FROM IRONMANLIVE.COM It's a Known Fact - Doctors Can Often Be the Worst Patients By Don Norcross for Ironmanlive.com on Fri, Aug 31st 2001 (11:03 AM). As a physician and athlete, Freeman knows the most susceptible areas to injury for a triathlete are shoulders (swimming), kneecap (cycling) and IT band (running). Knowing how to treat an injury is one thing. Knowing how to listen to his own body is another. Roger Freeman sensed something was wrong with his Achilles. It ached and there was swelling. Stubbornly, he continued training. Then one day when Freeman was jogging uphill the Achilles revolted. It snapped. It would be eight years before Freeman attempted another Ironman triathlon. Earlier this year, Freeman, 54, slipped when running on an icy patch of road in the mountains and hurt his ankle. He thought it was a sprain, but the pain persisted. Six weeks after suffering the injury, Freeman underwent an MRI- turns out the ankle was broken. Ruptured Achilles, broken ankle, sprained ankle, plantar fasciitis, strained IT band, shoulder tendonitis - the man has suffered a variety of injuries through the years, which in a sense helps Freeman professionally. The man's an orthopedic surgeon, and he treats a lot of triathletes. "I've had a lot of these injuries," said Freeman, who lives in San Diego. "I understand the importance of getting them back to their sport." Knowing how to treat an injury is one thing. Knowing how to listen to his own body is another. "I'm a bad patient," said Dr. Freeman. Because a lot of triathletes are more into the training than accumulating wealth, many have modest bank accounts. Freeman often supplies pro bono services for triathletes. "It always pays off," Freeman says. "They give me good training tips." He says he derives as much if not more satisfaction out of helping others reach the starting line as he does crossing the finish line. "It's a pleasure to help someone and see they have a positive response," said Freeman. "It's a good feeling to get someone back out there doing what they love doing." Like many triathletes, Freeman turned to the sport after a lengthy running career. His marathon personal best is 3 hours, 2 minutes. He remembers watching his first Ironman race on TV and thinking, "I can do that." Despite the long layoff after the ruptured Achilles tendon, Freeman has finished eight Ironman events, including races in Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand and the sport's Super Bowl, Ironman Hawaii. "It's a good excuse to travel," he said. Freeman's Ironman PR is 12:21 last year at Ironman California. In his lone race at Ironman Hawaii, in 1997, he finished in 12:43:57. Freeman qualified for Hawaii that year, and like anyone who has tangled with the lava fields and Kona gods, his memories are bountiful. A little more than a mile from the finish at Hawaii, Freeman looked up and slipped off the asphalt. "I thought I broke my ankle," he said. "I couldn't believe it was happening." With spectators watching, he crawled 100 yards. Then he gingerly walked on his ankle and wound up walking the last mile. Earlier during the run, Freeman was passed by a below-the-knee amputee. Freeman talked to the man for a while and noticed blood building around the man's stump. "We talked about me being an orthopedist and him being an amputee," said Freeman. "Then he said, `I'm going to take off now.' That was pretty inspirational. It made my problems seem pretty minor." While Freeman doesn't work as many hours as he once did, he still routinely works 60 hours a week, including being on call. He's able to balance family, job and training by logging the bulk of his workouts early in the morning. He swims three days a week at 5:30 a.m. He takes a spinning class twice a week at 6:30 a.m. The weekends are reserved for his long bike ride and run. Asked why he's a triathlete, considering the demands of his profession, Freeman said, "It makes me a better person, and it makes me a good example to maintain a level of fitness. It's reflected in my attitude toward my patients, family and friends." The bulk of his friends are not from the medical field but from triathlon. He trains with welders, a UPS delivery man and a man who makes bike racks. "Triathlon's a great way to meet different people and know those people for themselves, not for their status by profession," said Freeman. As a physician and athlete, Freeman knows the most susceptible areas to injury for a triathlete are shoulders (swimming), kneecap (cycling) and IT band (running). Common sense, he says, is the best way to deal with the injuries. Try resting and finding out what exercise caused the injury. Treat the injury with ice and an anti-inflammatory. "Often," said Freeman, "you can avoid a trip to the doctor." Unless you're Freeman and sometimes don't pay attention to your own aches and pains. Said the doctor regarding his personal medical history, "It's a denial issue." Don Norcross is a sports writer for the San Diego Union-Tribune and produces a weekly fitness package for the paper. His work has appeared in The Sporting News and Competitor Magazine.