Dealing with Injury, Extended

[Vash]

Just a quick question:

For those who've had sustained injuries lasting 6 months or more, and prohibited any type of physical training, what did you do to deal with it, psychologically?

I've been down basically since March 22, with a brief respite in late May to the end of June. Up to that point, I'd invested a good part of my emotional well-being in my training. With that gone, I've gotten a bit depressed. I've started getting near anxiety attacks just walking around campus. I'm on a medication for that anxiety. My sleeping's improved since the injury, though.

Anyway, I'm beginning to think I'm obsessing over it. Not that my constant gripe posts would be any indication of that.

Just putting it out of my mind, focusing on what I can do.

Peace, all.

[FatherDog]

I drank a lot of vodka. That was pretty much it.

FD - Vodka - Polish for Therapy

[IronFist]

^ I thought Vodka was a Russian word.

Vash said:
Just a quick question:

For those who've had sustained injuries lasting 6 months or more, and prohibited any type of physical training, what did you do to deal with it, psychologically?

I've never had one that put me out for 6 months (knock on wood), but I would be pretty p.issed if that happened.

I don't know the extent of your injury, but it might be possible to train another part of your body in the meantime. You could also devote this time to doing tons of research into your training and exercising.

If you really can't exercise at all, you could do it mentally. For instance, if we're talking about weightlifting, spend a few minutes each day imagining going over the lifts. I think they did some research that showed that imagining lifting weights fired the same neurons (or something) in the brain as actually lifting the weights. They had a control group who refrained from exercising for x amount of time, and another group who also refrained from exercising from the same time, but spent like 15 minutes a day imagining exercising, and that group lost less strength than the group who didn't imagine it. I forgot the numbers and percentages and everything else, but I remember the basic concept of the study.

So applying that concept to martial arts, imagine doing your forms, or techniques, or fighting, or whatever. It will help reinforce what you know and help prevent you from forgetting it.

If you're down with qigong you could do that even if you're injured. It probably couldn't hurt.

I've gotten a bit depressed.

That's natural. Just don't let it beat you.

Anyway, I'm beginning to think I'm obsessing over it. Not that my constant gripe posts would be any indication of that.

I would do the same thing.

Just putting it out of my mind, focusing on what I can do.

Get a (temporary?) new hobby. Are you a musician? Take up a new instrument or something.

Look at it this way. Fitness and training is a lifelong thing for you, right? In 10 years, will it really matter that you had to take 6 months off 10 years ago? Probably not. I know that doesn't help too much now, when you want to look awesome for the ladies, but still. You know it's true.

What's your injury, anyway? I forgot.

[IronFist]

Not like I am qualified to give out advice on this. I become irate when I get sick and can't train for 2 weeks. Heh...

Good luck, dude.

[shaolin kungfu]

I mostly agree with what ironfist said.

chess helped me. Sort of the "i cant train my body, so i'll train my mind" kind of thing. Find a new hobby for a little while, it'll help.

Don't get too depressed, before you know it you'll be back in the gym gettin buff for all the chicks. :D

hope you heal quick man. :)

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by IronFist
^ I thought Vodka was a Russian word.

It's the same in Russian and Polish; it's derived from the root word for water, voda, which is also the same in both languages.

[Ford Prefect]

I had an episode where I lost a lot of training time last year. It was about 6 months as well. I can't say that I was ever depressed or anxious to the point of medication, but I was certainly frusterated. It's hard seeing something that you put so much hard work and sacrafice into deteriorate before your very eyes. I lost a lot of hard fought for muscle and quite a lot of strength. I still haven't completely recovered my strength. It sucks but it's just one of those things in life that you can't control for the most part.

It has certainly made me much more aware of how fragile our bodies are and how important it is to be safe while partaking in any activity. Take this time to better yourself in other ways. Read some books, learn a new language or instrument, strengthen ties with friends and family, etc. There is positive in almost every situation. Don't waste the time you have here.

[Vash]

IF:

Thanks for the idea. I go through all my forms at least twice each day in that way. Didn't even think about doing that with my lifts.

I've been putting in well over 20 hours a week into research. Was starting in with Isshinryu history, but that's going no where fast (everyone seems to want to make it a different story), as I've got the most accepted info on it. A good 10 hours a week is also devoted to studying physiology and nutrition. So, I shouldn't be behind on my routine planning.

Oh, I broke the first rib below the sternum on my right side in two places, as well as broke the cartilage and tore the muscles around it. It's coming along.

'Preciate your post.

FP:

I'm doing the best I can to keep from wasting time.

Everyone else: thanks for the posts.

[bung bo]

hey duder-i've been reading your posts and following your condition over the past few months and i really feel for you. i get frustrated when i have to take even a weekend off to heal up, so i can't even imagine what you're going through. you said something about teaching your teacher's kids class. that sounds like a lot of fun. i read for a gong fu sister's mom's kindergarten class once and i felt really good afterwards. i woke up sick that day, and after the reading, i just felt real serene.
i hope you don't get too depressed. maybe you could sit in on class. watch and help the juniors with good advice. you should also do some chigong. it will help with the depression. also, don't feel bad about obsessing over your condition. i think everyone on here could identify with that. best wishes

[TjD]

i broke my leg about 8 weeks ago (hence not being on here much).

not much to do except drink :D i prefer jack to the russian, but thats a personal thing.

hobbling around on crutches has prevented my upper body from atrophying, and my non-broken leg is like steel now :)

i should be able to walk again in a week or two, then the training begins. going to be really interesting getting my other leg back into working order (it's about half the diameter of my other one).


basically, i just sat around and watched tv and did work. tried to hang out with friends alot to prevent being depressed from having to sit on my ass so much. not much else you can do really.

i've done some kung fu standing on one leg, which has been interesting, but can only do that for so long :)

[Vash]

Thanks for the thoughts, and the suggestions. Always nice to hear something positive.

Keeping busy, teaching a kata class on the weekends. Helps.

TjD

Get that thing healed up. I've heard broken limbs can hampoer your training ;)