Mother of all bruises

[Wyvern75]

OK, I'm back in the game, at goal, after a 30 year "vacation."

Anyways, my stick isn't as fast as it used to be, and my off-stick ankle is taking a beating.

I've been hit in the same spot on the inside of that ankle 4 times in the last 3 practices.

Besides ice, right away, which I never managed - what can I do to heal up?

Will compression help get the swelling down? Will heat help at this point?

The latest hit was yesterday afternoon - right now it kills from the top of my foot all the way back around to the achilles. The colors are amazing, but the ache is waking me up at night.

Thanks for any ideas. Don't tell me to quit - I'm too stupid for that ;-)

Rob

[Sjrlax69]

ICE and Advil. Also you might wanna make a custom pad to protect that area for the time being. Good luck

[Laxattack05]

what my doctor told me about swelling was that if you take like 600mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours, your swelling will be minimal... you just have to make sure that you take it every 6 hours to keep the level of anti-inflamitories pretty much the same... dont take 600 mgs at 8am, then 1200mg at 8PM to make up for missing it at 2. also, keep your ankle elevated, and alternate ice and heat... you should be good...

[laxbum00]

For the first 72 hours after you get hit you should use ICE only, do 1 hour 2-3 times a day of 20 mins of the ice wrapped on, 20 mins with the bruise elevated above your chest with no ice or wrap(for your ankle lay on the floor with your leg up on the wall) then a further 20 mins of ice wrapped on.

Use the recommended dose of advil as using to much will not be kind to your stomach

After the inital 72 hours alternate ice and heat, as by this time the swelling should have gone down and you are aiming to regain range of motion.

For most bruises the general rule is RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) I am guessing the rest part is out, since you will still be practicing, but try to rest it as much as possible when not on the field.

As already suggested, make yourself a a pad for the area, some foam padding from an Trainer or Physical Theripist with some stretchy tape around should do. Or depending on where you get hit, try a small soccer shin guard worn low.

Hope that helps

[Bobby001]

idk that sounds bad but if get hit hard or two times in the same spot icy hot usually helps alot it relaxes the muscles and is good throught the game and if you dont wanna buy a brace take an old pair of soccer shin pads if you have them cut off the top part like the plastic and just wear the little ankle part they come with thet would probably help till it heals

[flyersrule9733]

make sure you are taking anti-inflammatory and not just regular pain-killers

[Laxtothemax7]

what my doctor told me about swelling was that if you take like 600mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours, your swelling will be minimal... you just have to make sure that you take it every 6 hours to keep the level of anti-inflamitories pretty much the same... dont take 600 mgs at 8am, then 1200mg at 8PM to make up for missing it at 2. also, keep your ankle elevated, and alternate ice and heat... you should be good...

We must have the same doc, cuz thats what mine said:thinking:

[flyersrule9733]

We must have the same doc, cuz thats what mine said:thinking:

there are actually international doc meeting were they discuss these things :chuckle:

[OldGoalie]

Welcome back. Ice and ibuprofen ought to take care of it, and ice has to be applied as soon as you get home to keep the swelling down.

Going forward, if you don't mind the slight lack of machismo, at least for practices, try one of these on the inside of the ankle:

http://www.mcdavidusa.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=152&DEPARTMENT_ID=730

You can angle the hexpads anywhere you want them. It really helps take the bite out of the shot, and will keep the bruises to a minimum. Also good for when you've already bruised up your ankes/shins and want to protect them from further damage.

[BWickLAX10]

soaking it an epsom salt might help the pain. That's what i use and it works

[Wyvern75]

considering your title led on some nasty bruises, can we see some pictures just for S**ts and giggles :chuckle:
Hah hah! I should have taken some shots last night. After keeping it elevated while I watched the Celtics melt, it looks much much better. The horizontal band in the middle used to be pale white! The purple and yellow are fading :nofear:
http://homepage.mac.com/riffraf/Sites/lax/ankle.jpg
I guess ice and compression and heat and ibuprofen all would hve helped. I'm taking the ibu today and wrapping it after work. Tonight we'll do the heat and ice. I wish I'd done it a week ago! Stubborn old goalie ways don't fade like eyesight and quickness: "Did WHAT hurt? THAT shot? No, are you kidding?" I expected to just jump out of bed the next morning, which is one difference between 20 and 50.

I'll also look into some padding until it's better. I've been reluctant to wear more than a cup and a chest pad since they shamed me out of my catchers' pads at lax camp after freshman year in '72!

