Should I do this triathlon?

[thedevilisinthedetail]

I've been training for a triathlon since January. It is in three weeks and have torn a ligament in my knee...the doctor has said that I could do it if I strap it up but that it would be up to me. I feel as ready as I'm going to for this triathlon but I know how much it now hurts to cycle up a hill with even the smallest gradient but I could push through I think. It cost £47 to enter which feels like a lot to wave goodbye to if I don't do it (though I don't want to be in a position where I wreck my knee either).

What would you do? Should I give it a go or not?

Thanks.

Is it just about the money? If so, why wouold you risk injuring yourself further for £47? How much will you lose in wages/ promotion if you have to take time off work for treatment?

You have 3 weeks, you don't need to decide now. Your knee may improve. Personally if my doc was saying that (as opposed to don't do it!) I'd almost certainly do it as they normally err so far on the side of caution. But there's absolutely no reason to risk it and you shouldn't, just take the fitness from the training and enter one later in the year.

How far is it? if its a sprint then... yes, longer no.

Can you afford to see a sports pyshio? A good one will be able to assess your injury and advise you on rehabilitation and strapping. Proper strapping makes all the difference to DD.

Plenty more triathalons - can you defer this one and enter another a month or so later?
Are you getting physio now?

Plenty more triathalons - can you defer this one and enter another a month or so later?
Are you getting physio now?

Thanks all. It is a sprint so that's good. I know £ 47 isn't much in the scheme of things but we're on quite a tight budget at the moment so feels like quite a lot. As you say though nothing to whatI would lose in time off work! I suppose if I rest it I can just take it really slow on the day with an aim of just finishing!

I've also been shredding a well as training and that's hard on the knees as well so stopped that too.

I suppose 3 weeks is still a long time...I can just see how I go...

And not yet seen the physio but maybe if I just had a one off session so could be assessed for an opinion, but no idea what that would cost. The money isn't a huge problem, tight budget as saving so a little out of that so as not to do myself an injury would be ok. This is just my first competitive anything and I now think I'm going to be last and in pain!

You can see a physio cheap at your local university as they are training (supervised), or see someone for a one-off assessment, or just wait and see
Personally I wouldn't run on an injury unless it was pretty much healed, esp if it's your first big run, as you could do serious damage, but then again, 3 weeks is a long time off and it could be a lot better by then
Any other triathalons in the following month?

You can see a physio cheap at your local university as they are training (supervised), or see someone for a one-off assessment, or just wait and see
Personally I wouldn't run on an injury unless it was pretty much healed, esp if it's your first big run, as you could do serious damage, but then again, 3 weeks is a long time off and it could be a lot better by then
Any other triathalons in the following month?

You might aswell ask the GP for a physio referral, depending on your region you can get NHS apps pretty quick on occasion.

hi thedevilisinthedetail. i have a torn ligament in my knee, i did it about 2 months ago and an MRI scan 2 weeks ago shows it needs keyhole surgery to repair it. However, i continued running after i did it which made it hurt quite a lot but i don't think it made it any worse. i did the London Marathon on sunday - hence why i carried on running! i wore a bandage and where my legs and body were aching so much, i hardly felt my knee hurt at all. even now 3 days later when its usually still agony, i can't really feel it properly yet as my legs are still aching and i have a pull in my hamstring which is taking the emphasis off my knee!!

that isn't necessarily a good thing, and it would be wrong of me to say you should still do it, but at the same time im not going to say definately dont do it as so many people told me not to and im so glad i did!

only you know how you feel and you still have a couple of weeks to decide so see how it goes. i kept telling myself 'regret the things you do rather than the things you dont'.

DD pays £40 for her first consultation with her physio then subsequent appointments are £35. NHS physios (as good as they are) aren't always well versed in sports injuries so we've found it worthwhile paying. DD has also used teh services of the sports physios at our local Uni, their clinic is free, it's run at the local hospital and you self-refer and are usually seen on the day. The only stipulations for our uni clinic is that the injury must be sports related and less than 72 hours old.

I would take advice from a physio rather than a gp tbh for a sports injury.

I think I paid about £35 for a consultation with a physio. That was the end of it, she diagnosed ITB probes and basically just gave me advice on managing it, stretches and stuff.

Money well spent.

Thank you, physio seems the way to go. Had a few days rest now and although walking uphill hurts I've spoken to a friend who has suggested various strapping methods and the support seems to give some relief. Off to the physio I go...

Congratulations juicy, I think the sense of achievement will be worth it like you say! Just don't want to be out of circulatoin for ages after!