Author Topic: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink  (Read 2228 times)

KarineT

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Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« on: May 06, 2019, 12:05:54 pm »
Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum and I have decided to join as I would like to know if any of you has had the same experience as me.

We often hear about broken ankles and wrists on the ice but what about broken legs? 

I have been skating for a number of years and, although I am not an advanced
skater , I am not a beginner either.  I skate 3 times a week on average and have lessons every week.  I don't think my accident was due to the fact I didn't know what I was doing.

In Jan this year, I visited a temporary ice rink, in London, and, unfortunately, broke my leg in two places.  This happened 15 minutes before the end of the session.  I went to the barrier to work on my back inside three turn but I don't think there was enough barrier. I was going backwards and I was about to put my hand on it but there was an open space instead (the entrance). The barrier had no doors. Also there was a bumpy uneven surface in that area and I felt myself falling backwards. I couldn't break the fall as there was nothing to hold on to. Although it  was a low impact fall, I broke my leg in two places.  I had to have surgery and I am still recovering.  I m walking with a limp and I really don't know when I will skate again. I am worried it will affect my confidence and that I will have to start all over again.  I will never visit a temporary ice rink again.

If you've been in a similar situation, I'd like to hear from you.

Thanks

Karine
« Last Edit: May 06, 2019, 02:42:45 pm by The ice mouse »

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2019, 03:43:59 pm »
Although it  was a low impact fall, I broke my leg in two places.  I had to have surgery and I am still recovering.  I m walking with a limp and I really don't know when I will skate again. I am worried it will affect my confidence and that I will have to start all over again.  I will never visit a temporary ice rink again.

Oh, you poor thing!  What a nasty shock!

I haven't broken my leg, per se, but I did have a shock fall (back in 1999) when I managed to put my kneecap out of alignment.  It took some fairly major surgery to remove it completely and realign it (almost), which involved severing my thigh muscle above the knee.  The nerves were all cut, so after the operation I had absolutely no control over my leg whatsoever and I couldn't move it at all, unless I used my hands or hooked the other foot underneath my ankle.  That was a nasty shock, as I hadn't expected that!

I had lots of physio (ouch) and worked really hard to make sure that the expensive operation was as successful as it could possibly be, as I knew there was a 70% chance I could be worse afterwards, especially if I didn't do everything in my power to get better.  My right leg isn't - and never will be - stable but unless you're a physiotherapist or catch me walking down stairs or a steep slope (or on a very bad day) then I look like a normal person, not one with a screwed-together dodgy leg!  At least, that's what I hope...

To this day, I have no idea what caused the fall.  I was going at a fair speed, working on my backwards crossovers (I had been teaching for about 18 months at the time but still training to further my qualifications) and all of a sudden something went badly wrong and I ended up facing the other way with my right knee under my left and my lower leg at a very wrong angle.  We suspected my blade hit something on the ice, as I have very small feet and skate on dance blades, so the likelihood of me catching the back of the blade is slim.  But we couldn't prove it and these things happen.

Eighteen years later - and 14 years after the surgery - I got back onto the ice.  I was absolutely terrified.  Because my leg has no muscle memory (courtesy of the severed nerves), it's a case of learning to skate again.  One leg remembers what to do, the other one takes a lot more concentration, but I have to concentrate on walking if I've been sitting or standing still or I fall over, so that didn't come as a surprise.  The good thing is that I can still skate.  No, I'm not the high standard that I was and no, I probably never will be because I'm 20 years older, but skating is skating and it is enormous fun.  If I'm honest, I'm still pretty terrified (mostly about the pain that I incur if I fall on the knee with the screws in it) but I'm determined to get back to a decent standard and maybe dance again, once we get a rink where dancing is possible (ours is small and kidney shaped).

My advice to you is to see a physio with a view to getting the right treatment/exercises to strengthen your leg.  Make sure that the physio knows that you are a skater and aiming to get back on the ice.  Whilst off the ice, take some time to visualise yourself practising things, go through them in your head.  It helps - honest!

In my years of skating, I saw some fairly horrendous breakages, including open fractures with bones sticking out, but every one of those injured skaters got back on the ice once they were healed, and were soon skating like they'd never been off.  And that includes a chap in his 50s, who was an adult learner rather than someone who'd been skating since childhood.  His was a very nasty fracture, too.

I hope you're back on the ice soon!   :)
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

Leif

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2019, 07:14:24 pm »
WM: I suspect I’m not the only one to wince at the above descriptions of injuries especially your own. Ouch ouch ouch. I think I need to lie down a while. And have some counselling. Bucketloads.

