Insult to Injury

I hurt myself doing CrossFit.

There. I said it. I haven’t really advertised my injury to avoid the “Oh you hurt yourself doing CrossFit?!” in an “I told you so” tone. CrossFit has gotten a bad rap for being an injury prone sport, and it seems like people jump at the chance to bash it.

“DOCTORS WARN EXTREME WORKOUTS HAVE DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECTS”

“DOES CROSSFIT PUSH PEOPLE TOO HARD?”

“CROSSFIT’S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET”

“CAN CROSSFIT KILL YOU?”

With headlines like these, no wonder people are so scared of Crossfit!

Dr. Google has diagnosed me with a pectoralis minor strain. I believe pull-ups were the culprit. I have been resting from CrossFit for the past 2 and a half weeks and I am absolutely miserable. I never realized how much of a difference CrossFit has made in my life until I’ve been forced to take a break from it. The difference in my attitude is quite noticeable, so much so that a dear friend mentioned that I’m really bitchy when I don’t exercise, and my own loving husband says that I am a huge dick. I admit it, it’s true. I can’t deny my crankiness and I know it is a direct correlation with the absence of CrossFit. That hour of sweat a day makes a huge difference in my mood. I will openly admit that I have cried on several occasions because I’m unable to do the activity that I love. It is really hard to be on the sidelines when I want nothing more than to be leaving sweat angels on the floor. It’s is incredibly frustrating to have an injury and to be limited in my mobility. I had to teach a few Zumba classes where I looked like an injured bird because the range of motion in my right arm was severely affected. But the show must go on. I remind myself that it could be much worse, and that if I don’t rest and heal I will be out of commission even longer. But I hate not doing anything. Laying on the couch the other day I was telling my husband that I was getting too good at doing nothing and I didn’t like it. Which is quite a change considering I used to be a professional lazy ass.

For the sake of everyone in my life, I hope to return to CrossFit next week.

So yes, I hurt myself and I am well aware that there is risk associated with participating in CrossFit, but there are plenty of other opportunities for injuries to arise in any sport, or as I’ve learned all too well, in regular day-to-day life.

I recall one incident that I had when I had a brief stint as a house keeper at a local hotel many years ago. I tweaked my lower back while lugging around a vacuum up and down the stairs. I couldn’t get comfortable enough to sleep in my bed so I thought I would try sleeping on the floor. I soon realized the error of my decision. I attempted getting off the floor in the wee hours of the morning to go to the bathroom and each time I tried a jolt of pain would shoot through my back and down my legs. I was stuck. A whimper turned into a cry, then turned into a full out scream. “I’M STUCK!”. I flailed around on the floor like a beached whale while my husband tried to help me up without hurting me further. It would have made a nice commercial for a Life Alert Bracelet; “I’ve fallen and I can’d get up!” I don’t quite recall how I got off the floor, but obviously it happened by some miracle, as I’m not still there flailing about. I was both surprised and thankful that I didn’t end up peeing my pants. I ended up quitting my job shortly after that.

And let’s not forget the incident that led to my lifestyle change and started my weight loss journey; my fall down with the stairs.

My husband also suffered a knee injury in a freak Cotton Candy making accident; even though he tells people he sustained it while running into a burning building to save orphans, or fighting crime, or something nobler than preparing enough Cotton Candy to put children into sugar comas. This injury has resulted in not one, but TWO knee surgeries to repair the damage. He still doesn’t have great range of motion and suffers from occasional pain. All because of Cotton Candy.

Look at it…Pure sugary evil.

Despite the nature of our injuries, there won’t be any sensational headlines warning of the dangers of the offending activities.

“SHE’S FALLEN AND SHE CAN’T GET UP; VACUUM TAKES A TOLL ON WOMAN’S BACK”

“STAIRWAY TO HELL: SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE ELEVATOR”

“COTTON CANDY DESTROYS KNEE”

I’ve hurt myself far more living a sedentary lifestyle then I have done in the last 3 years of doing CrossFit. Yes, while there is risk associated with CrossFit, it is up to each individual to educate themselves and be vigilant in monitoring their form, realizing their limitations and listening to their bodies. It doesn’t matter if you have the best Coach in the world, if you aren’t in tune with your own body and it’s abilities you’re bound to come across some form of injury down the road. If something hurts. Stop. If a weight is too heavy, scale back. Don’t be a hero; life is more than the numbers on the board.

Sometimes accidents may happen and serious injury may occur, but as I’ve learned that can happen at any place at any time, in or out of the gym. If I let fear of injury run my life, I would never leave the house.

…and then I wouldn’t be able to do CrossFit.

…and then I would have no friends because I would become unbearable to be around.

Nobody likes Jill when she’s off her Rx.