Imagine just working a retail job where you work in the shoe department and every day is a struggle. When you constantly have to crouch down to put shoes away and the repetitive motion does a lot on your knees.
Imagine running around a soccer field and feeling like you can’t run much longer but having to push yourself to make it through the game. It isn’t like you can ask the coach to sub you out, because you’re not a player, you’re a soccer referee and this is only one of many more games you have of the day.
Imagine you’re a dancing costume character with lines and choreography in a show. During the show all you can think about is bracing yourself for the last song and the part where you have to jump several times, all while holding this costume on your back and embracing the pain you know you’re going to endure from the jumping.
These are jobs that I’ve had where I felt the pain was too overwhelming and more than anything all I wanted to do was quit and lay down. There have been days where after I work I’ll sleep 10 plus hours only to wake up in more pain. Even sitting for too long was a problem. I would feel my knees shift and I would need to pop it back in place. I would constantly get up in the middle of class, crouch to crack my knees and sit down like it never happened. Sometimes people noticed and would make comments to me. I also hated long car rides because it was hard to crack my knees.
I have seen three different doctors about my knees and was told something different from each doctor. My first visit I saw my personal doctor. He told me it was my meniscus, which means I have no cartilage around my knees and I should take glucosamine to build up my cartilage.
After taking glucosamine for over a year and a half I didn't feel any improvement. That's when I decided to see an orthopedic doctor and was told I have patellofemoral pain syndrome. Patellofemoral pain syndrome is the most common knee problem in which you feel pain in and around your kneecap. I was told that there is nothing I can do about my knee problems other than do some patellar strengthening exercises.
It wasn't like I was unhealthy or was too active, both things that can cause knee problems. I attempted to try exercising my knees but felt like it was too repetitive and didn’t feel any better.
I then saw another specialist in the hope that they could just offer me some injections in my knees or even surgery. I wanted anything to be rid of my bad knees. This time I was told that it was Patellar Tracking Disorder, meaning that my kneecaps (patella) shift out of place when my leg bends or straightens. That means it's just how my anatomy is and there is nothing I could do about it, other than exercising and maybe getting a brace. I immediately bought their knee braces at $160 dollars in total. I wore the braces once when reffing a soccer match but found it extremely uncomfortable and never wore it again.
A friend that experienced similar problems reached out to me and proposed that the cause of my pain is the inflammation in my knees from my kneecaps shifting out of place. He suggested that I try an anti-inflammatory diet and swears it changed his life. I never believed that food could actually make an impact in my life let alone my knee problems. But after everything I’ve been through I thought it was worth a try.
Man, was he right. I cut out dairy, sugary foods and white carbs and started eating fish. I didn’t even know I liked fish. I can run several soccer games in a row without feeling the pain in my knees. I notice that every time I do eat what is considered inflammatory food, I immediately feel my knees hurting the next morning.
I’ve been on this diet since June right before I went away for a referee training camp because I knew I would be going through a fitness test. I completed the test with no problem and enjoyed the running. Not going to lie, I have a bad sweet tooth and have found myself on and off the diet. I ate a lot of food during Halloween and couldn’t wake up the next morning because of the pain.
I now know that a healthy diet really does make a difference. Starting this anti-inflammatory diet has really turned my life around. I can now that I can do the jobs I love without having to endure my knee pain, and I wake up the next day feeling just as good. I can finally focus and I look forward to advancing my referee career now that I have no knee problems holding me back.
