Recovering from injury

As part of the SCA Kingdom of Atenveldt virtual martial collegium, I participated in a panel on recovering from injury and physical trauma and returning to fighting. The complete video is here. The panelists included men and women, rapier and armored combatants, with different physical challenges spanning broken necks, congenital heart defects, ocular injuries, joint injuries, and childbirth. There was a very different set of personalities and approaches people have taken to their recovery. 

The first take home was to follow your doctor’s advice. Communicate what you want to accomplish during your therapy so it can be tailored to your goals. And put in the work to benefit from the therapy.

The second was to check in with yourself during the process and learn how to push yourself to your current limit, and then back off. Only you can define those limits.

The third was to set your own pace and stop trying to live up to external expectations. When you feel pressure from others, it interferes with the resting and rebuilding process. You have to give yourself permission to start trying and failing and performing at a level below where you were before the injury. Choose goals that make sense to you, where you can see your progress.

The most useful and authentic part of the panel was speaking about the mentally and emotional aspects of injury. It is a long, difficult process to work through everyday failures and frustrations where you have to redefine yourself and the way you communicate to your body. PTSD and depression often arise from traumatic and other injures, and that can stay with you for years. Doing the mental work deserves time and attention, just as much as the physical therapy does. 

 Even the most stoic of us admitted that surgery is scary prospect. However, this isn’t but not as scary as almost losing a close friend and student. And this prompted a conversation about how to support a friend or student who is recovering from injury. Responses emphasized accepting that they set their own pace and listening to what they need. It’s important to put your friendship first; let them know they are more important to your than their fighting. Speak about them and their worth in present tense--value them now. Finally, buffer them if you can. Tell others to give them time, keep them involved, and have some conversations with others in the community so they don’t have to.

Recovery from a serious physical trauma is a process. Give yourself permission to fail as you grow, seek the help you need, and take the time you need to come back stronger than before, both mentally and physically.  Most importantly, recognize that you aren’t alone, and recovery is possible.