Never, ever, thought it would happen to ME!

[mental4astro]

Hi all,

"Sports" injuries are something one never thinks can happen unless you are an athlete. Let lone when one is playing with their kids!

Yesterday, playing a bit of soccer with my son, retrieving the ball, I turned and I heard a "POP" and felt as if someone had thrown a stone that smacked me in the right calf muscle!

Holy heck! The pain was excruciating, :eyepop:. I looked around for the culprit who threw the stone, but none was in sight - 'coward' I thought, :mad2:

I was felled, and walking was NEARLY as bad as giving birth (sorry ladies, this is a bloke talking!).

I had heard of that "POP", and seen footage on tellie about rupturing muscles. Cringe worthy alright. But, never, ever, ever thought that I could do the same, :sad: A torn calf muscle... :(

Now, I'm laid up with a busted pin, and getting crocodile tears from the missus. Only my little son cares for me!!! :( :)

Moral of the story, a few stretches before running around if you don't run around too often, can save a long and painful recovery. I just didn't bother with them this time, and oh how I wish I had...

Mental.

[iceman]

haha ouch! Yep been there done that. This time last during a Karate tournament, twang - torn calf muscle.

I still won the match :)

I was out for like 6 weeks.

[LewisM]

Worst pop I ever heard was my left shoulder. Out of the socket, torn ligaments.

Debilitating, excruciating PRESSURE (less of pain, but more a continual pressure feeling). It felt like someone was constantly sitting on your shoulder. No pain relief helped.

Took 6 months of physio to help make it feel slightly better. Another 2 years feeling it when I slept. Now, I don't notice it at all.

[Larryp]

Easy to do, Alex. I tore the ligaments in my right shoulder about a year ago, and have had to learn to live with it-not repairable.
All the best for a speedy recovery :thumbsup:

[AG Hybrid]

Damn Alex. Really sorry to hear about your injury. I sometimes get craps in my calf muscles and those are excruciating. Can't imagine what a torn calf muscle is like.
I wish you a speedy recovery my friend.

[bojan]

Ouch.. that is not good..

Can I add to this (from my own experience...), we should also respect the fact that we are maturing with each day (I really don't want to mention here that ugly, blunt word "old") - like a good cheese.. or good vine.. and all those mature, good things must be enjoyed with care and moderation :P

[Shark Bait]

At least your young one is sympathetic. Hope you have a quick recovery.

[brian nordstrom]

:) Sorry to hear Mental , hope it heals well .
The worst I had was stepping off a step of 2 meters high and landing on my right ankle SNAP? SMASH!! in a cast for 5 weeks and even today 10 years later it still aint right , feels weak .

Heal well mate .
Brian.

[tlgerdes]

The worst POP I heard was when I snapped my daughters leg tobogganing. Squashed her like a pancake.

[Nikolas]

You haven't lived until you ruptured an Achilles, now THAT'S an experience I wouldn't want to wish on anyone.
nothing warns you about it, no amount of warming up or stretching prevents it, it just happens.
I was playing competitive soccer (masters) when I felt what I thought was a hefty kick to my leg after winning the ball in a contest and took off with it.
I quickly turned around to my opponent and asked WTF?
He looked incredulous and denied touching me. It was only then I realised it wasn't him when my foot just flopped and I couldn't balance on my left leg.
Anyways a trip to hospital emergency at the epworth in melbourne (never use a public emergency pay the $300 and get treated in less than an hour) plastered up and then surgery a week later, 4 months on crutches and a further month walking in a boot and finally physio. 18 months later and all is good again. This was in 2009, and now back to better than before.
the one thing I found strange was the lack of any real pain.

Good luck with the calf tear it will heal!!
:)

[mental4astro]

Looks like many of us have war injuries to tell, :lol:

Thanks for the good wishes. Good news today is the pain has settled, and the tear isn't as bad a first thought. Last night I couldn't stand at all - toilet trip was an experience, :scared2:

Today, I can stand, doing so very, very slowly, and the calf slowly and gingerly yields for a short stretch. At least I can hobble like a three legged dog. I'm not pushing things though - I'm not that mad. Just to the loo and bits and pieces that need some attention - like stroking the telescopes and eyepieces, :sadeyes:

Mental.

[Astro_Bot]

I was slide-tackled in a soccer game many years ago and tore a calf muscle. The strange thing is, I didn't feel a sharp pain; it felt very tight and I tried running but could only hobble. It was only after I limped off the field that the pain really started. I was on crutches for several weeks.

