find some alternate exercise activities that bring you closer to a whole different group of people. Wishing you well. Your
    strong growth mindset attitude has always been an inspiration to me.

  5. Sorry to hear that. Me myself I can run but do a lot of fast walking. I have hernias, one on each side. Usually just run when I need to like to get ahead of the Mosquitoes or make it back to base camp, which is mostly my vehicle.