Blow Out

There are lots of things that you don't know about me. I used to play state level netball and basketball when I was in school. It's something I've been doing since I was 9 years old. You know those kids who have great hand-eye co-ordination and extremely good fitness? Yeah, that was me. My sister and I played team sports like netball, basketball, hockey and volleyball. We did individual sports too. We were sprinters and that logically lead to long, triple and high jump.

There weren't any sports that were too difficult.

Netball is the sport that all Australian girls play. Meeting a woman in my age group who doesn't know how to play netball is rare, in this country.



The thing with netball is that it is high impact. The pounding your body takes over a long period of time is quite harsh. Especially if you have an injury. In fact, it is the most violent non-contact sport I've ever played, so injuries are common. One day, I landed very badly on my right leg and blew out my knee. Instead of resting it, I kept playing... for months.

The knee injury got so bad that I got used to limping everywhere and standing with most of my weight on my left leg. Finally, netball gave may to recovery time. Over the years, I get overly optimistic and return to netball. Usually last most of the first season and then the knee gets so aggrevated that I can't walk.

This time, it took two games. Playing volleyball, basketball, walking and running hasn't caused it to flare up but netball did it straight away.

It is time that I admit to myself that netball is a game I once played and not one that my right knee can tolerate anymore. Regardless of fitness, technique or recovery tricks like ice and anti-inflamatories, netball is too high-impact for my poor abused knee.


That sux. Unfortunately what sux more is not being able to walk up and down stairs without agonising pain; not being able to wear anything but flat shoes; and being unable to sleep due to that deep ache that comes from a serious inner knee injury.

Goodbye netball. Hello to more indoor beach volleyball and low impact sports.

Am I officially old now?