BRITAIN’S NO 1 SKIER, CHEMMY ALCOTT, TAKES US THROUGH THE FIRST MONTHS OF HER REHAB FOLLOWING HER CAREER-THREATENING CRASH IN DECEMBER
“I am a ski racer. My job is to push my personal boundaries - to go out there every day and be better, stronger, faster. There are amazing days - days when you improve; days when all the hard works clicks into place; when you feel that you are invincible, slicing through the air seeing the ground below you passing at speeds of 80mph. Then there are the inevitable days when you push it too hard, you cross that line and you crash. Sometimes you get lucky and walk away. Sometimes you don't!
On December 2nd 2010, I didn't. In fact I needed emergency helicopter assistance. It was the last training run before the World Cup tour started, after months of preparation - snow chasing down in NZ, equipment testing with my new company, Atomic; and most importantly gelling with my new coaches and the rest of the Canadian ski team. There was no reason why I crashed that day - it is just one of those things which happen and to be honest, when you choose a sport like ski racing as your life and job, it comes with the territory.
I had surgery immediately following my crash with the world renowned surgeon Mark Heard at Banff Mineral Springs Hospital. Fortunately the procedure he performed on me is one he is has done in the past on other alpine winter Olympians - so it was easy to trust him!! I have broken endless bones before so I thought I knew what to expect. But the pain and the surgery were on a whole new level to me. I guess it is because I am one of those people who when they do things they do it right!! (in this case wrong). A small technical error going off the lip of a jump had translated 3 seconds later into a completely smashed up leg - there were rumours in the press that this was it - the fat lady was singing alright - my career (as they said) was over. It hurt to hear that - it struck a nerve - no one knows except me what was going on in my head and I genuinely believe that I have so much more to achieve in this sport.
“Accidents happen, what you do after an accident defines who you are.”
And then came the news that brightened my day (and every day since!): there were people out there (other than my friends and family and fans) who had the uttermost faith in my comeback; who wanted to show the press that their premature prediction was so wrong. First, and most importantly, on that band wagon were a great company called DJO Global.
With my head still in injury mode and slightly stuck in the past they contacted me and gave me hope - not just hope to return again to the sport I love, but hope to comeback better, faster, stronger!
And we haven't looked back since. Not every day is an improvement - not every day is sunny and full of smiles. There are days when I struggle - days when I fight to drag myself to the gym or plug myself into my Compex. But that is all part of the journey.
A journey on which I am not alone. I have Cliff Eaton, my buddy: so far Cliff has been vital to my rehab in so many ways. I have only known him a month but we have already laughed and cried (and even meditated together!). After my great surgery and care in Canada, Cliff and I decided to get the best UK support team including legendary Prof Fares Hadad who I am seeing monthly to check on healing. Every room in my house is full of healing machines (as much as skiing fast was my life before, healing fast is my life now).
Let's start from the top of my house - next to my bed I have the healing cage - more technically known as a bone healing stimulator. This is the easiest part of my rehab - I just sit and relax and it works its magic. Next to it lies my Aircast - the boot which protects my leg almost 24-7. As I venture on my crutches downstairs in my lounge, I see my little compact Compex - the small machine with a HUGE impact. After a week on lying dormant my VMO (inner quad muscle next to the knee) had completely disappeared. Within one week of meeting Cliff and Heiko and being lent my Compex; pow pow; like magic it was back as big as before. Within a month my definition in my injured right leg is almost more than my left!! I like using the Compex on my Quad - it feels intense - I struggle to breathe when the muscle is warm and tensed like a tiger pouncing on its prey. It’s not a substitute for Olympic lifting in the gym - it is almost better!! Now a few weeks down the line I am also using the Compex on my glute - it is pure, pleasurable pain - I know to non-athletes out there that makes no sense at all but the freaks in us sportspeople LOVE the pain!!
So every car journey, every cinema visit, every trip to Eurosport to commentate, I am accompanied by my little friend called Compex. We use the time wisely. We work hard to rebuild my strength and we are seeing the results and improvements every day.
The other astonishing thing about the human body is how quickly you can get back into the gym after getting knocked down. The psyche of a world class athlete is such that you are addicted to endorphins - that happy rush you get from working out! And with Cliff's amazing knowledge I have been in the gym almost every day for the past month. We make all these wacky contraptions that enable me to train both cardio and weights without having a negative impact on my leg. One of my favourite sessions is the 'sweat fest' as hard as you can, Spartican, 300s.... you just smash out 300 reps of 6 exercises as quickly as you can. You are self competing - and that is your toughest enemy!!
So watch this space and learn more about the nitty-gritty in's and out's of an athlete’s comeback. I know it won't all be plain sailing but I am prepared to work harder than ever before, to realise my dream, against all odds, of GOLD at Sochi Olympics 2014!
THE LATEST FROM CHEMMY’S REHAB MANAGER, CLIFF EATON▾
Chemmy and I have sat down and set out our ultimate goal, which is for her to be back skiing by the end of 2011. To help achieve this we have had discussions with her Team Doctor, coach and conditioner. I am now in possession of what would have been her training schedule for the coming year. Our aim is to incorporate as much of this into her rehab as her injury will allow.
Chemmy is being extremely positive and is very keen to start on the road to recovery and to return fitter and stronger than before her accident.
On 16th December, we jointly went to see Mr Fares Haddad who is a well respected Orthopaedic Surgeon at Princess Grace Hospital. He is looking after Chemmy here in the UK, after she had her initial operation in Canada. At this appointment she had her staples removed and a new X-Ray taken. Too early to show any bone healing yet so still has to be kept very still. As she cannot go into a plaster due to her open wound she is immobilised using an Aircast Walker.
By 6th January, Chemmy’s wound had healed but the bones had not yet – they always take longer when plated - so she still has to be in the Aircast and will continue non-weight bearing for another four weeks. A further scan will be taken early in February to see whether any union has taken place. To help achieve this DJO Global have denoted a CRM Bone Stimulator. This stimulates the production of new bone cells during a thirty minute period and lasts for 24 hours. Therefore, Chemmy is compliantly placing her leg into this machine every day. In fact, Chemmy’s whole day is revolved around her recovery, which she does enthusiastically and without complaint – the perfect patient.
Even though she is still immobilised we are already preparing her body for a return to skiing. We believe that ‘injury is an opportunity’. Chemmy is taking this opportunity to come back to the slopes, stronger, faster and better prepared than ever before. To this end she is maintaining her muscle volume and strength using a Compex Mi Sport. We have also managed to design a gym programme using a lot of kneeling exercises, which do not affect her leg, to promote upper body strength and power. She is promoting cardiovascular fitness with single leg rowing programmes that include both aerobic and anaerobic exercise.
