Ankle Injury ‘Casts’ a Shadow
By Oceana O’Boyle
On September 13th, I fractured my ankle playing in a seventh and eighth grade basketball game. This was my third game of the season. It was a home game, and I was super pumped. I was so upset when I couldn’t play.
I don’t know why I was so energetic. It was pictures day for our team and I was fine, even during warm-up practice. Then everything went wrong during the game, which can really show you how fast things can change.
On the Rebound
I was called to check in at the beginning of the last quarter. Someone missed her shot so I jumped up for the rebound and I landed wrong on my right foot, then my ankle slipped under to the left. I thought I might have just sprained my ankle so I tried to get up and see how it felt walking but I couldn’t stand.
Typical of me, I walked over to sit on the bench instead of getting help like I should have. I probably looked funny galloping across the court. I cried and cried because I couldn’t finish the game and help out my team.
When it was over, my dad tried to help me walk out but ended up carrying me since I couldn’t put any weight on my foot. When I got home it was as swollen as a baseball. I didn’t get x-rays until the next morning. The x-ray showed I had three cracks going around the ankle joint. I got a cast the same day. The cast was black and people wrote on it with gold and silver markers. I went to school the next day with crutches and a little walking shoe on the cast.
Road to Recovery
On September 29th, I went back for my ankle to be re-cast. My first cast was very big from my ankle being so swollen; it was also very messed up. I needed a change. This time I got a light blue cast. I got x-rays that day, which showed that my ankle was healing. I was so sad I couldn’t play sports, but I still went to almost every game and at half time I would shoot three pointers and just shoot a little.
I was also very upset about not being able to swim when my swim team started. But I did things I could do and didn’t let it get in the way of having fun.
Finally, on October 26 I got a walking boot. Even though I could put weight on it I still had crutches so my ankle could heal more. As soon as I got home that day I showered and shaved my leg. It felt so nice to be washed and clean but it was weird to walk on or stand on my ankle for a little while.
Back in the Game
I got right back to swimming, but not gym class. I was only stretching during gym while I had the walking boot. I officially stopped using my boot on November 20th.
I am still healing and getting stronger. My swim times are not as good and my form isn’t either, but I am getting there. I will not let this stop me and I will keep playing sports like basketball. I even want to join track and field this year. I cannot wait to get back into gym class and to be stronger than ever.