How long?

[Chico]

Here's my question.

How long did it take you to get back to speed after a "long" ice break?

I missed almost 6 weeks due to family "things" and illness. I'm horrified by my present skills. How can I go from working on a double to skating on my fanny?! Give me a realistic picture of this. I honestly want to hear it all. I'm in tears at the moment wanting my old skills and trying to be paitent with my current mess. Paitence is NOT my virtue. I also have found that the skills I have are weird. Some of the harder things I CAN do and the easy stuff is gone.

Chico

[Dustin]

It really depends on you. I missed about 2 months a few years ago and it took me a few months to get back. But then again, I know people who can get everything back in only a few days.

[lisabelle]

i was off the ice for around 2 1/2 months last year, and i was so anxious to get back that it didn't take me too long to get the hang of everything again. granted, i only had a waltz jump and a salchow at that point, but the other elements came back ok.

i would bet that if you've been through a rough time, you are just out of shape and your body has to adjust again. when i was off the ice, i was still playing a sport (school sport, took all my time and i couldn't skate) so i was in even better shape than before. it will take time, but you should be able to get back to where you were.

[Chico]

Dustin and lisabelle,

Did you have the WEIRD skills thing too?

2 1/2 months?! Noooooooooo


lisabelle,

I have had the summer from heck. No, I wasn't exercising during this time.

Thanks for sharing. I need the scoop for my expectations. I will share when I'm okay again.

Thanks,
Chico

[kayskate]

Last fall, it took me about a week or two to get back to where I was before summer schedule reduced my practice time. However, I ice skated more last summer than i did this summer. This summer (since 7/1) I have only ice skated 2x. However, I have been exercising, picskating and distance skating so I have not gained weight or gotten out of shape. If I had not done that, I am not sure how long it would take b/c I would have to get back into physical condition before I could expect much.

Since you had other priorities that kept you from skating and probably working out in general, you should not be upset about it. That is part of adult skating. We have other priorities sometimes. Skating is supposed to be fun and not a source of stress. Be happy that now you can get back on the ice and enjoy whatever works for you. Build back gradually. Get into your off-ice routine too. That will help your conditioning.

Look at it this way: you have probably forgotten all of your bad habits. They are partying w/ mine somewhere.

Kay

[garyc254]

Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that comes tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles.
--Helen Keller

[lisabelle]

i think i was just plain weird when i got back...my balance was totally shot, and i lost what bits of spins i may have had before i was off the ice. but i could still do my sal even though it was just barely consistent at that point. so yeah, i guess it was kinda similar to your situation.

anyway, i'm glad you are back on the ice and i hope things are settled down for you. take it slow and things will all come back to normal.

[TashaKat]

Originally posted by kayskate
Look at it this way: you have probably forgotten all of your bad habits. They are partying w/ mine somewhere.
Kay

That's EXACTLY what I am hoping for :)

I've already got my 'get back to skating' plan worked out - forward stroking around the rink and then ATTEMPT A BACK OUTSIDE 3!! If I don't I'll probably never do one ever again, since I broke my wrist the ONE thing that I want to get on and do is a BO3 (which is strange because I never wanted to do them before :roll: ).

Good luck with getting back into it :) I've got at least another seven weeks before I'm in your position .....

L x

[garyc254]

Originally posted by TashaKat


I've already got my 'get back to skating' plan worked out - forward stroking around the rink and then ATTEMPT A BACK OUTSIDE 3!! If I don't I'll probably never do one ever again, since I broke my wrist the ONE thing that I want to get on and do is a BO3

I'd recommend a spotter for the first couple of attempts.

[Chico]

Thanks for all the info. and kind thoughts. Believe me, my spirit needs it. I had a lesson for the first time in weeks. To say it was depressing is an understatement. My coach claims I'm still sick and shouldn't be skating. Probably right, okay know it, but I just have to try. My coach saved my butt more than a few times today. I was working on the easy stuff I might add. His words, "You can and will do it again." gary, your Helen K. quote is totally right. Just because this is true doesn't mean I'll enjoy the experience. I skate for "fun", but I'm totally driven to do this thing. I work hard, have accomplished "great" things, and I hate having to struggle AGAIN. Skating makes my spirit happy, my special thing, and right now my happy thing is killing me.

I wish you the best on your return to skating Kay and Lynne! Lynne, I've always struggled with doing backspins. This last week, even sick, I've had it. Maybe this will hold true for your 3 turns. =-)

Chico

[garyc254]

Originally posted by Chico
I skate for "fun", but I'm totally driven to do this thing. I work hard, have accomplished "great" things, and I hate having to struggle AGAIN. Skating makes my spirit happy, my special thing, and right now my happy thing is killing me.
Chico

Isn't it amazing how frustrating and physically taxing our "fun" thing can be.

