Is my karate career over?

[ozm8]

Hello guys well I had just got my orange tip, even got a certificate I was so excited I was getting closer to getting my orange belt but then a few days later I was walking back home from my friends house and i was a little bit intoxicated and somehow I rolled my ankle really bad.

Anyway I thought i just sprained it so i let it be for a week, 1 week later my entire foot was extreemly swollen and blue still so i saw the doctor and she book an appointment to see the hospital they x-rayed it and then told me i need surgery (god i panicked) and apparenly a had a fracture, one of my ligaments widened the fracture was so bad that it was almost disconnected from my ankle to my left side of my leg and my fibula ruptured so i had to get that done they also put a long metal plate from my leg to my ankle so its able to heal and i was in there for 5 days, then finally got out and was in a lot of pain, they gave me endone as pain killers and now i have missed 3 weeks of karate and i fear that my ankle will never be normal again please help

[Archimoto]

Sounds awful so sorry for your injury.

There is a silver lining however, you can recover, it will be difficult, and perhaps in the long run you'll end up a better martial artist because of it.

Get better and get back on the floor !!!

[mal103]

Not over but you will need to let it heal properly and not rush it. Talk with your Sensei and ask to return later but will need to train around it and ask their advice. Don't get pressured or tempted to train too early though...

[sensei8]

Only YOU can say when your MA training is over!!

Yes, from what you've described, it's a nasty injury, but, in time, it'll heal. As others have already suggested, don't rush it. It's hard to not to want to rush the healing process to get back on the floor, but resist it, if at all possible.

I've had a similar injury when I was 19 years old, I'm 57 this October, and I was incapacitated for some time, but just as soon as I was able to put some bearing weight on my right foot, sheesh, I was banging the heavy-bag with roundhouses, and increased the intensity as my ankle got better.

No, it wasn't the smartest thing, it was foolish of me, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone; I could've done some permanent damage to myself.

I didn't listen to my doctor's advice and R.I.C.E.[Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation], well I did at first, and then I went dumb.

Good luck on your recovery...the floor will not be going anywhere!!

[Wastelander]

I know of several martial artists who have had severe ankle, knee, and hip injuries that required surgeries to fix. They didn't let it stop them--you just have to stop long enough to heal. When your doctor says you can start training again, start slow.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Take your time in returning. Your martial arts life isn't over because of this.

It won't be entirely the same in the future since they had to fix the fracture and the ligaments. But when your doctor gives you all the green light to start exercising again then start (SLOWLY) doing some strength training, plyometrics and also incredibly proprioceptive training.

So a Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist will be of great help because they have that experience and knowledge in training people in rehab.

[Lupin1]

As everyone else said, take your time with the initial healing process.

After it's done its initial healing, just know your limitations. I broke my left ankle when I was 5 years old and I've had problems with it since. Any little tweak will make it hurt for a few days and I've re-sprained it badly enough to need x-rays 4 or 5 times in the past 20 years.

Just continue to take it easy and if there are certain jumping kicks or twisting moves that put stress on it, DON'T DO THEM! At least for a year or two until you can restrengthen it (you should get at least a little PT after to learn exercises you can do for that). Let your instructors and training partners know you have a weak ankle and are going to need to be gentle with it. Don't try to be macho or push through any pain.

Modify any movements that might hurt it. If there's a jump spinning kick, just do a normal kick. Cut out major foot-twisting turns and make them simpler. My instructor calls it "old man kata"-- effective karate is meant to be effective into your old age when your mobility isn't what it used to be and a good karateka can adapt his karate to maximize what his body can do.

[backflip]

Yeah giving things the proper time to heal is my best advice too, you only make things worse by rushing back into training too soon, good luck with the recovery

[ozm8]

thanks for your support guys, life isn't fair true

[jaypo]

I had reconstructive knee surgery 14 years ago, and I'm still going strong! I can give you this advice- be patient, heal properly, and do a lot of rehab/physical therapy to get you back as close to 100% as possible before rushing back into it.

For me, I find that if I'm away from something I truly love (karate, weight training, deer hunting) because of something out of my control (injury, illness), it makes me that more eager to get back!

I've seen people that can barely walk that continue to train. As long as your body has a couple of limbs that still work, you can practice martial arts!

Stay strong, and get back ASAP!