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Project Pruitt: A cyclist tries to come back from a nagging knee injury.

Can Andrew Pruitt and Specialized's Body Geometry equipment and fitting help get our man back on his bike?

Published: Nov. 12, 2008
LeCarner
LeCarner
Photo: VeloNews

Editor’s note:Tom LeCarner, VeloNews’ copy editor, is a 41-year-old longtime cyclist and former racer who has been struggling with tendonitis this year. Specialized has offered to help Tom overcome his injuries with its Body Geometry equipment and treatment by Andy Pruitt of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. Tom will report on if and how he progresses in a regular column on VeloNews.com. His first piece here gives some background of the causes of his injuries.


About a year ago I signed up for the TransRockies seven-day stage race in Canada. All I had to do was train and be ready by August.

In anticipation of a week of physical agony, including over 50,000 feet of climbing, endless hike-a-bike sections, and 360 long, hard miles — all with a stunning view of the Canadian Rockies mind you — I started riding my bike. A lot. I put in more than 175 miles per week during November and December, and managed about 100 per week during January and February.

I rather stupidly trained and put in all these miles without the aid of a coach or a training program. The result of course was overtraining and injury, specifically, tendonitis in my right knee. Before I knew it, I was out of the race and unable to ride more than about 30 miles on the road without excruciating pain.

I went to a doctor who prescribed physical therapy for an 8-week course. I saw no improvement. I was eyeballs deep in ibuprofen and ice packs for even the most moderate rides. Then my friend Chris suggested I go see Andy Pruitt at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. People come from all over the world to see Pruitt and his colleagues for a variety of sports related injuries. But I’m certainly no elite-level athlete and my grad student health insurance would not cover treatment at the BCSM.

Fortunately, Chris, who happens to be a marketing honch at Specialized, had another idea. Why not tell the story of your road to recovery for VeloNews.com readers?

So, I’m going to see Pruitt to put his expertise and Specialized’s Body Geometry products and Fit System to the test. Specialized will cover the costs, and I will tell my story — whatever the outcome. Can Specialized and Pruitt’s fit, equipment, and rehabilitation fix what has thus far been an unfixable aged knee? I’ll keep you posted.