Entries tagged with injuries

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injuries

injury du jour

Just got back from a doctor's visit which included an x-ray. I'd been experiencing a sharp pain in my ribs while breathing, and moving my right arm was tricky at best, so I made myself an appointment, although she couldn't see me until this afternoon. The good news is that I didn't fracture a rib, which is what the doctor seemed to think it was. I have, instead, torn a bunch of my intercostal muscles, which are the muscles between the ribs that help the ribcage expand and contract for breathing. That explains the sharp pain, then. My prescription is to take it easy until it doesn't hurt to breathe anymore and ice the area. I'll probably have to spend a couple more practices off skates, because everything but the smallest motions with my right arm hurts like the dickens right now, but I haven't been specifically warned off skating, or even bouting. Well, in the long term, at least. I suppose I ought to let the muslces heal a little bit before I go back to smashing into girls for fun.

An interesting tidbit, I found while researching intercostal tears:

Intercostal strains - intercostal muscles allow the ribcage to move up and down. These muscles can be strained by any activity that involves extreme or forceful twisting of the body or swinging of the arms. Sports that commonly cause this type of injury include golf and tennis.

I guess we can add roller derby to the list.

Current Mood: determined

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My knee is stupid, but the upshot is that I am now going to the aqua fitness (or whatever the heck it's actually called) on Tuesday. We'll see if I can make it Thursday as well. It is quite obvious that although I have been trying to heal myself I haven't been doing it fast enough to throw myself back into derby like I want to. So the solution is to skate as much as I can, and do alternative training to help re-build strength and endurance so I can skate competetively again.

Sigh.

I'm totally willing to admit to weaknesses that I'm aware of. Having new ones thrust at me is a little disconcerting, but probably par for the course considering that I didn't start any kind of regular exercise regimen until I was well into my thirties. As much as I'd like to pretend that age doesn't matter, it kind of does a little bit. I took a lot of hits tonight, and a few major spills, but one was "wrong," and took me off my skates for the rest of the night. There was really nothing I could have done to avoid getting hurt, other than not skating. The fall wasn't even that spectacular, but happened to twist my knee so that I couldn't get up unassisted. A similar hit earlier in the evening had me on the floor, but in such a way that I was able to get up (albeit a bit slowly) and get right back into the game.

I'm going to ice, and elevate, and rest like I'm supposed to, but as soon as I'm able to, I'll be back on skates. I've done it before, and I can do it again. It just might take a little longer this time. And at this point, I'm willing to take all the time I need.

Current Mood: snackish

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I'm afraid to tell my physical therapist that my knee is starting to hurt more. Not "I can't walk on it" sore, but more of an ache that makes moving it, and well, not moving it kind of painful. If I do, she'll tell me that I have to stay off skates even longer, and that's not something I want to hear right now. Grr. I'm hoping that it's just the residual effects of the blistering workout she gave it yesterday. Every visit we add more exercises for me to do at home, and she invents new tortures to do while I'm in the office at her mercy. All in the name of strenghthening. In any case I'm hoping that the pain will subside so that I can truthfully tell her at my next visit that I am feeling aces, so that she can tell me I'm strong enough to skate.

Newsblast!: The Rat City Rollergirls are teaming up with the Seattle Storm for a sports filled weekend on July 14th and 15th. $32 gets you a joint ticket to the Storm Game that Friday, and the Roller Derby bout on Saturday. Members from all 4 teams will be at the Storm Game to mix and mingle with the crowd, plus, halftime entertainment by your favorite derby girls. If you'd like to buy tickets, you can get them at El Corazon this Thursday (at DLF's bar night) or let me know and I'll arange something. You can even pay by check!

Current Mood: ambivalent
Current Location: heading out the door

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knee update

Just got off the phone with the nurse. The good news: I did not tear my MCL. The bad news: I did, however strain it pretty bad, so I'm off skates for a while, and I start physical therapy next week. This means, that unless I completely ignore my doctor's advice (and she's never tried to get me to stop skating), I'm not bouting on June 24th.

I still can't walk without limping, so I'm not going to push it. I'm bummed, but at the same time very happy that it wasn't something more serious. I'll get better, and probably strengthen my knees (from the PT) so that I can avoid future injuries.

So, if you are planning on coming to the bout, you won't be able to see me play, but I will be able to come and sit with you for a little while at least.