Posted July 21, 2011 - 1:45pm by Tracy
Fearing an “inevitable” injury
Writing the Well Community feature article, “5 tips every active female needs to know” and listening to the advice of Dr. Jennifer Connor about ways to prevent injury, I couldn’t help but think of myself, my sport of choice and the injuries that come with it.
As an active participant in a competitive women’s field sport, I am constantly reminded of the risks of being a female athlete. Every week I see my teammates riddled with black and blue ankles, knee braces and tape jobs — and in some cases the telltale circular scars of an arthroscopic knee surgery. I also see the ibuprophen bottles being passed from player to player before, during and after each game, and the hobbling walks to the parking lot on the way home.
These ladies have all the toughness and dedication in the world, but they are injury ridden. It seems that the odds are against them when it comes to staying healthy, since their very anatomical make-ups — in addition to the fast-paced nature of their sport — puts them at risk.
Consider this: Two or three days a week we play Ultimate Frisbee, an organized sport similar to soccer in movement, intensity and contact between players. Two months into our nearly five-month competitive season, 17 of the 24 women on the team have sustained a hip, knee or ankle injury, or have been nursing an old one. These women range in age from 20 to 35, and as a whole are in impeccable shape. Some injuries are worse than others, but the numbers speak for themselves.
Personally, I have been fortunate enough to avoid serious and chronic injuries throughout my athletic career (please knock on wood for me), but a nagging dull ache in my right knee has me wondering if it’s only a matter of time before something like an ACL tear happens, and bigger picture — what years of constant, intense wear and tear on my joints could mean for me as I get older.
I’m not alone with these concerns. Last season we lost a valuable player to an ACL tear, and I believe most of my teammates share a fear of impending injury. Knowing any one of us could be the next to fall, we are faced with two options: Continue playing with the risk and fear of injury, or stop playing the game we love.
I don’t care for either of those options, so I think I’ll do my best to stick to Dr. Connor’s advice, defy nature and continue to play injury-free.
Photo caption: My women's Ultimate Frisbee team.
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