Injuries are a pain to any sports person’s career, whether you do sport as a hobby or competitively. Yes the physical pain is bad, but not as much as the mental side of having to stop doing something you love. The physical pain can often just act as a reminder of the mental struggle injuries can bring. Sport can be an escape from the rest of your life, or just something you enjoy pushing yourself in. Injuries can stop you temporarily or permanently from taking part in a huge part of your life, whatever role sport or exercise has in your life.
For me derby is everything, I mean I enjoy life outside of roller derby, but when I have that life-derby balance. Derby is my release, I have stamina, I enjoy pushing myself to be the best I can be and then to be better than that. When I don't have derby (and any other form of exercise), I feel lost - I feel like I am working towards nothing, even if other areas of my life on paper are going fine. I expect many people can feel this way on some level or another about various parts of their life. I have my other hobbies, but there is something about sport that can keep you mentally stable as well - particularly when you suffer from mental illness (as I do).
I still attend sessions to watch, coach, bench coach and nso. I can still get something from it: people that value me, I can help others through admin or coaching – I might not enjoy it as such but it helps my team at least. But this isn't enough to quell the pain, in fact being involved can make the absence of derby seem greater. I can see other people getting the opportunity to push themselves, to learn new things and get fitter. I am also so motivated to better my game right now, I was on the verge of trying out to transfer to a high level team. Now I am stuck, I can't do anything. Yes I can work a bit on my core and arms, but not the part of my body I really want to target in the gym or by conditioning to up that derby game. Everyone deals with being injured a different way, for me I have to still be involved, to cut it out completely would leave me far emptier, but I know for others it can be too hard to do that, a clean break, as it were, can be easier mentally.
I have only been off skates for just under two months, doing physio throughout most of that. I was lucky my injury is not a tear or a break, but probably a strained tendon or ligament (according to my physio). I thought this would be soothing to hear, but it isn't. It could still take around 6 months to heal fully and regain its strength. The only positive I have found is following physio it should come back stronger than before. That does not help me now. Time will pass I will be not injured, but it can be hard to see that point when that point seems so far away.
The things I have to keep telling myself are:
"You are doing the right things: rest and strengthening".
"You stopped before it became a tear, so it could be worse".
I still attend sessions to watch, coach, bench coach and nso. I can still get something from it: people that value me, I can help others through admin or coaching – I might not enjoy it as such but it helps my team at least. But this isn't enough to quell the pain, in fact being involved can make the absence of derby seem greater. I can see other people getting the opportunity to push themselves, to learn new things and get fitter. I am also so motivated to better my game right now, I was on the verge of trying out to transfer to a high level team. Now I am stuck, I can't do anything. Yes I can work a bit on my core and arms, but not the part of my body I really want to target in the gym or by conditioning to up that derby game. Everyone deals with being injured a different way, for me I have to still be involved, to cut it out completely would leave me far emptier, but I know for others it can be too hard to do that, a clean break, as it were, can be easier mentally.
I have only been off skates for just under two months, doing physio throughout most of that. I was lucky my injury is not a tear or a break, but probably a strained tendon or ligament (according to my physio). I thought this would be soothing to hear, but it isn't. It could still take around 6 months to heal fully and regain its strength. The only positive I have found is following physio it should come back stronger than before. That does not help me now. Time will pass I will be not injured, but it can be hard to see that point when that point seems so far away.
The things I have to keep telling myself are:
"You are doing the right things: rest and strengthening".
"You stopped before it became a tear, so it could be worse".
People can carry on with an injury regardless, I think it is so important to recognise a niggle and look after it. It is your bodies way of saying 'hey, I'm not ok, please be careful with me'. If you have a niggle stop, rest. If you have a broken bone, even if it 'just' a thumb, for gods sake - STOP. It will only get worse if you work through it. You risk being out for so much longer. Don't just cover yourself in KT or rock tape every session.
Do things to look after your supporting joints and ligaments too (e.g. stretching after EVERY session/ workout, do exercises that increase stability in your knees and ankles - we place them under so much stress). Even your pain isn't a leg, knee or ankle, get it checked out, it could still get knocked. Derby skaters are athletes, we need to look after our bodies like athletes do: WITH RESPECT.
Please look after yourselves, I know it is hard - I am there right now so I can relate. You will be thankful afterwards when you get back on skates after you've rested, done your physio and the injury doesn't come back.
It will get better, you just have to give it time.
Do things to look after your supporting joints and ligaments too (e.g. stretching after EVERY session/ workout, do exercises that increase stability in your knees and ankles - we place them under so much stress). Even your pain isn't a leg, knee or ankle, get it checked out, it could still get knocked. Derby skaters are athletes, we need to look after our bodies like athletes do: WITH RESPECT.
Please look after yourselves, I know it is hard - I am there right now so I can relate. You will be thankful afterwards when you get back on skates after you've rested, done your physio and the injury doesn't come back.
It will get better, you just have to give it time.