We recently had a huge player ‘crash the net’ and land on the goalie, who twisted his knee and by all accounts damaged his ACL, a ligament that joins upper leg to lower leg. Not a nice injury. My father went ice skating only once, and broke his wrist. I’ve heard about spiral fractures when a blade gets stuck during a spin. During ice hockey training recently, one lad keeled over, and was out cold. He has a heart condition whereby blood pressure plummets, and he passes out. I used to tell Monday morning hockey players they were mad not to wear full face cages. Then one lost four teeth from a puck shot. They now all wear full face cages. Anyway, back on the ranch ...

KarineT: You’ll be fine, getting your leg back into condition will take time as the muscle will have weakened, but skating will still be fun. WednesdayMarch’s advice to get a physio is good. Would a personal trainer be as good? I have found a PT helps me improve my strength and balance. You skate so often that you’re obviously quite competent, albeit not Olympic standard. Get back onto the ice as soon as advisable, and take it gently to get back your skills.I think about the fun from skating rather than any risks. I do though wear body armour underneath my clothes, no-one knows it’s there unless I tell them. The skating coaches look puzzled when they see a 55 year old skater take a heavy fall onto his knees or backside, then get up smiling as if nothing had happened, and continue skating. I tell them it’s thanks to Kryptonite, far better than turmeric and vitamin supplements. They are as we speak Googling for suppliers of Kryptonite.

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2019, 09:30:54 pm »
WM: I suspect I’m not the only one to wince at the above descriptions of injuries especially your own. Ouch ouch ouch. I think I need to lie down a while. And have some counselling. Bucketloads.

Leif, I'm so sorry.  I always forget that you hockey boys are such sensitive little flowers.  Please forgive me.

KarineT: You’ll be fine, getting your leg back into condition will take time as the muscle will have weakened, but skating will still be fun. WednesdayMarch’s advice to get a physio is good. Would a personal trainer be as good? I have found a PT helps me improve my strength and balance.

I think a physio would be the safest option in the first instance/rehab stage.  A physical trainer may be helpful for strength once the physio has okayed it.

There is skating after injury.  And it's good.

WM
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

KarineT

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2019, 09:47:27 pm »
Thanks everyone for your replies.  I have imagined myself skating again.  I am doing physio to strengthen my leg.  I put this stupid accident as unlucky.  I have skated for a while this has ever happened to me but it can happen to anyone.  I have heard by someone else that temporary ice rinks are more dangerous than permanent ones.  The quality of the ice might have contributed to my accident.

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2019, 10:09:05 pm »
Thanks everyone for your replies.  I have imagined myself skating again.  I am doing physio to strengthen my leg.  I put this stupid accident as unlucky.  I have skated for a while this has ever happened to me but it can happen to anyone.  I have heard by someone else that temporary ice rinks are more dangerous than permanent ones.  The quality of the ice might have contributed to my accident.

I think that by their very nature, temporary rinks attract more absolute beginners/recreational skaters and are therefore statistically likely to have more injuries during the time they are open.  I don't have much experience of temporary rinks, but certainly the one I have skated at a lot tends to have much better ice than the permanent one that I go to regularly!  It is quite common for the ice around the edges and entrances to rinks to be a little less than perfect.  I think you were very unlucky indeed, by trying to find reasons behind accidents can lead to a lot of avoidable upset.  Accidents do happen.  Happily, most of us live to skate another day.

Keep on with the physio and get back on the ice as soon as you can.
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

Leif

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2019, 10:26:25 pm »
Leif, I'm so sorry.  I always forget that you hockey boys are such sensitive little flowers.  Please forgive me.

Behave yourself. Have you been at the cheese again?

Leif

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2019, 10:31:11 pm »
Thanks everyone for your replies.  I have imagined myself skating again.  I am doing physio to strengthen my leg.  I put this stupid accident as unlucky.  I have skated for a while this has ever happened to me but it can happen to anyone.  I have heard by someone else that temporary ice rinks are more dangerous than permanent ones.  The quality of the ice might have contributed to my accident.

What was the flooring outside the rink? A permanent rink has rubber matting flush with the ice, I wouldn’t be surprised if the temporary one had a drop. It sounds from your description like a silly mistake of the kind we all make, and being the end of the session maybe you were tired.

The ice mouse

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2019, 10:40:59 pm »
Behave yourself. Have you been at the cheese again?



Leif


Cheese - did you say cheese - where is the cheese??

I prefer frozen ice. I will try anything once. I

KarineT

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2019, 10:45:54 pm »
I have to admit I was a bit tired.

black

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Re: Broken leg whilst visiting a temporary ice rink
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2019, 08:49:57 am »
it  was a low impact fall, I broke my leg in two places.


Leg bones are pretty tough; did you have this checked -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_density#Types_of_tests
The greatest trick figure skaters ever pulled, was convincing the world it was easy.



 

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