07/04/2019

With National Injury Prevention Day coming up really soon (July 5th 2019) I thought I would go through some injuries I have suffered over the past few years.

As you all know through my recent posts on concussions and head trauma. There is a fair share of head/brain injuries I have gone through. So if you want to read up on any of those, just go read some of my previous posts.

Spine Injury. After my car accident in 2018. I was getting severe shooting pain through my spine. While I am planning on being very open about the diagnosis soon. I can say that I was left with 5 disc bulges in my spine.

*Definition of a disc bulge: Herniated Disc.*

Shoulder Injuries: I tend to injure my shoulders a lot. It is not necessarily what I do to my shoulders. Basically they are loose and tend to move a lot out of place. This is where I am thankful that I have an amazing chiropractor.

When I was younger (About 15/16 years old). I tore my stomach muscle on the ice. I was skating and I fell on my stomach. For days it did not hurt. Then randomly the worst pain every started. I missed a lot of secondary 5 (Last high school year) due to this injury. I went through medical hell. While I should have known it was related to the fall…when the pain only comes days later you tend to not make the connection.

I got the diagnosis before my graduation and prom. And then missed the entire summer of figure skating, trying to get my health back in order.

This was honestly one of the worst summers/years ever.

Knee Injuries are actually a norm for me. I have torn ligaments in both knees on the ice.

My right knee has gotten the worst. I have torn my PCL, ACL, Meniscus. One of the times was especially the worse. It was when I was playing hockey with a friend, and I was trying to show off. I ended up getting lightly pushed in the boards and ended up with a really bad knee.

I was determined to still skate, so while I was injured…I was still skating. And basically before comps and skating tests the physiotherapist would bandage it up so I could perform the best that I could.

Neck Injuries: While this is technically related to the spine. I have gotten whiplash several times.

Once was doing Ice Dance with my old coach. I managed to fall and the way I landed caused whiplash.

While I have been injury prone over the years…I have also come back fairly quickly from the injuries.

I have always been one to do continuous exercises in order to get healthy again.

I would ice properly and elevate. Take appropriate medications.

The only thing I ever did wrong was continue using the injured body part and never giving it a rest.

Which when we talk about injury prevention this becomes the number one rule that we are expected to follow.

If you don’t rest, there is a chance to get re-injured.

My best advice: Listen to what your body says. Don’t listen to the adrenaline on wanting to come back. But also, you know better how you feel, then what the doctors can see.