Contusions making fencing impossible

[FencerBG]

Hi, friends,

I just got in and I am so happy to be here.

I use to fence for about 10 years. First foil then epee and sabre.
But after short break from sport I got my backbone damaged literaly from nothing. Unfortunately for now I didnt find anything or anyone to help me and it just gets worse...but its not why I write here.

I cant walk or sit much and I am spending a lot of time home. I miss the world outside but the most I miss fencing...the competitions, my fencing friends, the fight, the winning, the screaming ...just everything. I even dream I fence every night.

I would like to share this with someone who knows how it feels or can imagine how it would feel.

Write me
10x

[swordsen]

Sorry to hear about your problems. Taht would indeed suck. but welcome to the forum and I hope you enjoy fencing vicariously through this.

[Phaeton]

Hang in there buddy!!!
Once fencer---always fencer!!
There is always sun after clouds are gone!

Always lots of platitudes! I'm not being cliche! I like using exlamation marks! It feels like something out of Seinfeld! Anyone remember that episode!

Injuries, especially back injuries are always a pain and hopefully you'll recover soon. I know a lot of people with pretty bad chronic back issues and indeed any back problem does suck. Welcome to the forum, hopefully you can enjoy this while you recover, or maybe if you can at some point go out and be part of the community as a non athlete: armory, ref, spectator, etc.

If you want to watch some fencing there are a variety of videos you can purchase, or if you want to see some free footage fencingchannel.tv has a lot.

[Dunar]

I'm sorry to hear about that. My friend was a prospective fencer but injured his back very badly during his Tae Kwon Do class a couple of weeks before he would have started. He still isn't able to do much physical activity beyond walking now (4 years later) without being in even worse pain and in bed for a week but he hangs in there. He still wishes he could do both martial arts and fencing but he still has fun watching others do both.

You can still love the sport even if you can't do it.

[jeff]

I'm also sorry to hear about your back injury. When your back is bad, you can't do much, and can't get comfortable in any position. I hope you can find medical attention that helps it get better.

Also: even if you can no longer fence, perhaps you can still be part of fencing once you're well enough to walk or sit comfortably. Fencing needs armourers, referees, time and score keepers, coaches, writers, and administrators. Maybe you can still be involved in fencing in one of those days, and maybe be able to fence again some time in the future.

[achilles_heal]

way back when, i had a horrible injury at height of career, age 20, was alternate to sr team. after year of painful rehab, came back, made one team and severed ligament in ankle opposite achilles, latin name eludes me sorry.

took several years off and now coach. bitterness gone. but it was pretty bitter.

if i am qualified to give advice, which i probably am not, i say, do something in this injury period that brings you great pleasure, even if it seems stupid to others, as long as it gives you great joy, and work at least as hard on it as you did in fencing. i picked art, and got pretty good. now i can paint excellent portraits of my young children, which gives me joy now and will be something they can have when im pushing up daisies.

and i sucked when i started.

that way, even if your injury doesnt resolve (and i pray it does) you will look back at this period as a positive time, and you will easily overcome the "what if" bitterness factor.

good luck.

[fences_like_a_lemur]

Hi, friends,

I just got in and I am so happy to be here.

I use to fence for about 10 years. First foil then epee and sabre.
But after short break from sport I got my backbone damaged literaly from nothing. Unfortunately for now I didnt find anything or anyone to help me and it just gets worse...but its not why I write here.

I cant walk or sit much and I am spending a lot of time home. I miss the world outside but the most I miss fencing...the competitions, my fencing friends, the fight, the winning, the screaming ...just everything. I even dream I fence every night.

I would like to share this with someone who knows how it feels or can imagine how it would feel.

Write me
10x

I'm very sorry, I really hope that something happens so that you can at least enjoy the sport in some fasion. Well I hope that you find f.net to be a good place to enjoy talking about fencing and other stuff.

aegroto dum anima est, spes est
"As long as a sick person is conscious -or has a good character-, there is still hope."

[jamaya]

I just broke a bone in my left foot, haven't been to the hospital or gone to get crutches yet. I was looking forward to competing in a tournament soon, but I guess that's not happening. I have to learn to be more careful with my body now that I'm older. I was just fooling around dancing and came down wrong on my foot, hurt like hell, what hurts worse is knowing I can't fence for awhile.

I liked the post of working on other things you like to do, but don't often have the time for. I used to write short stories so maybe I could do that. Best of luck to you.

[FencerBG]

PHAETON:
<<If you want to watch some fencing there are a variety of videos you can purchase, or if you want to see some free footage fencingchannel.tv has a lot.>>
Thanks for the advice. You know there is international sabre competition here and I went to see it last time. Watching this wonderfull fencers makes me feel high but most of the time I feel really sad. May be because I never knew whats comming and I didnt know that my last competition will be actually THE LAST ONE. Probably it will take some time before I can be a referee or something. Its painful now, I guess you understand. There should be some organization to help exsport people in such cases...I donno...

