Match Fit

Listening to: Ignite - Shihad (2010). And the washing machine which is much less melodic, although about as noisy.

Currently icing my right thumb after over-extending it again at Indoor Netball tonight, typically on the last play of the game. I've sprained both thumbs at the base a few times over the years, so any misdirected force at that area tends to upset them a bit. This time it is quite mild, with no swelling or visible bruising after an hour or so. The cool-pack is making it hard to type though, although resting it on the keyboard takes care of the elevation. Typing without one thumb is tricky though.

I've been playing this sport in particular for nearly fifteen years, and while it is ostensibly non-contact, the nature of the gameplay allows plenty of scope for injury. I've noticed that noobs get injured more easily than experienced players; I've seen a few serious injuries happen to people in their first game. Over time you learn how to anticipate the action, and avoid getting messed up if you can. I don't tend to pick up many injuries these days, although I have plenty of experience of strapping things up with the ubiquitous tape if required.

On the way home I tried to think of all the netball related injuries I have incurred over the years (none career ending obviously). Here is my catalogue of minor woes:

-Spraining the aforementioned thumbs, both of them, more times than I can remember. At least once required physio. Strapping thumbs is annoying, since I have to shave the top of my hand and wrist (just way easier to remove the tape if you remove the hair first).

-Spraining every finger multiple times. At one point I had strapping applied to all my fingers at once. Most memorable example involved a physiotherapist taking one look (it was various shades of yellow, blue and purple) and sending me to have it to be x-rayed before doing anything else to it. It wasn't broken, and she was eventually convinced the bend in my finger was normal after comparing it to the one on the other hand.

-Sprained both ankles repeatedly (but never at the same time, and never as bad as the time I sprained one at a rock concert, when I could feel the ligaments tearing en masse). Also involves shaving for comfortable strapping, leaving one ankle naked looking for a while after the tape is no longer required.

-Sprained a shoulder when someone landed on me (it is only a non-contact sport in theory really). That was uncomfortable, requiring physio at the time, and some time later after it had got out of alignment while healing, and again peculiar shaving for the strapping tape.

-At least three minor concussions (again, non-contact in theory).

-One or two black eyes (see above).

-A very bruised and sore side of pelvis and hip after landing flat on my side from a height of three or four feet.

-Lifted and pulled back nails on both fingers and toes from contacting this that or the other.

-Occasional shin splints from years of running around on usually concrete backed astroturf.

-Sprained Achilles tendon, which resulted in fluorescent pink strapping tape applied by the physio, and the first injury I thought might be the one that stopped me playing for good if it couldn't be made right. I noticed Jolene Henry had the same tape in the same location for presumably the same reason during the Silver Fern's recent Commonwealth Games campaign. Me and Jolene are tape buddies!

-Countless scrapes, cuts, grazes and bruises from interactions with the turf, net, the wall just behind the net once, and other players (including once coming home with someone else's blood on my fingers, gained in some unnoticed incident). Band-aids hurriedly applied on sweaty skin almost never stick.

Meh, it could be worse (I haven't broken anything yet, or ever for that matter). I've seen worse plenty of times. None of the niggles are crippling, and if that is the price of being active and participating rather than couching so be it.