I fought karate for a couple of years, but have had more pain and injury in the last year from skating than in all of those years getting beat up. :lol:

Skating makes my spirit happy, too. I love the way you stated that.

I know of a "girl" (30ish) who has just returned to the ice after 12 years and a baby. She's breaking in new skates (something about being pregnant and her shoe size changed). On her first ice trial, she got as far as a waltz jump. Wobbly, but still there somewhere. She's progressing, but would well understand how you feel. She's determined.

You'll make it and your happy thing will bring you joy again and again.

[Chico]

gary,

Your right. You sound like my coach........ It will be my special thing as long as I can skate. Since I plan on doing this forever, that's a long time! Frusteration is never pleasent. I also tend to be pretty tough on myself.....need to lighten up.

Chico

[TashaKat]

Originally posted by garyc254


I'd recommend a spotter for the first couple of attempts.

Yes, I'll see how it goes, I 'can' (could) do the damn things, I just don't like them and do stupid things like not bending my knees when I'm on an off day :( I may use the barrier to start off with, I hate being 'helped' by coach or whoever, I always feel as though I'm going to hit them with an arm/leg or such like! This is ESPECIALLY true when they try and spot you on the camel ....... I can never do it this way because I'm CONVINCED that they're not going to get out of the way fast enough :roll:

L x

[Anita18]

A coach at my rink just came back after 9 weeks off the ice, and she doesn't look too far behind, LOL. She was griping about how she couldn't jump or spin, but her spins were still more centered than mine, LOL. (She was learning her axel when she left - she takes lessons from another coach for that) She said she tried doing the flip, which is her favorite jump, but she couldn't do it.

Last year I was off the ice for 3 weeks, and my first time back was quite the experience LOL - skating didn't feel "natural" and that was a really strange feeling. However, I found that my waltz jump was better, LOL. (Not that I had any jumps past the waltz jump then, buuuut.... :lol: )

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by garyc254


Isn't it amazing how frustrating and physically taxing our "fun" thing can be.
Tell me about it! I was chatting to a woman on Thursday whose new skates have scraped her ankles red raw - I passed on whoever-it-was's tip about fine sandpaper. But, of course, not skating until her ankles had healed up was not an option for her, any more than it would be for any of us!

Husband, this morning: "Do you think we ought to eat baked beans if we are going skating this evening?"

Me: "Oh, sure - at worst, it'll help us skate faster....."

[dbny]

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
Husband, this morning: "Do you think we ought to eat baked beans if we are going skating this evening?"

Me: "Oh, sure - at worst, it'll help us skate faster....."

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I came back after three months off due to a broken wrist (same as TashaKat's), and could not have done it except for the fact that I had relatively new custom boots (think $$$) and my coach dragging me into that first lesson.

It's now a year later and all of my skills are better except for the waltz-8, which I never practice at all. It was a big struggle for me to return, as my wrist is permanently damaged, and I kept thinking I shouldn't be on the ice at all at my age, and having "visions" of wipe-outs.

I focused first on regaining my skills, and then on improving the ones I enjoyed most. I was truly terrified of the BI edge pattern on which I had fallen, until my coach pointed out how it must have happened and told me how to avoid it again. Then I was just garden-variety scared of it. I was rewarded at my last lesson (in early July) with a forward power crossover pattern that my coach said would have easily passed the pre-Juv test...speed, deep edges, flow etc. It was the one and only time that she didn't have any improvements to suggest.

I really do sympathize and understand the problem of having to fight again for what one has already earned. It is not all going to come back at once, but take joy in each element as it returns, and you will begin to see the percentage of pleasure vs pain increase fairly soon.

[eliao]

The longest time I've gone without skating was about 5 weeks, due to getting married and going on a honeymoon. I made the horrible mistake of deciding to get my blades sharpened right before the long break. I was an absolute basket-case when I stepped back onto that ice surface! On my forward spiral, one of my best moves that I could do in my sleep, my outside edge just dug into the ice and nearly landed on my head. Spinning was no better. I wound up for a forward spin and as I entered it, my blade stuck into the ice while my upper body tried to keep spinning. The end result was a purply-red-black hip and knee for a few weeks due to belly flopping on the ice! My poor husband had to put up with my whining, encouraging me the whole time to just take it easy. That's really the only thing you can do - just take it one step at a time, relax and let your muscles get used to skating again. Because of that incident, I try to never let myself go more than 2 weeks without skating. Good luck and just have fun!

Emily

[Chico]

You guys all are so wonderful!:D I needed a ton of support and "me too stories", and you guys supported and shared. Today was a little better for me. Like mentioned, I find my left (weaker side) has the most problems. Edge control on an inside edge is scarey! My loop is still wonderful and I actually played with doing an axel in my mind. Decided this was potential for death right now and didn't. My spins are trying. I'm keeping your words of paitence in mind. A broken wrist dbny! Good for you for overcoming your injury!

