what do I do, what do I do???

[backspin]

Okay, you all are bad luck, we're all getting injured!

Here's my deal:

This past week my ankles, specifically the front where you get lace bite when bending your knees, have been getting progressively more and more sore. I know what it is--tendonitis--I had it for a little bit last fall in one foot. Now it's both. I'm testing next Tuesday & I've been working really hard.

So I had my practices all planned out up to the test session--tomorrow (Friday) morning, no skating on Sat (I have company this weekend), a final lesson on Sunday, a light skate on Monday, test on Tues.

Now today my ankles hurt so much I was really backing off on the skating--didn't skate as hard or as long, because it just hurt too much.

It's not bad enough to cancel the test, besides, I don't want to. But I'm considering taking tomorrow off--which will give me 2 days off the ice. I don't know if that would be enough time to make any difference anyway, & might be detrimental in that I'm losing one more practice before my test.

I already know the tricks: ice, ibuprofen, lacing the skate different, extra padding. Would you take an extra day off just before testing? What do I do?

edited to add: I'm testing 3 dances, 2 of them w/ solos, so keeping up my stamina is vital here!

[sk8er1964]

I think it sounds like you are stressing. As someone who has endured anxiety disorder, I know the territory. Stress will do amazing things to a body.

So -- my totally unprofessional advice is to skate for fun on Monday - maybe on Friday too. You won't learn anything new anyway - you already have the the moves down pat. So, skate to enjoy the experience - to remember on Tuesday why you skate (because you enjoy it) and enjoy your test. The judges want you to pass anyway, your coach thinks you are ready - so the rest should be the fun of doing well, of letting your body do what it's been trained to do. Go have fun - enjoy, and good luck!

(PS - this is a lesson I learned in the months between Mids and AN. I let the fact that I qualified bring stress into my skating, and take the joy out of it. Lake Placid AN was no fun, skating-wise, and I regret that. So skate for the joy, and the rest will take care of itself. I'll be sure to remember that for next year's Mids and AN.)

[backspin]

I haven't lost the joy in my skating, & I'm actually remarkably calm so far about this test. I feel I've prepared myself as much as I could; now I'm just polishiing things & keeping up my endurance. My problem is the pain from the tendonitis; I'm not sure taking an extra day off will help anyway, & I'm worried about losing ground on my dances from 2 non-skating days in a row.

[sk8er1964]

I'm sorry backspin - I didn't mean to imply or diagnose, just share my own experiences. However, my statement that you are ready, and that your coach thinks you are ready stands true. You won't suffer if you take a day off, so don't worry about it if that's what you want to do.

[TashaKat]

Do you think that the extra day off could help relieve the problem just enough to get you through the test? If you do then I would take the day off. The adrenaline on the day will help with the pain relief a bit anyway!

Could you have the day off but then get half an hour in before the test? If you can that's what I would do. You're NOT going to improve significantly if the test is that close but you DO have to think about your injury.

All the best (and good luck)



Lx

[LWalsh]

I had tendonitis in the same spot this winter. It kept me off the ice completely for three weeks. I would take the day off before the test (as someone else pointed out you won't improve anyway, your work is done). This and some anti-inflamatory medicine (see if you can get Vioxx better than Advil) and you should be able to make it through your test. After that I strongly suggest rest, see a Doc, etc. If this doesn't heal properly it will haunt you forever. Mine seems to be healed now but I am very careful to warm up properly and use ice when needed.

Good luck!

LW

[TashaKat]

IF you are a good BackSpin and have the day off then you can also rub some ibuprofen gel into your ankles ....... BUT this is only ...... I SAY ONLY ....... to be used to get you through the test. You don't want to be masking pain and making matters worse. I used it once when I was doing a weeks ballet course (4.5 hours a day) and had got plantar fasciitis (?) just before it. It got me through but BOY did my feet complain afterwards :roll:

All the best and good luck for the test .... and fast healing for the ankles



Lx

[dooobedooo]

You might also consider how you could "cushion" the affected area, where the boot may rub against it - so stock up on bubblewrap, bath sponges and bunga pads - plus a pair of scissors to cut to shape!

Good luck!

[Mrs Redboots]

IF you are a good BackSpin and have the day off then you can also rub some ibuprofen gel into your ankles .......They don't have ibuprofen gel in the USA, which makes it a terrific house-present when you go and stay with people! I suppose because people might misuse it.

I have a sore Achilles tendon, enough to make me slightly anxious about skating, but it doesn't seem to hurt when I'm on the ice....

[TashaKat]

They don't have ibuprofen gel in the USA, which makes it a terrific house-present when you go and stay with people! I suppose because people might misuse it

Crikey! I don't believe that ...... I don't use it often but when I do need to use it it's been invaluable. I don't suppose that you could beg steal or borrow some from somebody?

[backspin]

Hi everyone! thanks for your replies & help! I ended up going but skated lightly--just ran through everything a couple times, and made myself get off after 1/2 hour. I was very glad I did--I skated strongly, and I experimented w/ how to lace my skates to get some of the pressure off that tendon, & it seemed to help. I skated relatively pain-free. Then I had yesterday off (as planned), & had a lesson today--with the new lacing pattern, today was pretty painless as well.

I think I'll take some anti-inflammatories, as suggested, on test day (nope, no ibuprofen gel here -- sounds great though!!), & I think w/ the adraneline it'll be just fine. Then I can take it easy & let it heal properly.

Thanks again for the support--I'll let you know what happens on test day! (cross your fingers & toes for me....) ;)

[sk8er1964]

Good luck, backspin! I hope everything goes great for you. :)

[TashaKat]

http://img48.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/1f32f238.jpg

Fingers, toes, legs and EYES crossed for you :D


Lx