Coping with Injury

Some of us are born prone to injury: those of us that are tend to have extra loose ligaments or joints, and it makes it nearly impossible to avoid them.

I was on TV in 3rd grade for that very reason. During a visit to my orthopedist one day, channel 5 (Fox News) was filming a segment on active kids and their overuse injuries. Well, I ended up being pulled into that filming because at the time, I must have been wearing both a knee brace and a cast on my wrist. No joke. And  it was not the first time I’ve had more than one injury at one time.

It is a bit frustrating, I must say, to be built like this (a faulty machine, so to speak). I like to be active. I like to set goals. I actually hate committing to something and then not following through – like signing up for a race and not being able to do it due to injury.

Along with that, it’s a challenge to hold back when you do have an injury. For example, I am having reconstructive surgery on my left foot this coming October for a split tendon and a torn ligament. My doctors have told me I can essentially do whatever I want/can up to the actual date of surgery, so this summer I’ve not only been training for triathlons and swims, but learning to surf as well. Well, unfortunately, last week I re-injured my already injured foot and I almost couldn’t walk. It’s hindered my ability to continue training this past week and I’m at a crossroads.

At this point, I can swim. I can probably bike. But I am going to wait a few more days, or maybe another week, to try to run on it.

I have the Philly She Rox triathlon coming up not this weekend but next and yes, I do plan on doing it. At full capacity? Very doubtful. I may even need to walk the run portion. But I will finish.

Am I the only one who has a hard time balancing their desire to compete, have fun, set challenges or goals, and their natural capacity for injury? I don’t believe it for a minute. Those of us that are competitive by nature are probably just as prone to this mindset as we are to our injuries.

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