The Wonders of Glucosamine

Running has really hurt my body. I'm not sure if I suffer from "too much too fast" syndrome or if I just have a weak body! But I have suffered some pretty rough injuries in the short time I've been running. I have dealt with a stress fracture in my foot-of which I ran a half marathon with, so I know I am badass! I've had crippling knee pain that turned out to be IT band syndrome. I've also had to nurse myself through cartilage damage in my right hip. The pain in my hip started 3 days before the first half marathon I ran. It originally felt like a tight or pulled hip flexor. I thought I might be having sympathy pains for my friend who was dealing with a bone spur in her hip. Weeks after the race, I was still in a ton of pain, so I finally broke down and went to the doctor. He thought I had developed a stress fracture in my pelvis (treatable by at least 8 weeks on crutches) and sent me for an MRI. The good news was that I didn't have a stress fracture, but I had cartilage damage in my hip. Unfortunately, the MRI couldn't show the extent of the damage, I would need a second one with dye injected into my hip. I decided against this test, figuring I had enough radiation and would try other methods of treatment instead of PT and surgery. I stopped running for a few weeks and started taking Flexamin, a blend of Glucosamine and Chondroitin. I saw a little improvement in my pain, but once I started running again, it was back. I did a bunch of research to see if I could OD on Flexamin and found that it was probably the wrong mix of supplements to help me. I learned that young athletes (at 31, I feel I fall into this category), should take higher doses of Glucosamine and do not need the Chondroitin. Also, there is a different variety of Glucosamine that I should have been taking, vs what is in most supplements you buy at the drug store. I have been taking 2000 mg of Glucosamine Sulfate and have virtually cured my prior hip pain. There are still days when it hurts, but I would say I'm 99% improved from where I was 6 months ago. And I owe it all to Glucosamine. If you are a runner, consider taking it daily. Miles logged: 11