[FencerBG]

Dunar:
<<I'm sorry to hear about that. My friend was a prospective fencer but injured his back very badly during his Tae Kwon Do class a couple of weeks before he would have started. He still isn't able to do much physical activity beyond walking now (4 years later) without being in even worse pain and in bed for a week but he hangs in there. He still wishes he could do both martial arts and fencing but he still has fun watching others do both.

You can still love the sport even if you can't do it.>>

Hi
I actually can not see where are you from. As I know in France and Holland there are a lots of specialists in such problems. There are at least 10 ways of treatment. There should be at least one that can help your friend. The most important is to have strong mind. Unfortunatelly all of the people who had strong pain in their back or waist are becoming super sensitive to anykind of pain and somekind paranoic. I am in such condition too. You know...being affraid of what will become if I make one more step...
I wanted to practise some KENDO just before I got this problem but I couldnt. Martial sports are magic!!! Say hi to your friend from me

[FencerBG]

JEFF:
<<'m also sorry to hear about your back injury. When your back is bad, you can't do much, and can't get comfortable in any position. I hope you can find medical attention that helps it get better.

Also: even if you can no longer fence, perhaps you can still be part of fencing once you're well enough to walk or sit comfortably. Fencing needs armourers, referees, time and score keepers, coaches, writers, and administrators. Maybe you can still be involved in fencing in one of those days, and maybe be able to fence again some time in the future.>>

Thank you for your words.

I dont know how but you`ve said it just right - can not sit or walk or do anythink that makes you feel comfortable. And the worst is - if today you feel fine - dont worry, tommorow will be painfull again. I`m not being pessimistic, just it is like that. The pain should end. Even if it is in the grave . Well people here are saying: if you wake up and you dont feel pain anywhere it means you are dead!

[FencerBG]

achilles_heal:

<<if i am qualified to give advice, which i probably am not, i say, do something in this injury period that brings you great pleasure, even if it seems stupid to others, as long as it gives you great joy, and work at least as hard on it as you did in fencing. i picked art, and got pretty good. now i can paint excellent portraits of my young children, which gives me joy now and will be something they can have when im pushing up daisies.

and i sucked when i started.

that way, even if your injury doesnt resolve (and i pray it does) you will look back at this period as a positive time, and you will easily overcome the "what if" bitterness factor.>>

You remind me of a Greek fencer I knew .
Its strange here, coz I bet I met some of the people here but we will never know when we dont see each others faces. Anyway.

My friend, I feel bad because nobody near me understands how I feel. And how they can...I am young and my young friends` problems are: how I get better job or how I get my exam and stuff. And I cant even get a job...
And it makes me feel alone you know.
Bit I also am taking this as a test...it will make me stronger and capable to deal with complicated situations...
And now I read your letter again and it makes me feel more, much more confident.
Thnk you!!!

[FencerBG]

fences_like_a_lemur:

<<I'm very sorry, I really hope that something happens so that you can at least enjoy the sport in some fasion. Well I hope that you find f.net to be a good place to enjoy talking about fencing and other stuff.

aegroto dum anima est, spes est
"As long as a sick person is conscious -or has a good character-, there is still hope."
__________________>>

Hi

Its nice to hear these words. Believe me, I am sooooooo addicted to sport that(it was really hard but) I found few exercises that are not able to damage me more. They are most probably for mu back but its better than nothing.
The hard part is to see you body changing after you stop fencing...its...real horror...I dont wish this to anybody...

[FencerBG]

jamaya:

<<I just broke a bone in my left foot, haven't been to the hospital or gone to get crutches yet. I was looking forward to competing in a tournament soon, but I guess that's not happening. I have to learn to be more careful with my body now that I'm older. I was just fooling around dancing and came down wrong on my foot, hurt like hell, what hurts worse is knowing I can't fence for awhile.

I liked the post of working on other things you like to do, but don't often have the time for. I used to write short stories so maybe I could do that. Best of luck to you.>>


Dear Jamaya,

What I`ve learned from my sport expirience is that when you turn 20...its over...your body stops growing and it is getting old...I got my back damaged when I was 23. But the first pain was when i was 21.
This is advise not only for you but for everyone healthy here. PEOPLE! If you fence and specially if you stopped or donbt do it often anymore : Go to check your bodies at least once a year!!! If I did this(I ment if the doctor checked me carefully) I would write you different stories here now...
I could practise in some other country, be something...like one of the best fencers for example...and beacause I know I could but I didnt...it kills me.]
Jamaya, if you hurt your leg, you have to be carefull, probavly your legs are not the strongest part of your body. Take care of the injury, otherwise you might have it for life. I am not trying to scare you or anyone, but better listen to me now, then to join me later in the `Sad NonWalking ExFencers Club`

Take care!