Chico

[TashaKat]

Chico, it's good to see that you're getting back into it :) Keep ploughing on, you'll get there :D

Originally posted by dbny
I came back after three months off due to a broken wrist (same as TashaKat's), and could not have done it except for the fact that I had relatively new custom boots (think $$$) and my coach dragging me into that first lesson

Mmmm .... that's me! Broken wrist, new custom boots ($$$) ..... and coach (who's two comments were "that'll teach you to keep your knees straight" and "bummer") ..... SPOOKY

http://www.theevolvegroup.com/images/grfiimages/ghost2-28.gif

What I wanted to ask was how you felt MENTALLY about your wrist ... let me explain! I have absolutely no qualms (at the moment) about going back to skating BUT my one (rather illogical fear) is that my wrist will resemble some poor fragile ornament and will snap again the first time I take a fall! I want to go back to acro but will my wrist take the strain! I KNOW that I am over-exaggerating this 'fear' to myself but it stems from an adult skater who broke her wrist, came back, fell over and broke it again :( May I ask how this aspect of it affected you and how you came to terms with it? Thanks

L x

[NickiT]

I'll have been off the best part of a month by the time I make it back on the ice next week. I'm looking forward to it as now I'm over my holiday I feel I need to get back to it. However, although I know I'll be OK since I made it back after a 3 month break following an ankle fracture, I am somewhat nervous about doing the Bronze field moves which I had just started to work on. I found them pretty scary then when I had been on the ice a lot so I know they are going to frighten me after not skating a while. I guess the best thing for all of us who haven't skated in a while is to start of slowly and build our confidence back up before hitting the tricky stuff!!

Nicki

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by NickiT
I am somewhat nervous about doing the Bronze field moves which I had just started to work on. Then don't, the first day back! Run through all the field moves from Novice upwards, and only do the Bronze ones when you have your skates back under you and are comfortable with the inter-Bronze ones again.

[rinsk]

Yesterday was my first day of the ice in 3 weeks...

Wow, my edges are WEIRD... I found I was thinking through things more than I usually do (no automatic pilot on the dances for me this week) so some things were better than usual (my lovely flat section on Westminister Waltz actually had something that vaguely resembles edges because so much more effort went into getting my shoulders just so and my Rhumba seemed to fly more than usual... hmmm, probably had to do with the fact that I was so *%#&ed at myself for failing it for lack of speed the last time I set foot on the ice) however turns were just ugly (BIG scratches...) and lets not talk about freelegs and knee bend.

I find first day back is the worst. Get through that and you are well on your way.

TashaKat, good luck getting back into things. If the wrist scares you, maybe some extra wrapping or something on it might help for the first few sessions whether you actually need it or not. I like things like that as a security blanket because

1-) It reminds you that you're injured so that you make a concious effort to find another way to catch yourself.

2-) It reminds coaches who can't keep track of which hand it is to helpfully pull you by the other one.

3-) It warns people around you to be a little more cautious around you on the ice. (I find this especially important when helping out on learn to skate with small children who will spontaneously grab you, swing from your arms, climb on you... Most little kids show huge respect for Ace Bandages if you don't mind the million questions of "Is that a booboo?" "How did you get a booboo?" "Can I see you booboo?").

4-) I like the small (though probably insignificant) extra cushioning an ace bandages gives if you do happen to fall on it. Nice security blanket...

[Chico]

lynne,

I started skating after a really bad injury, and I was fearful of getting hurt for a long time. I found that I was most insecure when trying things I perceived as "hard" for my past injury. Over time this passed for the most part. I do have occasional bouts with this. When I'm sick or just feeling extra sensitive on the whole (PMS fit) Really getting hurt proves you can break, and not just some paranoid worry. You know cause you've done it! Be paitent with yourself, your fragile. =-)Your body and spirit will tell you when to be brave and when to be more careful.

Good luck,

Chico

[TashaKat]

rinsk/chico ... everyone :) - thanks for the advice/encouragement, it is SO true what you say about realising that you can break! I'm pretty 'brave' (? aka stupid) in general and don't ever really compute the magnitude of falls etc ..... faced with the prospect of no pay for 2-3 months gave me a bit of a shock though.

Is an 'ace' bandage a support bandage or have I got that wrong?

I'm thinking of going back to ballet once I get a lighter cast on (I'll speak to my teacher first just to make sure that she's happy with that) so at least I'll be moving my buddha butt ;) I've done a bit of walking but work and the extreme tiredness I've had since I did this means that I'm not THAT diligent (I love ballet so I'll not be so quick to make excuses to slack off ;) ).

