Staying Positive After an Injury
Three things I've learned after breaking my ankle
A few weeks ago, while on vacation, I decided to go outside and play soccer…*ahem* football (we were in England after all)…with the kids.
Just before I went outside, I experienced a weird premonition that I should skip this particular play session. I ignored it, wanting to spend some time with the kids.
A few minutes into our game, I decided to take on all three opponents off the dribble. This was high-level football, after all.
In hindsight, maybe this wasn’t the best idea in the back garden, while trying to dodge children, lawn furniture and plants. Before I knew it, my foot got caught underneath me, and…
Technically, it was my fibula. And the kids and my new brother-in-law heard it. Shortly thereafter, I got to experience England’s National Health Service firsthand.
Luckily, I escaped surgery and ended up in a walking boot. I’ve been pretty immobile for the past four weeks, and I’ve been doing absolutely nothing. As an active person, it’s been quite the mental challenge embracing rest.
On the bright side, moonlighting as a couch potato affords me plenty of time for self reflection. I’ve tried to focus on three positive things, and I hope sharing them will be helpful for others who are dealing with similar, non-life threatening injuries.
Positive Thing #1: It Could Be Worse
Really. It could. I could have required surgery. Which would mean being stuck in England. While the UK is a lovely place to be stuck, surgery would have required more leave from work. I was lucky to fly home and be able start back at my job, working from the comfort of home.
Beyond needing surgery for injury or missing work, there are many ways things could be worse. A broken fibula is not generally life threatening. The fibula doesn’t bear much weight. The pain has been manageable. If you’ve got a similar injury, you may find it helpful to be thankful that you’re not experiencing something more severe, more painful or more dangerous.
Positive Thing #2: My Fitness Will Come Back Quicker Than I Think
After the injury, I quickly focused on a negative thing related to my favorite activity, cycling.
“I’ve worked so hard to get where I am with my cycling fitness,” said that nagging voice in my head. “I’m going to lose it all now!”
I must admit, I kept thinking like this for a few weeks. Then, a well-time Washington Post article helped me quash the negative self-talk:
One way or another, this much is clear: The more you exercise, the more (muscle memory) savings you’ll accrue. “Once you’ve got those additional nuclei, they’re in reserve. You’re banking that capacity,” said Lawrence Schwartz, a professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “You essentially have an instrumental manual for making muscle, so you can get enhanced growth much faster the second time around.”
And researchers believe muscle memory is long lasting, maybe even permanent. “There’s never an age where it stops,” Behm said. In fact, a recent study involving men in their 50s to 70s investigated the effects of completing a resistance training regimen, followed by a detraining period, then a retraining period, each consisting of 12 weeks. As expected, resistance training increased knee extension strength and power by 10 to 36 percent. Detraining resulted in a 5 to 15 percent loss of strength and power. The big reveal: “Less than eight weeks of retraining were needed to reach the post-training level of … maximum strength,” according to the researchers.
A good scientific study really puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? Even though you’re sidelined with an injury, if you’ve been active previously, there’s a good chance you can recover your fitness more quickly than you think.
Positive #3: Rehab Will Be a Challenge…In a Good Way
I’m competitive and I often have to take a step back and reflect on things to make sure I’m setting achievable goals. With rehab, though, I can’t help thinking a bit of competitive spirit might be a good thing.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that you should overdo it when you’re rehabbing an injury. Exactly the opposite: listen to your doctor, follow their instructions and set a goal to achieve your rehab assignments.
Once you’re able to return to more normal exercise, take it slow and steady. When you regain that 5 to 15 percent of strength and power that you lost during your time off, it will feel like a huge accomplishment. I know it’s one I’m looking forward to.