So, in the practice thread I mentioned that I had an unusually painful fall on my lesson on Monday, whacking my head on a back progressive. Today I feel mostly fine, and my moves lesson with my regular coach (in sneakers rather than skates because of *her* injuries) went well last night.

However, I find that I am at a bit of a loss trying to explain to anyone why I would carry on with such an "obviously risky" activity, particularly with very risk averse people. Do you get much flak on this from people? The non-skating spouse seems like a problem area in particular...

Rob

Lots of people do risky things- bungee jump, surfing, rock climbing. All these things get injuries just like skating.

Heck- even as an adult i've seen a pick up game of football result in injuries.

So I'd say I continue with skating because I see the risk of serious injury is worth the enjoyment of the sport. It's a gamble you have to take. And I think the payout is worth the risk. Really, at least at my level, the risk of serious injury isn't huge. I'll have to reconsider if I get to that point, which is why I don't dream of an axel. Yes, the risk of injury is definetly there, but you're hard pressed for find a physical activity where it isn't.

Glad to hear your head is doing better, I'm so scared about falling like that!

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

My husband is somewhat worried that I will be hurt, but it helps that the worst injury of my life so far was sustained in my backyard. It also helps that I've reaped so many benefits from skating and physical fitness in general that the risk is worth the payoff. I'm both physically and mentally stronger. I can get more done around the house, at my job, I just live more life.

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It's all about the dress!

Why figure skating when it's so risky? Because it makes me feel good! My week goes faster because I look forward to my weekend lesson.

Many sports involve injuries. My worst injury happened riding a bicycle (I still don't. 3 doctors told me never get on a bike again).

If skating brings you joy, why not?

The way I see it...there is risk to just about everything...even walking outside your front door. I am doing something I love, and gosh-darn-it, I'm going to keep doing it!

I recently had a conversation with my mom about this as I was starting to get back into skating after about 9 years, and while I said it was a matter of mind over matter, she put it as, joints over ice...but as others said, other sports have plenty of injuries, but as long as you are doing something you love to do...as Nike says....JUST DO IT!

The bumps, bruises, injuries etc: how DS validates to his friends that skating is NOT for wimps and sissies, that, it's the hockey players who with all of their padding who are the soft ones.

Nice I enjoy that!

I don't get it at all from people, but it's probably because I'm younger. At any rate, everybody knows I really love skating so nobody would dare to question it anyway. Some people ask if I happen to be a masochist though. Others just shake the head and say "you do it to yourself". But nobody ever asks why.

Why do women continue to have babies? There's pain, health risks, expense and LOTS of loss of sleep. But what do they all say? "Because it's SO WORTH IT!"

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

a word of advice:

Injuries tend to happen when you're most tired or when you're least alert.

They also happen when you try to overdo a skill, especially when it's not working and you're frustrated because you could do it yesterday or a few hours ago. That's when skaters tend to try to force things to happen and it won't. Worse yet, it will lead to repetitive strain injuries..

Be smart and THINK about how your body feels when you're on the ice. This isn't an endurance sport. It requires a lot more smart choices and decisions than swimming or long distance running when you are training.

It you think and don't let emotions take over, you'll be better off in the long run and more likely injury free.

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Keep Evolving. "From this moment forward, every voice that told you - You Can't - , has been silenced." - Freedom Writers

B/c if we were to completely eliminate risks, we probably would lock ourselves in a padded room going NUTS!!!

I have risks everyday to go to work, skating, working out at the gym and eating. (Driving with all these looney drivers in CA and stuff, risking my poor car for break-ins, risking myself for an attacker when walking alone at night, food poisoning...) Does it stop me from living life like that? Of course NOT!!!

So why worry about the risks? Deal with the setbacks, move on, and try again!

I like your example better!

YEAH!!! Ya hockey guys are just a bunch of SISSIES!!! (But we love 'ya anyway!!!)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Perhaps for practice only, they could start wearing things like....

http://www.madisonsport.com.au/football.php

A lady split the back of her head open the other day on the ice. But fortunately she was ok, but had to get carted off by ambulance. If she had some kind of protection on, things would have been much better. Falling is ok, if the fall is a 'controllable' one. It's the odd-one-out uncontrollable bad one that can do the damage.

I've seen an older gentleman skating in something like that. I've also seen a number of folks in hard helmets. The soft ones look much more comfortable.

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It's all about the dress!

My mum actually managed to cut her head open while doing yoga a few weeks ago. Seeing as she skates aswell, and has never cut her head open at the rink..............who's to say what will or won't be dangerous for you!