On a POSITIVE note (????) this enforced rest has meant that I've had to rest my damaged knee! Maybe it was someone's way of making me STOP!

Hope everyone else is healing/getting back into skating well

L xx

[dbny]

Originally posted by TashaKat
What I wanted to ask was how you felt MENTALLY about your wrist ... let me explain! I have absolutely no qualms (at the moment) about going back to skating BUT my one (rather illogical fear) is that my wrist will resemble some poor fragile ornament and will snap again the first time I take a fall! I want to go back to acro but will my wrist take the strain! I KNOW that I am over-exaggerating this 'fear' to myself but it stems from an adult skater who broke her wrist, came back, fell over and broke it again :( May I ask how this aspect of it affected you and how you came to terms with it? Thanks
L x

Lynne, I was very much afraid of another break. My doctor assured me that the risk of another fracture would be no greater, and that helped some. I also went for a bone density scan, which I had been meaning to do anyway, as I'm 55. I found that my spine compared to a woman in her 20's, my hips were average for my age, and my wrists showed some thinning, although the narrow bones are very hard to image and the results are therefor not entirely to be trusted. I've been taking Fosamax for a year now to build up my bone density. Aside from the bone density question, I've just been afraid of another freak accident. I don't skate if I feel too tired, and if I get spooked, which I do, I take a break. My fear isn't that my wrists are fragile, but rather of recreating the circumstances that led to the accident.

I still cannot do the BI edge pattern without thinking about the fall that broke my wrist, so I try to do it at the beginning of every session. After that, my mind seems clearer and I'm less afraid. I also, recently, got an MP3 player so I could have music while skating, as that relaxes me...the fear stiffens me up. It has taken a year, but lately, once I finish the BI edges, I haven't been thinking about broken bones and disasterous falls too much. If I do, I just turn on the music.

Soooo, this is your second broken wrist while skating???? Ouch! I have to admit that really scares me. It's the third time I've broken my right arm, but the first was a fall from a tree as a child, and the second was a crack in the ulna from a fall during a shoot-the-duck war on roller skates as a teenager. How did the first break happen?

[Black Sheep]

If anyone cares, "How Long" is a classic '70s easy rock song by Ace!;)

[rinsk]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by TashaKat

Is an 'ace' bandage a support bandage or have I got that wrong?



An ace bandage is an elastic wrap bandage. It provides some (minimal) support. I believe the main function of an ace bandage is to control swelling (anyone who disagrees with me, please do so). There are other braces and various supportive structures on the market that may be worth investigating and investing in.

[dbny]

Originally posted by rinsk
4-) I like the small (though probably insignificant) extra cushioning an ace bandages gives if you do happen to fall on it. Nice security blanket...

Unfortunately, this would do no good in the kind of fall that causes a Colle's fracture. My orthopod told me that wrist guards don't actually help either, but just transmit the force upward. It seems to me though, that since the middles of the radius and ulna bones are stronger than the neck of the radius (that's what breakes in a Colle's) that the guards might actually help. I can't bring myself to wear them anyway, because I think they're so ugly.

[TashaKat]

Originally posted by dbny
Unfortunately, this would do no good in the kind of fall that causes a Colle's fracture. My orthopod told me that wrist guards don't actually help either, but just transmit the force upward. It seems to me though, that since the middles of the radius and ulna bones are stronger than the neck of the radius (that's what breakes in a Colle's) that the guards might actually help. I can't bring myself to wear them anyway, because I think they're so ugly.

I'm with you on the wrist guards! It wasn't me who has broken my wrist twice it's another adult at my rink which is why it spooked me a bit!. She wore wrist guards! Personally I hate the look (vain to the end), they're not a 'natural' position so I couldn't get the 'lines' that madame demands PLUS I feel that they're 'risky' if you fall as they can cause you to slide and do goodness knows WHAT more damage!

I'll work through it, I just wish that I could get back onto the ice to see how it feels ...... sigh :)

L x

[Lili]

I sprained my ankle and had to take a couple of months off, I got back into it within 2 weeks time. It was very hard, however I think the PT helped my muscles from completly collapsing. I am sorry if any of this is misspelled, its rather late here lol.

[singerskates]

DBNY and Lynne, have you thought of doing some hand weights to increase the bone density in your wrists? The jumping worked for your hips and spine, why not exercise your wrists? Keep on taking the calcium with vitamin D too.


As far as coming back from a long break. LOL I had a month and a half off before I skated on vacation and was surprised that I could just get out on the ice and spin and jump. I even had a coach fooled into thinking I had been skating for years. I mean, I just did what I always do with stroking and doing crosscuts going into jumps. He was floored when I told him that I had only begun skating when I was 37 and that before that I was hanging on to the boards for dear life.

