Injuries and when someone should quit

[hungga_disciple]

Hi,
I am practally a begineer and I hurt my ankle bad. Bad enough that I need injection to get it to start healing itself. Should I quit trying to do hung gar or should I try on and just work at my own pace. Injury been hurting me since January.

--Kuo Shu

[RENEGADE_MONK]

First stay off your ankle until it heals properly
if its been since jan ...have you seen a doctor about it, if you have seen a doc about it, did you follow his orders? remember see a doctor...and then continue with your training ..ONLY after your ankle has healed FULLY

[passingthru]

First of all, you got good advice re healing before stressing the ankle.
I will address another matter. I, too, am recovering from an injury, to the knee. This one might take me out (and has caused me to leave the teacher), as I already have a compromised knee. I have some advice. It might not apply to you in this situation, but I think it is something you should hear.
Never go against your body. Yes, there are ways to overcome limitations via Kung Fu, but everyone needs to respect the limits of their physical being. Sometimes, as was the case with me, a teacher will insist that a student do something that is not in that person's range, and which the person does not want to do, with good reason. I'm not going to get into this. I'm quite upset about it.
Your comment about wanting to go according to your own pace, or whatever, set me off. I did too. It was clear that I wasn't there to master the system, only to learn what was good for me and to act responsibly and with honor. The teacher had asked me to study with him. I'll tell you something. You have to look out for yourself. There are teachers out there who will yes you to death re being able to accommodate someone who is slightly weaker or is handicapped, but who has deep interest in the essence of Kung Fu, and then pressure you to go beyond what is physically advisable. It is pure and simple cruelty. And, please, don't fall for the crap of pushing to the limit. There are limits and there are Limits. Thing is, if you destroy your body, you ain't going to have any limits to test. It becomes a question of not listening to what a teacher says, but seeing how he/she acts.
Hung Ga is a wonderful martial art. Get treatment, support the ankle for a long time, and return to class if that is what you want to do. People do sustain injuries, and they do go on. Just that you need to look after yourself and trust in your own instincts, and stick to them.

[joedoe]

If you were playing some sport (pick one that you like playing) would you quit just because you got injured?

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You have no chance to survive - make your time.

[Ross]

One problem we have is that professionals don't always make it clear what exactly we are dealing with when injured. Normal ankle sprains are healing within a week or two and better usually better by 6 weeks (that is back to early competition level training for athletes). Often the injury is better but the scar tissue/adhesions left behind are painful and need to be regularly stretched to the point of discomfort(takes a few weeks of regular stretching) to make the scars supple and painfree. Other conditions require the services of a physical therapist/chiropractor or osteopath to help get the joint moving. This usually only takes a session or two.

Unless you have a truly damaging injury you would likely fall within one of these two situations.

Build your strength up. Improve your local flexibility. See someone for advice if you like to make things less sensitive (perhaps acupuncture or Tuina/amma treatment). I have seen old ladies who are willing to go through hell to to be able to train at the sports that they love (lawn boweling/skittles etc). You would be surprised at what they (and you ) can accomplish.

Oh, the injection.....common practice..not unusual....not always effective (if the diagnosis isn't always clear injections will kill pain at least in the short run).

Cheers, R
(Would you believe I do this for a living :')?

[This message was edited by R on 05-05-01 at 07:00 AM.]