Christine’s Personal Take On Coming Back After An Injury

There are plenty of phrases to describe life’s twists and turns, though for me it’s, ‘Life can turn on a dime.”

It was in the blink of an eye life would change and basically come to a screeching halt, rendering things I would do routinely as a struggle.  

My life was put on hold just like that on a cold early December afternoon. 

Being a  runner for decades, the only injury I’d suffered was a relatively minor hamstring pull, which due to proper rehab and stretching actually helped me in the long run…no pun intended.

This is to express the importance of circling the date on your calendar when you can resume workouts and not allow an injury to destroy years of hard work. 

There are myriad examples of courageous women, men, girls and boys overcoming physical disadvantages to triumph against the odds. 

My situation isn’t like that because even when the pain from my wrist kept me on medication for weeks, I always knew it was a temporary situation in which I would fully recover. 

I’d worn my winter boots on an outing and did not sense the danger. 

Suddenly it was like glass slippers on a clean sheet of ice and down I went, breaking two bones to go with torn ligaments in my thumb. 

Being a lefty, life’s new challenges would be exacerbated by breaking my dominant wrist which I couldn’t use for about seven weeks.

Mundane tasks, such as squeezing the toothpaste and trying to brush my teeth required patience and determination.. 

My broken bones sent me into shock over the sheer violence of the fall; I instinctively reached behind with my dominant hand to protect my head from hitting the cement. 

That was followed by throbbing pain and seven hours at the hospital, where I was anesthetized before having my broken bones set. 

I was pleased to learn no surgery was needed, which would have taken place about two weeks after my injury, which meant I had a two-week head start on the healing process. 

I knew my running would have to be put onto the sidelines; My recovery process had begun and It was time for reflection and dealing with the situation at hand. 

Life isn’t all roses and cherry blossoms and we all have our own issues to deal with in so many varying degrees. It’s not about falling because we all do that one way or another. 

It’s about getting back up again. I’m no longer in a cast, having progressed to physiotherapy two to three times a week, which I am still receiving. 

The recovery process is going well now and I can run, which is my happy place.

There’s a long list of things I couldn’t do, such as washing my hair, opening a can, writing, or putting in my contact lenses, all now in my rearview mirror. 

Yet recovery was not limited to the physical aspect of healing; Mentally, not being able to cook, or help clean or even zip up my coat was tough to bear at times. 

Without my partner, John’s, steadfast support my situation would have been much worse. 

The best lesson I took from my situation was to remain positive throughout. It was taking baby steps, going for small walks, jogging, then finally, running again. 

The key is to be patient with the process, appreciate your unique circumstances and make the best of them. I will always be thankful that it wasn’t worse than it was.

My other tips are to start back slowly, ask questions about your fitness schedule as to when you can workout, and do your homework, physio exercises will help you heal sooner. 

It was a temporary setback, but I’m looking forward to participating in some events.

Our Fitness Friday feature is submitted and written by Christine Blanchette so please follow her on Twitter as well as her Run With It Youtube Channel.