The I came back here and did a few adult sessions. I wasn't as relaxed because of the adult skaters who were just learning to go forwards, so I botched quite a few toe loops. But generally, I guess I have that natural thing where if I've already learned it, I can pick it up not long after getting back into it. It took me half a session to get my spins and jumps going after the break from skating in Windsor.

Now as far as skating in Riverside Arena with Riverside FSC, I should hopefully feel at home since even though they were not my club in the spring, I have already skated with all of the intermediate kid skaters senior bronze ( junenile) to junior silver ( intermediate) already and know their patterns. I'm still working on my preliminary FS but just can't skate with the juniors (pre-prelim to junior bronze (pre-juvenile)) because they skate way too slow and are just to unpredictable for me to relax on the ice. Time will tell for sure on Sunday, Sept. 8th, 2002 which is my first day back on ice since the adult sessions during summer skating school.

[TashaKat]

Originally posted by singerskates
DBNY and Lynne, have you thought of doing some hand weights to increase the bone density in your wrists? The jumping worked for your hips and spine, why not exercise your wrists? Keep on taking the calcium with vitamin D too.

:) Thanks for the suggestion, I already do weights and will go back to it once I get my cast off (5 weeks and counting), my doc says that my bones are fine (they always told me that it would be difficult for me to break because of my hypermobility .... I just HAD to go and prove them wrong ;) ) The problem was that not only did I fall on my hand I also fell ONTO my hand ..... as they pointed out to me, it would be pretty impossible NOT to break under that particular set of circumstances! A smaller amount of body falling onto my hand would PROBABLY have been a good idea ...... that's one project that I MUST convince myself of once I'm 'mobile' again :)

L x

[wannask8]

Regarding wrist guards, I remember someone posting back on F$W that they're no panacea either, as they can increase the chances of a break further above the protected wrist. Perhaps one of our medically trained colleagues can opine on this.

[TashaKat]

Fracture Clinic this morning :)

Usual X-Ray and hauled into the plaster room for NEW CAST!

The doc came in looking all serious and sat down with the manner of someone who's going to tell me the worst ..... it really brought it home to me that patient's can get TOTALLY the wrong idea just by your demeanour ...... in the 30 seconds that he came in, sat down and introduced himself I'd got myself ready for surgery and sold my house because I wouldn't be able to work for the next 2 months! ANYWAY, despite his rather sombre demeanour I managed to translate that all was well and that they're hoping that I'll be able to have the cast off in 3-4 weeks :) Obviously I'll have to have some physical therapy after that but SHOULD be back on skates by the beginning of November :)

They took the old cast off ...... my poor little arm :( Apart from a humungous bruise (which I didn't expect for some reason) my arm was so weedy and pale! I expected pale, I expected it to be a lot slimmer but is was FRIGHTENING how the muscle has just GONE (well, you know what I mean). I DID ask for a full body cast ;) b***** the diet, 3 weeks in plaster and here we have a twig! (I AM joking). What WAS weird was that, although it was there, I didn't feel as though I could move it! I didn't even try! Yes, I was waving my whole arm around (having a good look) but I was, not exactly scared, but apprehensive to try and do anything with my wrist.

Oh well ..... the end is in sight :) I feel a lot more positive now I've got a 'provisional' end date :)

L x

[dbny]

Originally posted by TashaKat
Fracture Clinic this morning :)

Usual X-Ray and hauled into the plaster room for NEW CAST!

I managed to translate that all was well and that they're hoping that I'll be able to have the cast off in 3-4 weeks :)

Congrats, Lynne! Did you get a shorter cast? In my case I first got a clamshell splint (two long pieces of plaster sandwiching my lower arm and wrapped with an elastic bandage) that allowed some slight movement of my elbow. After two weeks of that, I got a lower arm cast.


Obviously I'll have to have some physical therapy after that but SHOULD be back on skates by the beginning of November :)

I was offered the choice of PT or doing it myself. As the exercises were pretty simple, and I didn't need another place to run off to, I chose to do it myself.

They took the old cast off ...... my poor little arm :( Apart from a humungous bruise (which I didn't expect for some reason) my arm was so weedy and pale. What WAS weird was that, although it was there, I didn't feel as though I could move it! I didn't even try! Yes, I was waving my whole arm around (having a good look) but I was, not exactly scared, but apprehensive to try and do anything with my wrist.

I was also surprised at the big bruise. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome when your wrist is finally freed up, remember that bruise. The swelling can cause CTS, and you can have internal swelling for months after external signs of it have gone.

I didn't want to move my wrist either, just like I didn't want to skate with that injury. I think those of us who have experience such a serious injury instinctively know not to rock the boat. After all, the radius was broken completely through!

