Injured during a pickup game? Commiserate with me.

[ballin]

I'm currently waiting for authorization from my insurance company to take an MRI after injuring my knee 2 days ago in a pickup game.

I went to plant my foot, and for seemingly no reason, my knee bent inwards in the direction of my other leg a-la-Perkins and down I went. The orthopedist thinks I'm looking at a torn MCL and partially torn ACL.

I've previously fully torn the ACL on my other leg before, so I'm now planning on starting a club with Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, Grant Hill, Dejuan Blair, etc. This Sucks.

Anybody else hurt themselves in a pickup game before?

[rickyfan3.0...]

I feel ya. I've never done anything that bad, but I have definitely missed some work due to turned ankles or a hurt shoulder.

It's the price you have to pay to dominate though son...

[Jon Niednagel]

Yup. The worst high-ankle sprain I ever had in my life came in a pickup game. Sadly, I rolled it while making a move on a woman who was just standing there. That sounded inappropriate. I mean, she just didn't know what to do because she hadn't really played before, but was willing to be the fifth player (after some prodding) because we were short on bodies. Whatever, it was pathetic either way. I could barely walk for a month, and now almost 7 years later my ankle still swells to size of a grapefruit anytime the wind blows or I stand on it for more than a couple of hours.

[jdub1660]

Yup. The worst high-ankle sprain I ever had in my life came in a pickup game. Sadly, I rolled it while making a move on a woman who was just standing there. That sounded inappropriate. I mean, she just didn't know what to do because she hadn't really played before, but was willing to be the fifth player (after some prodding) because we were short on bodies. Whatever, it was pathetic either way. I could barely walk for a month, and now almost 7 years later my ankle still swells to size of a grapefruit anytime the wind blows or I stand on it for more than a couple of hours.

I got you beat. 2 High ankle sprains. First one I was coaching a little league(ages 5-7) at the YMCA. Kids wants to play coach after 30 minutes of boring drills. So sure, let's go 1 on 8. I got this...Crossed up half the team, went in for the layup, and 1 of the kid stands there like BBD, as if he's going to take the charge. I was up in the there, and to avoid him I swayed to my right and landed on the side of my foot. I saw the bottom of my foot when I landed, and the pain jolted me back up. Parents are on the sidelines watching, not a single once offered me help. Hobbled down 3 halls to the offices before getting taken to the doctor.

Second time around my brother in law and I(both white guys that use to be able to almost dunk) were jumping off this ledge behind an outside hoop at a church. So he jumps off, grabs the rim with his left hand, dunks with his right. So I went to do the same. Issue being, I've gained 50 lbs since high school. So I jump(was SO surprised I was still able to jump high and far enough to get up there) I grab the rim with my left, windmill the ball in with my right, then Gravity set in...my 240 lbs makes it way to the ground and my arm couldn't take it, I let go of the rim, land on my ankle and in gravel, my legs skidded in opposite directions. Pain was shooting everywhere up my legs. The way I landed, my brother thought I blew my knee out. When I got up, my ankle was swelling(ended up the size of a fist) and my calf was split open 3 inches. Plus alot of road rash all of my other leg.


The joy of rolling your ankles every few months in highschool. Tendons lose their elasticity and strength and each roll becomes easier and easier.

[action781]

I'm currently waiting for authorization from my insurance company to take an MRI after injuring my knee 2 days ago in a pickup game.

I went to plant my foot, and for seemingly no reason, my knee bent inwards in the direction of my other leg a-la-Perkins and down I went. The orthopedist thinks I'm looking at a torn MCL and partially torn ACL.

I've previously fully torn the ACL on my other leg before, so I'm now planning on starting a club with Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, Grant Hill, Dejuan Blair, etc. This Sucks.

Anybody else hurt themselves in a pickup game before?

My injury about 9 years ago was almost identical to that on a pickup court.  A ball got deflected, my body, upper thigh, and knee reacted turning, but my lower leg did not.  I got an MRI also and the result was a partially torn patellar tendon.  Did not need surgery, but was in an immobilizer brace for 3 days and on crutches for two weeks.  Still bothers me to this day and I tweak it occassionally, but I never have seriously reinjured it.  

I do have advice though:  Buy a knee brace and wear it everytime you play after that.  I forget the name of it, but one that works well looks almost like a sleeve, not too big, and has a circular opening where the kneecap is.  It apparently takes a lot of the pressure away from the middle of the knee and pushes it to the outside.  That's if your injury turns out be a patellar injury.

[Lucky17]

I'm currently waiting for authorization from my insurance company to take an MRI after injuring my knee 2 days ago in a pickup game.

I went to plant my foot, and for seemingly no reason, my knee bent inwards in the direction of my other leg a-la-Perkins and down I went. The orthopedist thinks I'm looking at a torn MCL and partially torn ACL.

I've previously fully torn the ACL on my other leg before, so I'm now planning on starting a club with Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, Grant Hill, Dejuan Blair, etc. This Sucks.

Anybody else hurt themselves in a pickup game before?

Pickup football, torn ACL. No contact, simply jumped up, landed, and blew it out. The surgeon used the metaphor of a window-shade suddenly rolling up to describe what happened.

I suspect my other ACL is damaged too, as any strenuous activity will result in soreness, swelling, and limited movement/weight-bearing the following day.