After taking one on the knuckles Sunday, I might look into goalie gloves as well. My gloves are some Brine things from 1975 - the first non-leather gloves to come on the market. Maybe its my old bones, but it seems like these lightweight sticks pack a lot more power than wood, leather and gut...

Thank you all for the advice!

Rob

[OldGoalie]

I'll also look into some padding until it's better. I've been reluctant to wear more than a cup and a chest pad since they shamed me out of my catchers' pads at lax camp after freshman year in '72!

Sheesh...were chest protectors even mandatory back then? :chuckle:


After taking one on the knuckles Sunday, I might look into goalie gloves as well. My gloves are some Brine things from 1975 - the first non-leather gloves to come on the market. Maybe its my old bones, but it seems like these lightweight sticks pack a lot more power than wood, leather and gut...

Thank you all for the advice!

Rob

They do indeed...I was thinking of sticking with all my old equipment too (tiny Brine foam chest pad, old Brine L-35 gloves, bucket helmet) until I picked up some of the new stuff. It's way more protective, lighter, and WAAAAY easier to handle. Think about it - you wouldn't be out there with your old hickory woods and bladed irons on the golf course, would you?

Time to upgrade...you won't regret it.

[laxlover_bill]

Nothing. First year I played I got a bruise that had Dr. Les Mathews (yes the one on tv) saying that is the wrost bruise. I took a shoot midshin on the left side of my left leg. It was black and purple all the way around and down to my toes. I wish I took pics.

[Wyvern75]

Nothing. First year I played I got a bruise that had Dr. Les Mathews (yes the one on tv) saying that is the wrost bruise. I took a shoot midshin on the left side of my left leg. It was black and purple all the way around and down to my toes. I wish I took pics.

Yeah, I know it doesn't look like much. It's down quite a bit from several days before that shot. I took a couple hits straight into the shin, above the two ankle ones. Combined, it involves some tendons on the side and the achilles.

I guess the title of the thread was misleading. I wasn't really trying to claim the nastiest walking wound ever - just trying to walk right before the next scrimmage!:chuckle:

I was thinking of sticking with all my old equipment too (tiny Brine foam chest pad, old Brine L-35 gloves, bucket helmet) until I picked up some of the new stuff. It's way more protective, lighter, and WAAAAY easier to handle. Think about it - you wouldn't be out there with your old hickory woods and bladed irons on the golf course, would you?

I was very surprised by the "new" chest protectors. The one I used in HS was about 1/4" thick, clavicle to navel, nylon & foam. I'm totally loving my RBK 9K.

Reminds of when I got back into tennis and everyone was using these giant headed tennis rackets. What a difference once I tried them. No wonder EVERYONE can play tennis now!

I wonder how the new stick rules for field players are going to affect us netminders? I see better days ahead.

[OldGoalie]

I was very surprised by the "new" chest protectors. The one I used in HS was about 1/4" thick, clavicle to navel, nylon & foam. I'm totally loving my RBK 9K.


Yeah, mine was about the same size. Hard to believe I willingly put that thing on w/o a second thought. Then again, good ole' Quint used to skip the CP altogether.



I wonder how the new stick rules for field players are going to affect us netminders? I see better days ahead.

I hope you're right, because guys can get some serious whippage on shots these days, especially the college guys and the just-out-of-college guys I face frequently, and they can work through a bevy of stick checks before coming close to losing the ball. Though we could see a return to quick passing and more quick stick goals.

[Wyvern75]

we could see a return to quick passing and more quick stick goals.

I hope so! Bring it on! Quick stick tending is all about angles and big body movement. In my experience, most quick stick shooters don't really know where they're shooting.

I'd much rather track passes and shift to attend a quick stick than try to figure out where that pinched-head, 3 step wind-up cannon is going!

[OldGoalie]

I hope so! Bring it on! Quick stick tending is all about angles and big body movement. In my experience, most quick stick shooters don't really know where they're shooting.

I'd much rather track passes and shift to attend a quick stick than try to figure out where that pinched-head, 3 step wind-up cannon is going!

Good point...I think it will take a few years for players to (re)adjust to the better stick skills the new (old) sticks will require.

[Mikehenry8742]

RICE

Rest
Ice
Compress
Elevate

[FWHS Mustang]

rub vaseline on it. I dont nkow why, but it works. It heals them faster. Because i am in high school and bruises are BA and cool, i dont try to heal them. But, if it is killing you, rub vaseline on it.

