Community/Resources for Injured Athletes

I’ve been dealing with an injury keeping me away for 6+ months and more to go (broken elbow and dislocated shoulder - both requiring separate surgeries and separate recovery timelines). During the recovery, I have been limited to basically only walking per the doctors, and recommended against riding even a stationary bike or doing lower body weight exercises for most of the recovery. Hoping that changes in early 2023.

As an injured athlete, are there any websites or resources you have used to find more info on your injuries and or a sense of community going through similar injuries & recoveries? It is a frustrating experience to wake up every day and not be able to do what we enjoy!

I am creating a website specifically focused on the recovery journey for injured athletes (and recovery stories!) Would appreciate input on topics that would be most useful on the site or thoughts on the most difficult part for you in the recovery journey.

Thanks!

I feel for you. In the past few years, I’ve had several different injuries that have kept me on the sidelines for 3-6+ months at a time. It is very frustrating.

And like you said, it is very hard to find others who you can relate to, or share with. When I had osteitis pubis, I recall googling “Osteitis pubis runner blog” or “osteitis pubis discussion forum”. I was trying all kind of keywords hoping something would pop up where other athletes describe their journey with X injury. Hopefully someone on here can give you better perspective than what I have given here.

For lower body injuries and surgery I have used the hip runner website for information from other athletes on their experiences
.

Hi! I will try to write more later but am chiming in now to send hugs and my apologies that you are injured. The limitations seem very strong - not even recumbent bike? I would want some strong arguments for not being able to do that, stairmaster…
Hugs

Thanks Dr! Main reasons for limited cardio is I had an allograft inserted into my shoulder from an AC separation. My understanding/instruction was to take it “very very” easy for 3 months post surgery, ensuring no weight on the shoulder; Only at 3 months is the allograft ~60% healed to begin some weight bearing. I have been doing alot of walking and riding recumbent lightly with my arm in a tourniquet…making sure I dont put any weight into shoulder/arm in other areas of my life either.

Crossing 3 month threshold in 2 more weeks, but next doctor appointment not until early March…hoping for the best here (but so tired of hoping for the best too!)

Appreciate any other thoughts you may have!!

it’d be kind of nice in some ways to have an “injuries” forum here but the advantage of stuff on the main page is you can type “high hamstring tendon issue” or whatnot and get probably a wider net than you would from an injury only forum.

Crossing 3 month threshold in 2 more weeks, but next doctor appointment not until early March…hoping for the best here (but so tired of hoping for the best too!)

That’s so very understandable.

I didn’t look at your website yet but a brainstorm of topics

what to expect when injured (like “prepare to get jealous and frustrated when you see people running”) and how to deal with those feelings
fear of never being able to do again; fear of never being able to do FAST again
how on earth to fill time
guide for loved ones about why injured athlete is cranky, depressed, snappy, etc
how to not gain weight when injured
the psychological side of being injured and how to handle the emotions
.