[TashaKat]

Originally posted by dbny
Congrats, Lynne! Did you get a shorter cast? In my case I first got a clamshell splint (two long pieces of plaster sandwiching my lower arm and wrapped with an elastic bandage) that allowed some slight movement of my elbow. After two weeks of that, I got a lower arm cast. Yes, my first cast was plaster on top and around the sides and about an inch underneath which was 'open' but wrapped in bandage (in case of swelling). THEN they made the whole thing up to a 'full' plaster cast 2 weeks ago and now I've got a smaller forearm one with a bit less cast over my fingers (which they're now telling me to waggle like heck!). My fingers have got very good movement, my thumb is a bit stiff but moves, I still can't grip properly but I can 'hold' now which I couldn't do before (as long as what I'm holding isn't heavy).

I was offered the choice of PT or doing it myself. As the exercises were pretty simple, and I didn't need another place to run off to, I chose to do it myself. They like you to go to the physio's over here but, hopefully, I'll only have a couple of sessions and do the rest myself :)

I didn't want to move my wrist either, just like I didn't want to skate with that injury. I think those of us who have experience such a serious injury instinctively know not to rock the boat. After all, the radius was broken completely through! Yes, that's the scary bit, especially seeing the X-Ray and the raggedy line where the break is! Apart from back 3's I'm DESPERATE to try a handstand :roll: I haven't been able to go to acro at all this year and HOPE that I'll be able to get back to it some day :D

One of the things that made me laugh, and could only be asked at an ice rink (I dropped in to see them this morning) by a man was "erm, how do you fasten your bra?" ... LOL, the things that you get asked at a rink which would demand a smack around the face anywhere else (like my male coach asking if a bikini wax hurt!!!).

L x

[wannask8]

Lynne, I am hysterical on the floor cracking up at the image you’ve conjured up here – I’m trying to picture myself trying to get my unmentionables rigged one-handed! I give you plenty of credit, it’s amazing how one takes these things for granted.

-- wannask8

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by TashaKat
(like my male coach asking if a bikini wax hurt!!!).

L x [/B] But Lynne, why did your male coach want a bikini wax. Can I ask him tonight???? :D (Don't worry, I won't really....).

[TashaKat]

Originally posted by wannask8
Lynne, I am hysterical on the floor cracking up at the image you’ve conjured up here – I’m trying to picture myself trying to get my unmentionables rigged one-handed! I give you plenty of credit, it’s amazing how one takes these things for granted.

-- wannask8

LOL, it's certainly 'fun' ...... the answer to that, though is that I've been out and bought a hoard of 'crop tops' (thankfully I wasn't blessed in certain areas). Now (under)pants! That's FUNNY .... try getting them on one-handed ..... a thong is out of the question! Of course there is opening cat food (sachets which you have to hold in one hand, rip the top with your teeth and just PRAY that there isn't any cat food near the top of the sachet :twisted: ), cutting food (for me - kitchen scissors), opening jars/bottles (erm, lid in door, close door and twist with good hand!) .... there's lots of things that you never even think about, thankfully most of them have a humourous side!

Annabel - I can't even GO where he was going with the bikini wax question! It wasn't for him, he was just, erm interested :roll:

L x

[wannask8]

(Oh, my!)

[MissIndigo]

Originally posted by TashaKat

One of the things that made me laugh, and could only be asked at an ice rink (I dropped in to see them this morning) by a man was "erm, how do you fasten your bra?" ... LOL



Honestly, when my wrist was in a cast last month, I could not do this. That's when I was thanking my lucky stars for sports bras and camisoles with the shelf bra built in. Just slipped it on, and went on along with my day.

I missed wearing my Victoria's Secret stuff though. *sigh*

[dbny]

Originally posted by MissIndigo
Honestly, when my wrist was in a cast last month, I could not do this. That's when I was thanking my lucky stars for sports bras and camisoles with the shelf bra built in. Just slipped it on, and went on along with my day.

I missed wearing my Victoria's Secret stuff though. *sigh*

I was away camping last month and missed that you too had a casted wrist. Was it also a skating accident? Hope you're all well now.

I (also not being blessed in that area...LOL) hooked mine in front and pulled them around back afterwards. Not easy, but it worked.

What I'm wondering is how anyone with an arm in a cast ever manages to shower without help.

[garyc254]

Originally posted by dbny
What I'm wondering is how anyone with an arm in a cast ever manages to shower without help.

Not a problem. Long plastic bags and a rubber band, then keep your arm out of the spray as much as possible.

But having help could have been fun too. ;)

As a child I had polio which affected my right side mostly, mainly my right hand and arm. I have minimal dexterity with my right hand. Hence, when I broke my LEFT wrist while skating last year, everything was difficult.

Since I didn't have to contend with bras:

The worst: :oops: Wiping my bottom :oops: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Oh the things we take for granted.

