Author Archives: Gordon MacFarland

Recovering from an injury and/or surgery tests one’s patience. As runners, we’re eager to get back to running. We also tend to think we’re tougher and more resilient than most. And that our recovery should be way ahead of the curve. We count the days, maybe weeks, but certainly not months. At least this has been my mindset. The truth is we don’t know and can’t know how things will progress. Assuming we listen, our bodies tell us the real story as it plays out. It was eight weeks ago today I broke my ribs. It seems closer when I walk down the stairs and see the dent in the wall my suitcase made as the other side drove through my ribs.   I started PT after five weeks and of course felt what they gave me was elementary – I kept asking for harder exercises. After all, I’m a tough, resilient runner! But I learned they knew their stuff. I go weekly and each time they add new exercises I do daily. These often leave me a bit sore, which actually feels good. The symptoms have moderated considerably. The ambient pain is largely gone, though I trigger a reaction when … Continue reading →

Overall, the recovery from surgery has seemed quite incremental. Little steps here and here. But during course of the past 32 days, there have been some key checkpoints: (1) getting off pain meds, (2) incorporating water running and StairMaster in addition to walking, and (3) sleeping through the night. It hasn’t been all-or-nothing with the pain meds, which to be clear were narcotics only during the first 10 days. Since then it’s been Tylenol and Advil. Lately after a full workout I may feel stiff and sore and it helps to take a couple pills. But during the normal workday, nothing is necessary. I’ve never been a pill popper and being free from it is, in a word, freeing. I started StairMaster a week ago and water running a few days later. I’m now up to 40 minutes for each, with small increases in time and intensity each time. I was very timid getting into the water the first time, concerned the belt would put pressure on the ribs and the arm movement jostle things. So I cinch the belt up above the ribs under my armpits and do abbreviated arm swings. Just walking was becoming boring and I knew … Continue reading →

I saw my surgeon, Dr. Dasilva, yesterday for a surgery follow-up, 19 days after the surgery and three weeks after the fall. He looked at new X-rays with me and noted “It’s all looking good!” A welcomed comment for sure.   The four plated ribs were perfectly aligned with the unplated ones tagging along. Exactly as it’s supposed to be! This was of course the news I wanted to hear. In spite of lingering low level pain, and sleeping difficulties, I was moving in the right direction. And my hopes rose that I would be able to start running in another two or three weeks. Right? Wrong! Dr. Dasilva proceeded to explain how the healing process works: it takes six weeks for basic bonding of the bones and then another two months for things to solidify. I could then expect to gain full strength six months post surgery. His advice was to see him in three months and not run before that. This was not what I wanted to hear! I actually flashed back to the fall, remembering how clear it was in that excruciating moment that it would be a while before I would run again. And so it was … Continue reading →

One misstep and down the stairs I went, landing on a suitcase I was carrying. Breaking eight ribs, four in two places with displacement. With the wind knocked out, I yelled for help. Neighbors came to my aid and called 911. First an EMT arrived then an ambulance, taking me to the ER at Brigham and Women’s in Boston. It was all a painful blur. After several hours in the ER, I was moved to the ICU, due my age and the severity of injuries. The next day, the head thoracic surgeon stopped by to discuss the options. He explained how X-rays showed roughly 15% of my lung capacity was lost due to the collapsed ribs, technically called flail chest. Suffice it to say, as a runner, this caught my attention! He described a fairly new surgical procedure, developed only in the past ten years, called “plating.”    This procedure is offered only in situations where ribs will not heal on their own, due to multiple breaks and/or displacement.   Prior to the development of plating, one had to remain in the hospital on a respirator relying on mechanical ventilation for several weeks to inflate the lungs; in hopes the ribs would … Continue reading →

Going through some papers, I came across this piece I wrote 21 years ago, about midway through my running career. I am not sure what I did with this and if anyone else ever read it, but it reminded me how critical a juncture this was. The injury was patellar tendinitis, reportedly the 5th most common running injury. I did not run for over three months. But upon returning, I did so progressively with a commitment to avoid this going forward. Thus began my consistent use and tracking of running equivalents, mostly water running and Stairmaster and by incorporating REQs an adherence to daily workouts. It also marked the start of taping my knees with Leukotape right below the kneecap to take pressure off the patella tendon. The physical therapist used this during rehab and I just kept doing it. I buy Leukotape in bulk and don’t leave home without it. I tried the Cho-Pat, but find tape works much better. Also at this time, I began a regimen of weight exercises for my legs and knees four to five times a week. Specifically for the knees I use the quad machine, but rather than isotonic (up and down) reps … Continue reading →