Sports Fitness and Nutrition

Initial reactions after reading this: OMG, ouch, ewww, and ow (again).

It's amazing that when you're playing a sport that you love, it's easy to forget the dangerous possibilities associated with it - especially if you're doing a lighter version of it, like two-hand touch.

I'm sorry to hear about your injury. I sincerely hope that it doesn't put you out of the game forever. Thirty-three is young, so best of luck in your healing process!

Thanks, Sharkles. Surprisingly, it didn't really hurt that bad. I wouldn't recommend this injury to anyone. The ER doc said for athletes, it is "the one not to get", but what are you going to do other than work hard on rehab?

Injuries are no fun at all. They are something that every athlete dreads but at some point most will experience to some degree.

But it could have been much worse, you could have fallen asleep on the couch after a binge of pizza, chicken wings, and dorritos, rolled over and fell off only to split your head open on the coffee table and lose an eye in the process.

That said, moving forward I wish you the best of luck with your recovery and hope you can return to what you enjoy soon!

That is true. At least it was being physically active that did it. I guess that's something.

I understand what you mean, but in truth, this comes from explosive, 0-60 type motion. Joggers, although they may have tendonitis from lots of mileage, should have limited concerns about this. Unless they have tendinotis and really push it, that is.

Ouch, this sounds painful! I have some idea of the seriousness of this injury because I have had some experience with its equivalent in horses. Even when it's not a tear it can mean months of layup. A tear or rupture can result in putting the animal down, depending on some different factors. Luckily humans understand they need to cooperate and can adapt to crutches.

Hope you are well on your way along the road to recovery.

Luckily humans understand they need to cooperate and can adapt to crutches.

My wife might disagree. She asked the doctor twice about putting me down, I think.

Come to think of it, I wasn't very content on crutches, either! Maybe it's time for me to write a blog entry about my experience. I drove myself to the ER too. BIG mistake.

That sounds like a great idea. Personally, I want to know why engineers have not come up with a better alternative. They are about the same basic design as they were during the civil war, with the exception of a hand grip and the move to aluminum from wood for most places.

"That is what kids call an Epic Fail."

Ouch! So what would you say is worse-- pain from the injury itself, or having to hobble around on crutches for weeks of recovery? I sympathize, as I spent part of one summer on crutches and it was no fun at all!

Definitely the loss of independence. Thankfully, TechOutReach is good at fetching coffee.

This story made my calves cry and beg me not to do something like this to them. Maybe I will stretch next time I play softball...

I hope you the best of recoveries.

I liked your punch line in the end. Haha. Epic Fail.

And make sure you have quality footwear. Sneakers need to be changed every three months (of regular use) or 300 miles.

Sneakers need to be changed every three months .

This reminds me of the joke about Athlete's foot...
The Doctor said...
'put on a clean pair of socks every day'
By the end of the week I couldn't get my shoes on...
Del

Del,

This place wouldn't be the same without you. You just create an irreplaceable atmosphere that I get a kick out of almost every day.

Last fall while surveying stockpiles at one of the mine sites I worked at half of the pile gave way. Once I felt the pile starting to slide I jumped about 6 feet to the nearest berm in the process I felt a pop in my lower calf muscle of my left leg. My leg really didn't hurt at first just didn't function properly. After hobbling close to a mile back to my truck and making a run to the nearest hospital's ER they did the Thompson test on my leg. I passed the test the Dr said and only had strained my calf and I could go home. Next day still not able to walk, my company sent me to the company Dr. I went for a MRI and found out that my calf had been nearly torn in half. I also found out that I had numerous blood clots through out the area, and had to spend over two weeks in a hospital with my leg up with IV to get rid of the clots. The sent me home and said the could not risk doing surgery because of the clots. After 12 months and weekly therapy sessions I can walk now without a cane. It's just amazing how such little things can do so much damage to your body.

That's is unreal. Thanks for sharing the story. Thankfully, no clots, but I also had to take daily injections in the abs to help prevent them post-op. No fun, there.

I got to take commoden thank goodness. I had the shot's in the beginning in the stomach they felt like fire for hours. The Drs must have gotten tired of torturing me so I ended up with the pills. How often do you have to have blood tests? Mine where three times a week. I did that for six months, I look like I had a bruised up pin cushion.

Thankfully, after my stint in the hospital, I didn't have to submit to blood tests. They felt that the damage to muscle was limited enough that once I was "out of the woods" t I wasn't enough of a risk of developing clots to warrant continual blood testing, just preventative medicine.

From the sounds of what you went through, I was much luckier than I realized. The ab shots only lasted 12 days.

The thing that sucks now is that my daughter (5 years old) is starting soccer this year and I volunteered to be her couch. My doctor doesn't want me to run around especially short sprints. So now I have to try and couch without running around with the kids I'll just make the best of it.

Luckily, this happened one week after my coaching season ended, because I am very active at practice, be it demonstrating moves, skills, or techniques, or just playing opposition.

I would normally recommend player coaches, but five years old is a little young. I would try deputizing some parents or see if you can't contact some older kids from the middle or high school to come help out on occasion.

Finally, I am a big fan of the Positive Coaching Alliance. They have some ideas about spreading the load of coaching & team management responsibilities that might be useful for you. Their site is: http://www.positivecoach.org/

I've got little to no cartilage in these knees, and torn-up biceps & a bad back....but in no way would I ever trade a minute of my many years in football away - I don't regret a thing....

33? I say go get at it while you can....you'll heal and if your having fun, that's what it's all about - best of luck on your recovery & rehab...you'll be fine I hope

^{That stretching in PT is a PIA!}

Thanks for the well wishes. As beat up as my body is, I wouldn't trade away any of my former sports seasons. I might change my mind, when I am 60, but they have been far to valuable in so many ways.

The body heals. I have faith in that.