Was that too much information?????? :lol:

[jenlyon60]

While we're degenerating :roll:

Getting in and out of the tub/shower when my leg was bandaged after my ACL reconstruction surgery. Keeping the bandages dry was actually easier. A large plastic garbage bag taped around my leg worked quite well.

Just plain sitting on the toilet when my post-op brace was locked at 0 degrees (aka NO BEND).

I learned very quickly to allow LOTS of time to get to the WC.... even after the brace was unlocked.


Luckily for me, driving-wise, it was my left knee that I had surgery on.

[dbny]

Oooh Gary :oops: :oops: :oops: I couldn't figure out how to say that, and wasn't sure I wanted too, but you are absolutely right (on both counts :lol:) :oops: :oops: :oops:

jenlyon60 Not sure which is worse in this particular scenario, except for public bathrooms :oops:

[jenlyon60]

Yep. And I developed a real appreciation for public bathrooms with no line and an empty handicapped stall.

Oh... BTW, another fun one. Trying to shop for groceries with a leg brace and crutches. (That's probably an equal challenge solo with a cast on the arm...)

[TashaKat]

Gary ....... lol, even I missed that one out ;) It's SO true, though, but what I can't figure out (and don't worry, I don't spend sleepless nights ;) ) is that you don't tend to use two hands usually anyway .... do you? ..... so why does it suddenly become so difficult?

One 'problem' that I hadn't anticipated was the state of your skin where the cast is! My hand is now affectionally known as my claw because that's what it's starting to resemble ....... a chicken's foot (scrawny and scaly). I'm piling on the E45 cream and covering it with a cotton glove whenever I'm not in public but it's still pretty gross :(

http://www.fedu.uec.ac.jp/FEDU/FEDUusers/Choo/image/chicken.gif

L x

[garyc254]

Originally posted by TashaKat
but what I can't figure out (and don't worry, I don't spend sleepless nights ;) ) is that you don't tend to use two hands usually anyway .... do you? ..... so why does it suddenly become so difficult?


(I'd best be careful how I state this. It could degenerate further)

Like using a pencil, you have one main hand that you've used to do it all of your life. Suddenly that hand is taken away and your other hand isn't trained to back it up.

Getting the proper angle of "the lean" in the opposite direction.

The weight of the cast throwing you off balance.

It takes training and practice to get the job done right. ;)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Figureskates]

When I was in high school, there was a boy who broke both his arms. I do not even want to hazard a guess on how he took care of his "necessary functions"

I never asked him, either!!

[dbny]

Originally posted by garyc254
(I'd best be careful how I state this. It could degenerate further)

It takes training and practice to get the job done right. ;)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

And a LOT of paper! :oops: :lol: :oops: :lol: :oops:

[dbny]

Originally posted by Figureskates
When I was in high school, there was a boy who broke both his arms. I do not even want to hazard a guess on how he took care of his "necessary functions"

I never asked him, either!!

Last winter I met a man in his 70's at a public session who had obviously been a skater for many years, but who had a very cautious, almost scared look, and never skated backwards. I struck up a conversation with him and found out that he had fallen backwards the previous season and broken both wrists....hence no more skating backwards. Can't say as I blame him. I'm thinking that maybe 70 is a good age to switch to swimming :lol:

[Chico]

The places this topic has gone!:) Who would have thought it?! Pretty funny.

lynne,

Like you, until I got hurt I never thought about the possibility. When I really did "break" it was a shock to say the least. Over time, I have become my old self for the most part. I do things in skating without coaches "permission", it is not an uncommone event for me to try things because I think I want to. I see something interesting, and I try. I admit that my behavior causes my coach nervous fits some days. But hey, this is part of who I am. I try to limit my "bad" behavior to days when I feel ON. I know that I could "break" again, I have thought about it, but my need to challenge myself has to be met. I'm willing to take the risk. Anyhoo, if this sounds familiar, you will be like this once again. It's part of who you are, injured or not. :) Life has tons of risks, TONS, that doesn't mean you stop living it. What a waste this would be! We don't get a second chance! As a side note, I'm forever being told that I don't skate like an adult and as long as I can I WON'T. Who you are lynne, is who you are. Happy mending.

My "good" side is improving, let's not talk about my "weak" side. ugh.

Chico

[singerskates]

Lynne, I too at one time broke my wrist, skating. But it wasn't what I was doing but more where I was. I was standing at the exit of the rink asking for my daughter and her friend to join me on the ice and some kid on a public session didn't know how to stop and got me. That was about 4 years ago. Then a bit over a year later, stupid me decided to skate on un fixed hockey ice with newly wrongly unlevel sharpened blades doing inside/outside spirals and got caught on a rut on the change edge falling onto my left elbow breaking it requiring a cast, metal plate and wires. The very next day the doc took the cast off and put brace instead so that I would start using the elbow right away to prevent it from stiffening. Me, I'm stubborn and 8 weeks later I was back on the ice but this time joining a skating club to learn properly. The doc had me confined to ice dance for a year before he would allow me to learn freestyle. That was 3 years ago and I'm still forging forward and backward on ice and through the air. You'll get there Lynne.

