Listen to your body Injuries can derail a skating career


by ALEX JOHNSON L


ike everyone else, I never thought I would endure a major injury in my career. I al- ways read about the journeys that profes-


sional athletes went through, but every single time it seemed like the difficulties they ex- perienced were something any other athlete could overcome. Needless to say, the ankle injury I sus-


tained in December of 2010 was one that I not only have been dealing with to this day, but something that I thought was going to end my skating career entirely. Over the past four years it has taken me on the wildest ride of my life.


I had moved to Colorado Springs in the


spring of 2010 and was looking forward to my second year as a senior man at the U.S. Cham- pionships. During a free skate run-through, I fell oddly on a triple Axel and could not get up. The only thing I could feel was an immense pain in my ankle. I remember sitting in the emergency room that night, waiting to hear my diagnosis, thinking that I was not going to be able to compete at nationals. I had a grade- three sprained ankle that had swollen to the size of a grapefruit and all I cared about was skating. At age 20, sitting out the rest of the sea-


son did not even seem like an option. I had worked harder than ever during the past sea- son and the thought of not being able to com- pete felt like the end of the world. However,


sitting out the 2014 U.S. Championships after the best season of my life and learning that I might never be able to skate again was much more difficult to deal with. If I could go back and change how I dealt with my initial injury, I would in a heartbeat. With that being said, my first pieces of


advice when dealing with injuries: Take the time to let your body heal properly. Had I tak- en the time to let my body heal properly, the likelihood of reinjuring my ankle would have gone down dramatically. It’s also important to differentiate between working hard and pushing it. As an elite athlete it is common to have everyday aches and pains, but make sure those aches and pains aren’t something serious. Communicating how your body feels with your coach, your trainers, your family and friends is extremely important. Yes it is im- portant to be a tough athlete, but expressing how your body feels does not undermine your toughness. It makes you a wise athlete. Unfortunately, I didn’t abide by these simple rules and because of that I continually sprained my ankle until it needed to be surgi- cally repaired. This is where things got tricky. The repairs to my ankle ligaments went fine, but I suffered nerve damage from the nerve block that was used. Nerve damage doesn’t


46 DECEMBER 2014


happen often, but could have forced me to walk with a splint the rest of my life. I’m fortu- nate that the feeling in my lower leg has come back to the point that I can function quite nor- mally, but it is something that will continue to affect me. However, it has taught me to be a patient and thankful athlete and luckily did not shatter my dreams completely. The past year and a half has been the


toughest time of my life, but with the help of my coaches, family and friends I was able to overcome many challenges. After a top-seven finish at nationals, I had to start from scratch. I took one day at a time, enduring one obsta- cle after another and relearning elements that had become brainless work. It was a humbling process, but now I’m back training, and even competing internationally. Getting to this point was never easy and


there were many times when I wanted to give up, but I made it. Don’t let yourself tell a story like mine. With a great support system, effec- tive communication and proper body mainte- nance, injuries can be avoided and dealt with efficiently. To go into the rink every day and challenge yourself is a privilege; never take it for granted. Your body is your tool, respect it and take care of it.


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