Good point! Sorry for going there. Most skaters I know have not ever had a serious injury, and that includes us older folks.

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I am about the same age as you and have not had a major injury related to skating (took out a knee in martial arts and built up the surrounding muscles and ligaments to avoid surgery) since returning to the ice. I am working on doubles (have sal, working on toe, loop, and flip), increasing spin levels, flexibility and strength (on and off the ice including kickbox, zumba, and dog agility - if you don't think it's work, then you aren't going to trial your dog or you don't have a herding dog!), and Novice MIF test.

Well, I am not the oldest (at 59) but so far I seem to hold the title as longest-away at 36 years Unfortunately for me, things did NOT come back and I have effectively started all over again.

I do a pretty good job of banging myself up on the ice (before I even started jumps!) in only 3 years: cracked a rib (something on the ice took my foot out from under me in a forward spiral), sprained an ankle (doing back CoE's), and did some permanent nerve damage to my shoulder (when entering a 3 turn and a coach skated in front of me). I have an adult friend who had a spiral fracture of his fibula doing 3-turns and various others who have been injured doing "the safer elements". I SHOULDN'T be afraid of jumps - they seem quite safe by comparison!

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Just wanted to thank everyone who has responded here. I really appreciate it.

I'm sure the more time I spend back on the ice, the easier things will become. I keep reminding myself that I did it once, I can do it again. I may invest in a pair of those skating safe knee pads just for piece of mind.

I'm going to set small goals and work my butt off to reach them. If nothing else, I am a tenacious little bugger. I would love to start testing on the adult track at some point.

Thanks everyone!

I rarely get injured skating--I always seem to get hurt doing things like walking up the stairs, stepping out onto the icy deck, and (most recently) picking up a basket of laundry!
Actually I've hurt my back at least three times picking up laundry baskets when I forget to pick them up the correct way. As far as I'm concerned doing laundry is MUCH more dangerous than skating!!

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You miss 100% of the shots you never take.--Wayne Gretzky

I am not the oldest or the youngest but I have had a lot of surgery. After being off for 18 years got back on, got back an axel and started getting good doubles. Then hip surgery #1, and #2. I never thought I would get back to my speed and skill level at gold fs level, and unfortunately passed my int fs and 3 months later started the downward spiral.

There are 2 other 50+ y/o ladies skating with full/total hip replacements who have all their singles in Nov/Jr masters ladies. I am the only hip resurfacing that I know of...will I ever skate like I did before? I don't know but I will certainly try, at the very least I have gotten further in dance than I ever thought possible, I start work on my Novice free dance in the new year and hopefully I will get my Jr and Sr moves in 2009. Jumping, I have to do it with hinged boots, very scary and with a new hip...shockingly it is the boots that take more work, the hip is pretty good. It is just a matter of time. My hip would have failed regardless of the sport I did, so it is just a matter of repetition and being smart about how hard I push. Currently, I am just working on making it through the 3:10 program alive.

I am very scared of my jumps but I know that...and getting past it will help me. I am working on my flying camel currently which is terrifying for me as I jump straight onto that new socket, it did hurt the first few times but is getting better.

As I tell my mom when she complains about her new knee, ya just gotta suck it up and get over it!!

leslie

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

LOL. See, this is why this has been making me so crazy. I have never injured myself skating, so where this worry about it is coming from I can't figure out. I hurt myself constantly walking around in my shoes (but obviously have not developed some insane fear of walking ).

Anyway, I'm working hard at just getting over it. I also realized this past Saturday during my lesson that my left blade needs to be moved a bit more to the inside than it already is . This development probably explains the sudden feeling of instability I've had the last few weeks (which has fueled my fear fire a bit). My coach skated behind me and watched me stroke across the ice during my lesson and said he could see my left foot dropping in when I'd shift my weight onto it. Frustrating!

I haven't posted in a good while, but it's quiet and I have access to a real computer today, rather than trying to read this site on my cell phone.

I'd just like to second the "wear the gear if it makes you feel better" crowd. I replaced my freestyle blades (worn out) with dance blades just few weeks ago, and I've been skating consistently with a helmet while I'm increasing my comfort level on all the back edges. I just remind myself that I'm not out to win style points, nor do I have to prove anything to anybody. (My first long session on them though was a bit amusing, as I was all kitted out with protection and ksated a public session__I had a distinct impression that onlookers were expecting *much* more hesitant skating from the look.)

On the injuries, the worst injury I've had while I've been skating came from a bicycle accident...

Rob Dean

OK, since we are sharing ages, I am 57 and have been skating for 15 years, 3 or 4 times per week.

I sometimes fall - maybe even 3 to 5 times per week, but it rarely hurts anything. Have never had a broken bone or severe joint injury from skating.

I know a female coach , maybe around 69 years old, who demonstrates falling to her young students by falling herself. Like the energizer bunny, she just keeps on going.

For any adult who is coming back to skating, working with a coach, keeping in shape and skating a lot will help the fear subside.

So glad to find an adult skating thread.

Happy skating.