Do the physio, Lynne. They can detect if you need more help or not. Plus the harder you push yourself in physio the shorter recovery will be. I started off with a very skinny wrist after the cast came off of my wrist but with in weeks I could see the muscle come back. At present my wrist is much much stronger than it was before I broke it. Oh, no matter how much the physio hurts, grin and bear it and then ice and Advil it.

Brigitte a.k.a. singerskates

[TashaKat]

Thanks guys :)

It's just a bit of a shock to see this pathetic thing that I once called an arm! I've never had so little muscle since I was about 3!!! Even the pad at the bottom of my thumb has withered away :(

I'm getting bored with it now, I'm desperate to get into the physio and am (occasionally) overdoing it .... the pain soon puts me straight though!

I would have felt better if I could have had a lighter, fibreglass cast, at least I could have gone swimming and done a ballet class but this thing is just too unwieldy :(

L xx

[Anita18]

Yikes! TashaKat, hopefully you'll get to recover quickly!

On the same note (kinda) my mom had surgery on her bottom in July (long story) and couldn't sit/lie down/bend very easily because of the stitches and stuff. She had such a hard time with that, and she still can't sit for long periods of time (which makes her work difficult..) She told us, "Your butt is very important! You don't think of all the things that require your butt until you can't use it anymore!" :lol:

[Chico]

lynne,

You should have seen my leg after being in a cast of some type or other for 3 months. Skinny isn't even the word! Your arm will look normal again, honest.

Chico

[MissIndigo]

Originally posted by dbny
I was away camping last month and missed that you too had a casted wrist. Was it also a skating accident? Hope you're all well now.


I have severe tenonitis in my right hand due to repetitive motions I have to perform in lab. Casting the hand really helped the situation, but the second I overdo it, I become inflamed again. Therefore, I have had to learn not to overdo and my advisor had just had to accept this.

I actually skated with the cast. Since my hand was not broken, I figured why not, just do easier stuff. Keeping moving was the right thing--I actually had some of my best spins while I wore the cast!

[garyc254]

Originally posted by Anita18
"Your butt is very important! You don't think of all the things that require your butt until you can't use it anymore!"

OUCH!!!! :lol: :lol: But I can understand. My dad went through a similar situation.

It just goes to show that humans have evolved into beings that utilize our body parts in an ultimate and most efficient manner . Any failure from one part surely will affect the entire system.

And then we push the extreme by putting our bodies on a slippery surface with slivers of sharpened metal attached to our feet, attempt to perform major gymnastic feats, and expect our bodies to respond accordingly.

It's a wonder the human race has survived. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by Anita18
"Your butt is very important! You don't think of all the things that require your butt until you can't use it anymore!" :lol: Those of us who have had children will, I am sure, remember the agony of sitting down with a perineum-full of stitches..... And, of course, whenever you sat down incautiously and stood up again quicker than you had sat, your fond mother and husband just roared with laughter.....

[TashaKat]

October 8th :D

Can't wait ...... it's scary too, though!

Obviously I'll have to have physio but can anyone else give me some tips as how to get my muscle back without overdoing it (as is my usual behaviour :roll: )? I tend to find that UK physios tend to be more 'gentle' in their approach, I'm not that patient and want to work to the maximum that is safe ..... ta

L x

[garyc254]

First, get yourself a rubber ball to squeeze. It will stengthen the fingers, wrist, and forearm. Squeeze lots.

Second, some hand weights (dumb bells) in 2 lb thru 5 lb for arm curls and wrist curls (forward and backward).

The best conditioning and strengthening you'll be able to do in the beginning will be with many repetitions of light weights. You'll gradually be able to increase the weight until you're better than normal.

You'll also have to do a LOT of muscle stretching. You'll be amazed at how stiff the joints and muscles are after the cast comes off.

Don't forget to do some of the same conditioning with your other arm, too. Wouldn't want it to fall behind.

[TashaKat]

8O Gary, sorry, I thought that I'd replied to say thankyou! I obviously didn't!! THANK YOU :)

MY UPDATE

Joined a gym today :D and did 60 minutes cardio with very little effort which is pleasing since I've not done much since the accident! I also did some lower body and TRICEPS work!! The machine was brilliant, very little stress on my wrist .... I only did low weights but it feels like a breakthrough :) ...... now if only the rest of my life were going so well :x

L x