Last night was the first contact rugby training I’ve done for the best part of a year, and I must admit I was pooping myself when it came to the crunch out on the pitch. The knee is feeling ok and I did my strengthening up exercises before impact stuff, hopping about and squatting like a loony-tune to try and get the muscles ready for a bosh.
Anyway, the exercises did the trick and I started the drills ok, although I was shaking a wee bit before going in (I’ve never been that nervous, what a wuss!). The prospect of horror is so much worse than the real thing isn’t it? Got through the one on one drills and towards the end started getting tackled on the injured knee side – I survived.
Then it was into full impact with us split into two teams, one defence and one attack. I started in defence and was hesitant at first (and then was annoyed that I was hesitant). My chance came later and I put in a tackle on my sister, and then through instinct jumped back up to make another as the winger from the attacking side was there in support and looking to go.
Twisting round and tackling, my knee made a pop and there it was – the familiar, intense pain. This time though, I got straight up and after walking it off a wee bit, carried on. It was nerve-wracking but best to crack on, so I got stuck into attack this time. I took a good few tackles and came out unscathed so finished the session with immense positivity, believing, at last, I am fixed!!
On return home I iced and rested and stretched. Today is when I’m feeling it though, after yesterday’s euphoric survival – today, hour by hour the affected knee has been steadily stiffening up and I just had to pop to the loo and stretch out my hamstring and calf, as it’s feeling so tight. I guess I just haven’t been boshed for a while! Hopefully a few more sessions full on will build my strength back up and get my confidence back on track. I need to be up for running through people, hitting the oppo hard and making big tackles. I have to get my place in the team back (although, having played centre for years – do I need a change? where might that be?) Only 3 weeks to our first game…
How’s it going??? I feel deep sympathy – I’m 46 and know the knee frustartion thing only too well! However, there is hope – last year I had my fourth tinkering but still managed to ride a bike marathon less than four months after surgery….
Liam