Looks like I tore my right calf muscle pretty good in class last night.
We were doing Arnis drills (specifically 3-8-12). My partner was driving, so I checked against the 3 strike, countered with the 8 strike, defended against the 12 strike with an umbrella block, struck at the 3, defended the 8… and then as I went for the 12 strike…
POP!
It was an audible pop, and it felt like a balloon had exploded in my calf. Immediate unbelievably excruciating pain. I can’t put a lick of pressure on my right leg at all - not a toe, nothing. It’s completely unable to bear any weight at all.
We headed for urgent care - right now I don’t have insurance as I’m transitioning between jobs and medical insurance doesn’t start until the end of August - but they closed about 15 minutes before my injury. So, it was the emergency room for us (July is becoming a very expensive month!).
As a special bonus, my leg kept spasming, so it was a consistent high level of pain with irregular tweaks of cranking the injury hard with each spasm (wow, it’s kinda like hitting on a pressure point…). Each spasm brought me to tears, or close to tears. And that went on for hours as I waited for somebody to look at me.
I got asked several times how I got hurt - um, hello, my hubby, my daughter and myself are all in gi’s… I didn’t get it tap dancing!
So, Doc squeezes my calf - again, YEEAAARRGGGGHHHH!!! - and diagnoses calf tear, and no martial arts for three months. “THREE MONTHS?!?” I wail, and he ever so kindly said, “Ya wanna heal, doncha?” as he leaves the room. Nice bedside manner there, dude. Sigh.
Then on the paperwork it says “Hamstring” and I’m sorry, but the hamstring is not in the calf, man. I get crutches, a scrip for Darvocet and Naproxen, and I’m told to stay off it for three days and see an orthopedic surgeon in that time.
So here I am. In some ways, the being sidelined from classes is what’s bothering me more than the injury or the medical bills we’re going to have to pay out-of-pocket. I really have become semi-dependent on class for stress management, and I just love doing it so much! But until I can support my weight again, I can’t even do upper-body work very well.
No PaSaRyu, No Arnis, No Fun!
–Her
5 Comments
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Leave a comment
I am sorry to hear about your injury. It sounds extremely painful. I was off the dojo floor for several months with an ACL tear. I know how hard it is to be told not to train.
Thanks, Michele. When he said “Three months” I burst into tears!
Ouch! I know where you come from, though. I tore my groin muscle doing a side-kick break late summer 2006. I was only side-lined for about a month as I only had a grade 2 tear (it sounds like you have a grade 3, ouch!) but it was a good six months before I really felt like my karate was back up to snuff, and a good year before my flexibility and strength were even on both sides again.
RICE the heck out of that sucker (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) for the first couple of days. After that you might want to try alternating heat and cold, which can net some of the benefits of increased circulation (from the heat), while mitigating any swelling it might cause.
Good luck!
We’re taking his “3 months” with a grain of salt. He spent less than 30 seconds examining her leg. The doctor was an ass. We waited 3.5 hours for 30 seconds of examination and a bill that will be God knows how much. I hate hospitals.
Thanks, I’m doing RICE, I’m trying to take it easy and be patient. But it’s only been a day and I’m wishing I could fast-forward a month!
I didn’t get bruising or anything, so I suspect it’s a grade 2. When I have a real doctor look at me, I hope to have a better idea of the diagnosis, prognosis, and steps I need to take to get back into full martial arts form again.