Wow! That's unexpected. . . Just so I know what to look out for, what was she doing?

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

When I get that from people, I tell them about the woman I met while I was in the hospital after breaking my ankle: she slipped and fell in her kitchen and had 6 screws and a plate in her ankle, while I only had 3 screws. I don't get too many comments, but I suspect some people are just too polite to make any.

I do get the opposite now, too: people saying how much they admire me for going back to skating. Either way, it's my own decision, not anyone else's, though I do appreciate the support.

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August 22, back on the ice!

True true. Maybe if some of these more advanced yoga moves were done using the head-gear, things could have been better too.

Oh, yes - I've had quite a few people ask me if I plan on skating again (after breaking my fibula & getting a high ankle sprain that required surgery). Some have given me looks (as in, you're crazy) when I say "of course! As soon as I can!" A couple have said as much out loud (including my dad). Skating is a sport that has made me happier and has allowed me to finally lose weight, and it bugs me when people think I'd be better off without it.

But, I've noticed that those reactions have come mostly from people who are inactive. I've found more supportive reactions from those adults who do sports. I've had lots of injury-comparing conversations - like with the guy whose right knee is completely messed up and needs replacement surgery but he still plays basketball, another guy who's injured almost every part of his body playing soccer, a woman who had a major knee injury playing tennis but went back to playing afterwards, and, of course, the other adult skaters at my rinks. In a weird way, I think my injury has made the other non-skating adult athletes I know respect figure skating more than they did before.

My husband, out of worry, asked if I was sure I wanted to skate again. Once I told him of course I did, he's been nothing but supportive. Well, at least he will be until he sees the $500 bill we got today from my surgery

I love to skate. The reward is greater than the risk. Like mentioned, everything in life has risk. I want to live my life living it and not just watching it go by.

teresa

When I broke my wrist and asked my orthopod when I could skate again, he commented that all the skaters are in a hurry to get back to skating. Then he explained that he became an orthopedic surgeon because he had broken so many bones as a kid himself. It made me trust his judgement about how long I should stay off the ice, even though it was longer than I wanted.

When I do get anxious about injuries, I remind myself that a neighbor broke his wrist the year before I did mine, slipping on the ice in front of his house.

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As an adult skater, I hear from other adults who do no sort of sport at all: "I'd be too scared of falling, and someone chopping my fingers off with the metal thing" (blade). I heard this for the trillionth time today, not sure if I managed to avoid the eyes rolling back in my head this time.

I have never known anyone to have their fingers chopped off by someone else skating over their fingers when they've fallen. Is this an urban myth, or has anyone known it to happen? Ever?

As for falling, well I average twice per session, though my record is 10 falls in a 2 hour session. It isn't the ones you get from jumping that hurt you, it's the unexpected, standing still falls that injure.

I maintain that if you aren't falling over, you aren't extending yourself and learning something new.

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Karen

I skate - therefore I am

I haven't seen anyone with fingers chopped clean off. That would be so disgusting ... eek. But I have seen 2 rec skaters get run over while they just sat there on the ice with their hands casually placed on the ice. I really think that rink notice boards should tell newbies to tuck their hands whenever they can after they fall, or else the fingers could get run over in a crowded rec skate session. I personally know one person that got permanent nerve damage in the finger after they got their finger run over, and can't feel that part of the finger at all. That also occurred in a rec skate session.

As for free skate/free style sessions (non rec-skate), I've never heard of anyone getting fingers run over before.

Gee...as for getting fingers chopped off, which is quite a frightening thought, I've never heard of that yet. Although, I would not be surprised if such a thing could happen in a rec skate session. But I think that just getting nerve damage would be nasty enough.

Well, well... I hope that will be what I say very soon...
But for now, I seem to have to explain to everyone why I'm still on the ice coaching!

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I do know someone at work who lost most of his first two fingers unjamming his lawnmower. Which, along with my three broken fingers falling in my driveway (running from a wasp I'd annoyed) proves that gardening is a much more dangerous pastime than ice skating.

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It's all about the dress!

That'd be a good look for Halloween, though. lol

Zamboni accidents, sure; just a runover? Nah - maybe you'd get a cuts on your hand or fingers. I agree - it's an urban legend. You should pick up your hands on crowded sessions after a fall. By the same token, the other skaters should go around a fallen skater.

Same here. I tell my students that it's fine to fall - it means you're learning and trying.

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