INJURIES

Being injured really sucks. You never know exactly how long you are going to be out. I have so much experience with being injured since my freshman year in high school. There are multipne injuries that can keep you from performing. But 97% of track and field in juries occur in the bottom half of the body, meaning the legs on down. THe mosy common track and field injuries occur in the thigh area(hamstrings and quad). I have suufered from a torn hamstring for the last five years in my left hamstring. It just keeps lingering on. I tore my hamstring my freshman year in high school. I didn't really run in high school until my junior year in high shcool. I didn't run for about six months after I injured my self the first time. I thought that since I had not ran in six months, that I would be ready to go my sophmore year, but I was wrong. At the first practice meet, I pulled up in the 200 meter dash after running 2 races. This time I did more than just pull my hamstring, I had torn 2tendons also.It was horrible, it was worse than the first time. My whole hamstring down to my calf was black, blue and purple. I couldn't even walk on my left leg. I had to walk with cruches so I could keep the pressure off my left leg. I constantly had to ice, strech and applt heat to my leg. I didn;t run for the rest of the school year. My coaches took me to the trainer every practice for treatment.

That summer I was sent to the Tom Landry Rehabilitaion Center for rehab. I went to rehab 3 times a week for tyhe whole summer, until I was released. I really felt that tyhe rehab worked, but was still afraid to run full out and sprint. I was so afraid to give it my all. My parents and personal trainer were constatly telling me not to be afraid nad don't think about it when I'm out there on that track. So when my junior year finally came, I was ready. I did every thing rite, so I wouldnt repeat my injury. This ment stretching longer, warming up longer, lifting and my knees when I ran. y jinior year was so successful, I didn't have on injury. So, I missed two years of high school track.I still had scrared tissue, but it was not keeping me from performing. But, the scared tissue did have something to do with why I repeted my injury a year later the first time. To heal properly, we have to do all the neccesary procedures including being patient, so we won't repeat.



It is so easy to get hurt, but hard to heal. Injurues are nothing to play with. I constatly told my parents and coaches that I was ready to get back out there on the track. I was lying, I had such a strong passion for the sport, I was not putting my health first. This is also y I reinjured my self. Every since, I have noy been the same. I had to get back in shape, regain my speed, develope a new work etnhic and everything. The most important thing was regaining my confidence. The same with the USA athletes, they also have to give their injuries time to heal.But, the professional athletes have a slight advantage. They have better doctors, better trainers and better rehab centers. I have seen many professional track and field athletes pull up in a race. It is not a sigt to see. I will never forget seeing Lolo Jones pull up in the 100h. SHe wa on the third hurdle when she hit it and reached back and grabbed her right hamstring. You could tell by the intensity on her face that she was in alot of pain. Lolo was out for about 2 months. She tried to come back and she pulled up again. She tried to rush her injury. Tyson Gay pulled up in the 200meter dash at the world championships right before the 2008 Bejing Olympics.



So, I was thinking that he wouldn't show up, but he did. He wasnt't him self. He didn't even make it to tyhe finls in the 100 metere dash. It looked like he was strainign to me. I could tell that he probably had his leg on his mind. I honestly think that he was afraid to give it his all. That's the confidence that I was talking about that you lose when you get injured. Injuries are nothing to play with and should be taken seriously. I have to admit, coming back from an injury is not easy!