[spenny]

frozen peas are what i use to ice my ankles. cheap and re-usable.
just dont eat them after using them.

as for quicksticks, i always preferred the 3 step notice of "hey everybody, i'm about to shoot" to the "where the heck did that come from" suddenness of the quickstick.

[joobs]

i work at a pharmacy, and its better to take 4 motrin every eight hours, yes its different than three every six, dont ask me why it would take too long to explain. Ice will work, and so will resting it and missing a practice maybe? get some good cleats with ankle support too. icy hot will just dull the pain, it doesnt really heal it. to be honest, its a bruise, you may be getting older but that doenst mean you should wimp out! also, those new stick rules are probably not going to go through...just what i heard from a little birdie who would know

[Wyvern75]

frozen peas are what i use to ice my ankles. cheap and re-usable. just dont eat them after using them.

Great idea. I forgot all about that. Frozen peas fit any injured area.

as for quicksticks, i always preferred the 3 step notice of "hey everybody, i'm about to shoot" to the "where the heck did that come from" suddenness of the quickstick.

The thing with a quickstick - and I saw it again in a scrimmage last night - is that if you can track the pass and get over, the guy shooting usually doesn't have much control over where he's going to put it. If you get real big and come out at him, chances are good he'll hit you somewhere.

…Ice will work, and so will resting it and missing a practice maybe? get some good cleats with ankle support too. …to be honest, its a bruise, you may be getting older but that doenst mean you should wimp out!

Better cleats is a very good idea; I'm using real lightweight soccer shoes that leave my whole ankle and top of the foot exposed.

I don't follow on the "wimping out" comment. I played the whole game, and the next one too! You're the one who says "miss a practice." :laugh: I was trying to figure out how not to! I know this is not the forum where I'll find much coddling, but the picture didn't really capture the wonderful technicolor and swollen thing I had going on there. People who saw it in person (non-goalies for sure) really freaked.

Thanks to everyone for the help. Using elevation, heat, ice, compression and lots of Motrin, I was able to scrimmage last night and miracle of miracles... did not take another shot in that leg, so now I have another week to heal.

[tman28]

Personally, I take it like a man and dont use ice or anything and it seems to go away.

[mcnutty93]

i love icy hot, though i dont think it will help you
it helped me when i got nailed in the inner thigh and i couldnt run for like three weeks and walking hurt

[Wyvern75]

Personally, I take it like a man and dont use ice or anything and it seems to go away.

Yeah, I did that when I took out my own gallbladder back in '03. That really sucked.

When I removed my appendix in April, I took a shot of whiskey and bit down hard on a bullet, and it really went much better.

[OldGoalie]

Yeah, I did that when I took out my own gallbladder back in '03. That really sucked.

When I removed my appendix in April, I took a shot of whiskey and bit down hard on a bullet, and it really went much better.

I find 2 shots of whiskey (Jim Beam, preferably) work much better than just one. Did you clean the instruments before you did it, or just pour a little whiskey on 'em?

Doncha just love the tough guys on this board? :whyme:

[dvdreeve]

Congratulations on the return to playing. I too came back after a long long lay off and I am loving it. I recommend ice, elevation, ibuprofen and Hirudoid cream to speed away the nastier ones due to slightly slower reactions.

I would definitely recommend new gear. I splurged on a new CP, gloves, helmet and sticks. The gear is so much more protective and lighter than my old stuff. As recovery time increases proportional to age I find this a worthwhile investment.

[Wyvern75]

Did you clean the instruments before you did it, or just pour a little whiskey on 'em?

Instruments? You lilly livered little pissant. Chuck Norris showed me how to do it with my hands. Don't waste whiskey. Jeez, man.

Congratulations on the return to playing. I too came back after a long long lay off and I am loving it. I recommend ice, elevation, ibuprofen and Hirudoid cream to speed away the nastier ones due to slightly slower reactions.

I never heard of Hirudoid cream. Are there any brand names or is it called anything else? Is it stocked near icy-hot, or with the pills?

I've got the new chest pad & helmet. Even the cups have changed. I have to get some new gloves - my Brine L-35s look like Isotoners compared to the gauntlets that even the attack guys wear these days!

[OldGoalie]

Instruments? You lilly livered little pissant. Chuck Norris showed me how to do it with my hands. Don't waste whiskey. Jeez, man.


Chuck's a wuss. Now, if you had said Bruce Lee, then I'd be impressed.

[spenny]

i love wearing my old school gear when coaching (my team issued brine L-50s from 1988 particularly) but when its time to play all the new equipment gets used. its so much better, particularly the goalie gear.