[GeoffW1]

WE care for you Alex :D

[GrahamL]

Hope your up and about soon alex.

Footy training years back we were all running back wards in a line , we ALL heard this crack like a whip and the guy three inside me drops like a stone, you think Achilles or a break but it was a muscle , wow I still remember how loud it was, ended his season but he was mobile again in a few days sort of .

[Camelopardalis]

Ouch, that sounds nasty! Take it easy and hope it heals soon :thumbsup:

[Wavytone]

Sorry to hear that Alex, take it easy, but stay active, it's really important !

At least you don't have osteoporosis... That's worst I think. My mum fractured a vertebra turning over in bed... 8 months in hospital on her back. It was also the turning point where she had to go into aged care where her diet would be properly managed.

[louie_the_fly]

I tore a calf some years ago. 1st ball of my 1st over for the game. Fortunately it was the second last game and we weren't playing finals. The following season I had a major elbow reco (like an ACL but in the arm). Caused by a simple underarm flick of the ball back to the stumps. Thought my arm was broken. It was the most painful injury I've ever had. I spose that what happens to us "elite sportsmen".:rofl:

Hope you recover soon.

[Steffen]

Holy cow, Alex!

I hope you recover soon and fully.

Cheers
Steffen.

[erick]

That does it - I'm staying in bed from now on. I've luckily avoided such problems so far in life. Hope you bounce back quickly, Alex.

[Ric]

Good to hear your leg is slowly mending Alex.

Cheers

[mental4astro]

Even better news - improvement is going amazingly well. I'm able to get about with a hobble, like if were just a strain. Calf won't stretch or tension without significant pain, but I'm not bed ridden anymore. I'm glad my work doesn't require much walking. From where I was on Friday night, I never expected to be where I am now.

I'm under no illusion that the ultimate recovery will take time. Forget to hobble & the calf screams out blue bloody murder!

My little boy was a charm over the weekend. He gave up the chance to see his little cousins to stay at home with me when mum & his sister went out. Showed him how to pour a whiskey, & was keen as mustard to pour another for me for breakfast! :eyepop: :lol: Gotta love them :)

[bigjoe]

Good to hear a fellow IISer doing well after such an injury.

I myself have torn calves, tennis elbow, etc from playing tennis,which I will
no longer do, because of this.

My wife holds a BB in Martial Arts, but no longer participates in too strenuous exercises.

Today it is some walking, push-ups, some knee bends and some calf raises on the
edge of a step (DONE SLOWLY) of course!

I have lost some weight doing just this when I can, and now Im only a fit 90 kg at 184

[Inmykombi]

Ouch!!!! Sounds painful.

I remember playing indoor Cricket many years ago, and I did not stretch as good as I should have before the game.
First ball of the match, I hit well, and when I started to run from a standing start.... snap .... there goes a tendon / muscle or whatever in my left foot. I thought it was my shoe splitting until the pain hit.
6 weeks waiting for a black and blue foot to recover....

Did the same riding skateboards and playing Squash in my youth as well... same foot too. Now I roll my ankle on an uneven small crack in the pavement. Sad case hey ?

I can sympathise.

Take care..

geoffro.

[mercedes_sl1970]

Glad to hear you are making a recovery, Alex. Sounds like you have trained your son well!

Andrew

[Grease]

Wishing you a speedy recovery Alex.

[ZeroID]

Hey, Take care Alex, keep training the young fella with the whisky.
I've done my knees in from Skiing many moons ago so I don't do anything stupid on them. Just ride the bike for 20-30 km and walk 10 km events. :P

I also apply the 'whisky' cure on regular occaisons, seems to work quite well. :thumbsup:

[skytry]

hi Mental,
just came within internet signal area travelling,
good luck & heal well, it shall all be better within no time,

regards,
Peter.

[jjjnettie]

yup yup yup
did exactly the same thing playing netball a number of years ago.
I was standing on tippy toes shooting the hoop and it felt like someone had kicked me in the calf very hard while wearing steel caps.
I was hobbling around on an upended broom for days until I got someone to take me to the docs and then I upgraded to a pair of crutches. It took weeks to recover.
It hurt like crazy, but sorry, it's not as bad as child birth. ;)

I hope you get better soon.

[AdrianF]

I am recovering from a skateboard injury ....... And I have never been on a skateboard.

Adrian