Hi

Sorry I have been a way for a while, to be honest Ive had a downer on skating and kept away from any skating footage, forums etc

After my accident of 10 weeks ago, the one where I face planted, split my lip in half etc i just cannot bring myself to return to the ice, despite shelling out over £200 for new skates and blades.

I do miss skating, it was the only thing that helped me to lose myself and keep me sane but since Ive spent 10 weeks looking at 4 walls I almost feel unable to drive the 30 miles to the arena and Im absolutley terrified to set foot on the ice again.

I know I should have done this much sooner and I fear now that I have probably left it too late. I know if I was to return to skating Id probably have to start from the beginning all over again. I hadnt finished the Learn to skate program so I sincerely doubt that I would have retained the knowledge and skills prior to this accident.

In addition to that Ive been having the most horrid back pain of late. I dont know if this is becuase i have ceased to be active or not. I dont know if skating will help tone those muscles up again and stop the pain, I just dont know what to do. Im pretty much at my witts end really with the should I or shouldnt I scenario.

I do miss the feel of the ice tho

Andrea

I say get thee back down to the rink and step back on that ice. Yep it's weird stepping on for the first time after a bit of time off, especially after an accident, but you know you want to do it. I think you are just waiting for that little push from someone else! Once you are on and have skated once or twice you will be fine. Just don't go mad on your first time back on, take it easy and concentrate on the stuff you know you can do. That way you'll have a confidence boost and feel good about it again!

Nicki

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www.myspace.com/insatiableskater

If you want to get back on the ice, go with a friend and just have a good time. Don't work on anything but having fun. If you really don't want to skate, know that that's ok too!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

Yes, I agree with NickiT. Get back out there, you'll be glad you did.
May I suggest that you book a private lesson with a coach for your first time back on the ice. My coach has many adult students. Whenever someone comes back from an injury, especially a beginner, she encourages them to take those first steps on the ice with a coach beside them to rebuild the confidence and reinforce good technique.
Good Luck!! Let us know how it goes!

If it's any comfort, it is extremely unlikely that you will ever have that freak fall again. I have been skating for almost 10 years now and have only had two falls that required a hospital visit and I have never repeated either one of them.
Look at it this way. . . You could have just as easily had a car accident that day, coming to an intersection where just the right conditions made it impossible to see another car turning into your path. Things like that happen to everyone from time to time, but we recognize them as extremely unlikely events and don't take them to mean that we are terrible drivers and should never drive again. So try not to take that one freak fall to mean that you are a bad skater and that it's going to happen again. You aren't, and it won't. I think if you just go skate around and feel the ice again, you will be glad you did.

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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

I totally agree with the suggestion of going back on with a coach. I certainly did this when I came back after breaking my ankle and again after breaking my wrist. It does help as you have someone with you all the time, giving you stuff to think about and distracting you from thinking about your accident.

Nicki

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www.myspace.com/insatiableskater

I can understand not wanting to start all over again. After my injury, I have been forcing myself to go to the rink 1x/wk. One wk I did not go at all. I felt very discouraged by my lack of ability. I was a fairly strong skater before breaking my ankle. Now I have serious muscle loss and lack of ankle flexibility. I have been working out on a home gym and doing therapy exercises to build back. If you have lost muscle, working out will definitely help. I can see the difference in my performance already.

If you want to go, it's okay to force yourself. Sometimes you have to. You may be glad you did.

Kay

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http://www.skatejournal.com/

Just remember the movie 'Top Gun' andrea. You've got to just get back in the saddle, and get up there again. Learn to skate, but at your own pace, and at a slower pace. I mean, there is really NO reason to rush. If you learn slowly, it gives you more time to master the basics and more time for your body to get used to skating, so that it becomes like second nature (or even first nature!).

If Maverick can get back up there, then so can you!

I understand, pretty much.

I wrecked my knees in a fall when I was 19 and couldn't skate (for almost 10 years). I knew that "washed up my career" in skating (such as it was). I couldn't face going to the rink or even watching skating so I stayed away - for 36 years! Then the bug bit again.

In retrospect, I should have gone to the rink to watch and to cheer other skaters on, gone to competitions as a spectator, etc. If I had done that, I know I would have been back on the ice a lot sooner. The first time I had the rink to myself after returning to skating, I had "flash-backs" of the day I wrecked my knees. It was unsettling (to say the least) but I got past it and the fears went away.

Maybe you could go, to watch, to talk to the skaters, and see where that leads you in time. You will prbably find some very understanding skaters and they can help you get over your fear when the time is right for YOU!

Don't give it up completely - stay connected - stay involved. You never know what tomorrow may hold.

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

Andrea, you could do alot worse than read Kays Journal-its an inspiration! I'm still having physio on my stupid knee, but the skating that caused the injury is what makes it stronger too. I agree with the idea of getting your coach to go on with you for support- and don't expect too much of yourself. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

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Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

If I were you, I would go down to the rink and watch a session or two. WAtch some skating on TV. See how you feel about it -- do you desperately want to skate after seeing your friends skating (or get inspired by watching someone who is really really good?).

Good luck. I feel your pain.

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

I second the suggestion of going with a coach the first time you try. I know that will be my plan when I try to skate again. Obviously won't be for quite a while yet for me, though.

Good luck with whatever you decide to try to do.

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August 22, back on the ice!

I agree that the way to go back is with a coach in a private lesson. I was 4 days from testing Pre Preliminary moves when I broke my wrist, but if I didn't have new $500 boots and two other family members on the ice, I might not have gone back. When I did, it was with my coach and I still remember the relief I felt at the end of that lesson.

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I would talk do a physician about your back pain first. You don't want to set yourself back anymore. Get an MRI, if necessary to avoid messing anything up any further with your spine.

It is depressing to think about re-injuring yourself, i know, but if skating truly is an extension of yourself, you need to return, but think about what happened and tread your waters with caution. You'll be a better skater because of it. I speak from experience. I had a head injury years ago, (i think i tripped over a toepick trying a spiral, but don't really remember) and this year i broke my ankle. They were both freakish, but i know, i'll skate as long as i can. I just think about if i had been running a 10-miler (if i were a runner, and stepped wrong,) i would have returned to running. I've been skating solid about 8 years now. I hope you will make the right decision for you.

My coach came to my house and picked me up to take me to the rink. I had mentally quit the sport but my coach had other ideas, apparently!

If you can't find a friend or coach to be with you the first time, then perhaps you can use the technique of setting a specific time limit and 'permission' to get off the ice after that. Then go for a snack or shopping, whatever, so you don't feel the 30 mile trip is for naught.

Sometimes when I just didn't feel like going to the rink, I would tell myself that I only had to go for 15 minutes and then I could get off the ice. Rarely did I leave at 15 min. but there was a couple of times, and that was okay!

how about just walking around in your skates and practice getting up off the floor? After my back fusion I was pretty spooked so I wore my son's hockey pants for 3 months - talk about looking silly!
Lyle

I think it is also important to think about it as not having to start all over again. You already know the basics, now all you have to do is practice them and refine the technique. If you go back with a coach who can help you get the correct technique down, you'll probably find that it'll take you less time than it did first time round. But if you don't enjoy, wait until you want to go back. You won't learn much if you don't want to be there. I say get back out there and give it a try and then you can decide what you want to do.