 |
| Hanging on the slopers |
On April 2, 2020, I did three legitimate pushups.
That doesn’t seem like a feat that would confer bragging rights.
But they were cause for celebration for me because they were the first I had been able to do since I separated my shoulder and broke five ribs in a cycling accident on July 24.
That I was at long last able to perform these simple movements without pain or bone-on-bone grinding was particularly gratifying because my physical therapist and doctor had both advised me that I was unlikely to ever be able to climb rocks again.
I have thoroughly enjoyed rock-climbing for more than 20 years now and plan to continue.
A few weeks after those first pushups, I am able to perform several sets of 10, along with four pull-ups, and I now know that I will soon prove my medical team wrong.
I’m not suggesting that anybody else second-guess their physicians. However, I attribute my own recovery in part to not letting the negativity of my medical advisers discourage me.
One of my secrets has been to train slowly but surely, performing physical therapy exercises daily. Some of the exercises were recommended by the physical therapist, while others I came up with on my own.
To rebuild my grip for climbing, I have been doing short daily sessions hanging by my finger tips from my basement training boards.
Another secret to my recovery, I think, has been to be as active as possible in the wake of the accident, without pushing so hard that I risked re-injury.
Within a week of the crash, I was gingerly walking around my neighborhood. By September 2, I was back doing short rides on my bikes. As of the time of this writing, I am regularly cycling 25 miles or more or hiking up to 10 miles most days.
The final test will be at one of the area climbing crags, when the COVID-19 quarantine guidelines allow. I’m sure I’ll pass, because I can’t imagine that I won’t.
