Struggles to Success: Lessons in Growth

[Joshua H]

Hello all.

I am starting a new thread here in the MTJ's as my own training goals and plans for the rest of this year have been changed drastically in the past week. I was given word this past Monday evening that an MRI I had done the Tuesday before that, does in fact show that I have a meniscus tear that will require arthoscopic repair. That said, now until op day and the 6-7 weeks recovery that follows, will not contain any mud runs, lowerbody lifting or meets/comps for the rest of this year for sure.

The skinny of it is pretty anti-climactic as well. I was on vacation for a week post 2 week overeaching cycle. No training at all for 6 days while on vaca. I come home the last day, get off the plane and my right knee is clicking noticeably with each step. No biggy, no pain, no worry. 2 hours later after unpacking and getting settled at home, my knee gets tight and stiff. Overnight its gets more so yet until I struggle to walk to the bathroom. It'll pass right? Nope! All next day I have to act like frankenstein my knee is so tight and stiff now. No pain though so I'm perplexed. Will this pass, will it get worse, why did it happen at all?

I call sports med doc Monday AM to get checked out, next day he has me in on the table for exam. Physical exam leads him to suspect a medial meniscus tear. Doc orders MRI to confirm it. 3 days later I am getting the MRI and 3 days after that I am on the phone with the doc getting an ear full of what h found, the answer was not what I expected to hear nor wanted to.

medial meniscus posterior horn longitudinal tear
mild mcl degeneration
mild medial cartilage degeneration
pes anserinus bursitis

treatment= arthroscopic repair.

So now I sit 3 days prior to my meeting with the surgeon to discuss the operation, post rehab plan, what caused this, etc....My head has been all over the past week as well as my emotions, predictions, projections.....why, how, when etc? I have never been this strong or lean at this bodyweight in my life. I was just starting to have talks with my coach Peter about doing another powerifting meet or another physique show once my last mud run race was over in September when this out of the blue turn of events blasted me in the face.

I have never had a major injury in my life after being a college athlete, lifting for 8 years competitively, doing over 15 mud runs since 2010. Nothing that took me out for a week or more anyway. Never had surgery either. This really is new ground for me.

I have decided to take the setback and run with it for what it is, cant do a damn thing about what has happened. It sucks yes but how I respond and react and move on will say allot about be as an athlete and as a person. I am not the first or last person to have a knee injury that sets them back, derails them, stalls their goals. I want to grow from this and want others to do the same. I am thus going to showcase this to the world to follow.

I will be doing weekly FB and IG live chats every weekend as well as a YouTube channel to inform people how things are going on all levels. 12-15 minute segments I can update people with on operation, post op, rehab, all other training progressions, lifestyle changes, diet changes. My intent is to keep all training the same as is except lower body of course.

Time to use my own training, education, background and experiences as a strength coach, CES, CISSN and SME in exercise science to fortify my own treatment plan with my assigned PT to show how effective a blended approach of rehab can be to getting back to top shape can be. My goal is to be back in the gym starting normal training (at lighter loads) with full ROM 5 weeks post operation or less. I will show visual and objective changes in my legs to allow all to see what degree of atrophy/muscle loss I sustain and how quick I can rebound any such losses as well.

Join the ride folks and be ready for the video series on my socials and on my new youtube channel as well. Looking to all of you here for support on this journey.

https://www.facebook.com/joshua.hockett.3
@musclesnmorsels for IG page
https://www.youtube.com/user/CVN76Fitboss