I don’t know how I’ve done this but I’ve got an injured left knee. There was nothing specific I can remember that might have caused it, but there’s a definite tightness around the joint, especially when I squat. It doesn’t hurt and there’s no visible swelling, but I can feel it nonetheless.

Although it causes me no problems I decided not to go to my Wing Chun class tonight. Although this problem is related to my abstaining from Wing Chun, the decision whether or not to train with an injury is common to many disciplines. In this instance, my main fear was that there would be a mammoth leg training session that would cripple me or that when chi sauing I would make a sudden movement and twist it.

Of course there’s the inevitable argument raging in my head:

me: you should go to class, we don’t train legs often. You’ll be alright.

me: but if we do a lot of legwork, I’m either going to have to grin and bear it and risk injuring myself further, or I’m going to sit out. Aside from the mental impact of feeling defeated by that decision, there would be the feeling of loss having paid my $14 for the class, half of which I’m not part of

me: and so on

But…I think it’s important to ere on the side of caution. One of the me’s above is possibly right in saying we don’t train legs often so I could get away with going. But there’s too much to lose if I knacker my knee in completely. I won’t be laughing if I then have to miss a month or so of training. If I can just keep this drama queen hat on a bit longer the risks are just too high!

Anyway, the class started at 20:30 and it’s 20:34 so I’m definitely not going. And just to seal the decision, I’ve had a massive curry for my tea. Not going.

Update: OK, after a little internet research I think I know what the Mystery Injury might be. Water on the knee/bursitis. Stupidly, yesterday I was seeing how far I could push the joint by kneeling on the ground and seeing how far I could sit on my heels. It felt tight, and I shouldn’t have done that. And a couple of days ago in the gym I was doing the same, the idea being that I should try and loosen the joint up. Jeez, I’m a hazard! I think rest, cold compresses and anti-inflammatories are the way to go. Duh, I can’t believe that I’ve gone and aggravated the injury!