[action781]

The joy of rolling your ankles every few months in highschool. Tendons lose their elasticity and strength and each roll becomes easier and easier.

I've probably rolled my ankles over 100 times.  It really does get easier and easier.  Even in an ankle brace my ankle will still roll sometimes.  I've severely sprained an ankle probably about 8-10 times.  It really is miserable, but they are much less bothersome now that I have so much experience dealing with them and knowing how to treat them best.

[P2]

I had knee problems when I was like 18 years old, but nowadays I squat 300lbs for reps.

[fairweatherfan]

My knees have always been solid, but I used to roll my ankles like every single time I played.  Shoes, stretching, didn't matter - sooner or later I'd roll that sucker.  As others mentioned it seems to get easier and easier too.

And I somehow managed to play 6 years of rugby without any major injuries, but I emergency subbed for one week of flag football and jammed up my left hand, so I now have a double-sized knuckle on my ring finger, which doesn't usually matter but is lots of fun when you're sizing wedding bands.

[jasail]

sprained my wrist yesterday playing in a pick up game.  can barely open the fridge with my left hand today and have a job interview as a sailing instructor in an hour.  should be fun to try haul on lines. 

[jgod213]

haha, i can most definitely commiserate with you.  I'm home on my day off and what am i doing? well playing video games, reading celticsblog, and icing the crap out of my foot. 

I was playing one-on-one on the courts at barry park in medford on patriots day against my buddy, who is about 6'2'' 180 and just one of those workout freaks who is in great shape and goes at 100 mph at everything he does. Add to that he can jump higher, is faster, is stronger, and has better handles than i do, so needless to say i don't often win our best of 3 games to 11.

But on monday i was just feelin it and i won both games at the wire.  we go to play a 3rd game for the hell of it, and very first posession i cross over to my left - heading diagonally towards the hoop - and my left foot comes right down ontop of his foot.  boom. i thought i got hit by a sniper.

Went to get xrays which were negative, thank god.  but i believe i have a a high ankle sprain that doesn't look very promising.  It no longer hurts much, but the thing is huge and completely discolored all the way up to my lower calf.

I attached a picture just to gross people out haha.  That purple has moved further up my leg and around/under my ankle.  I'm concerned that i won't be able to play ball for another month...

[action781]

haha, i can most definitely commiserate with you.  I'm home on my day off and what am i doing? well playing video games, reading celticsblog, and icing the crap out of my foot. 

I was playing one-on-one on the courts at barry park in medford on patriots day against my buddy, who is about 6'2'' 180 and just one of those workout freaks who is in great shape and goes at 100 mph at everything he does. Add to that he can jump higher, is faster, is stronger, and has better handles than i do, so needless to say i don't often win our best of 3 games to 11.

But on monday i was just feelin it and i won both games at the wire.  we go to play a 3rd game for the hell of it, and very first posession i cross over to my left - heading diagonally towards the hoop - and my left foot comes right down ontop of his foot.  boom. i thought i got hit by a sniper.

Went to get xrays which were negative, thank god.  but i believe i have a a high ankle sprain that doesn't look very promising.  It no longer hurts much, but the thing is huge and completely discolored all the way up to my lower calf.

I attached a picture just to gross people out haha.  That purple has moved further up my leg and around/under my ankle.  I'm concerned that i won't be able to play ball for another month...

OUCH!!!  Well at least you can hang your hat on fact that you got the wins and a TP from me!

[fairweatherfan]

haha, i can most definitely commiserate with you.  I'm home on my day off and what am i doing? well playing video games, reading celticsblog, and icing the crap out of my foot. 

I was playing one-on-one on the courts at barry park in medford on patriots day against my buddy, who is about 6'2'' 180 and just one of those workout freaks who is in great shape and goes at 100 mph at everything he does. Add to that he can jump higher, is faster, is stronger, and has better handles than i do, so needless to say i don't often win our best of 3 games to 11.

But on monday i was just feelin it and i won both games at the wire.  we go to play a 3rd game for the hell of it, and very first posession i cross over to my left - heading diagonally towards the hoop - and my left foot comes right down ontop of his foot.  boom. i thought i got hit by a sniper.

Went to get xrays which were negative, thank god.  but i believe i have a a high ankle sprain that doesn't look very promising.  It no longer hurts much, but the thing is huge and completely discolored all the way up to my lower calf.

I attached a picture just to gross people out haha.  That purple has moved further up my leg and around/under my ankle.  I'm concerned that i won't be able to play ball for another month...

Had a pic on my old phone that looked a whole lot like that.  That's almost definitely a high ankle sprain.  Just be prepared to baby it - the pain and flaring up will last a lot longer than the initial swelling.  A month might be generous for when you'll be able to go full-speed again without limping around for a week afterward.

Oh yeah and I forgot in my last post - I also managed to break my pinky the one time I played soccer in the last decade (and I wasn't a goalie).  Student Health misdiagnosed it as a sprain and I didn't realize it was a break til the swelling went down and I went to play ball - it was flopping around after every jumper.  Still finished the game and won.   

[celts55]

Okay, so it's 1979 and I'm fooling around playinf frisbee football on the beach with a guy I know. He's got to weigh 275 and desides it would be fun to tackle me. My leg sticks in the sand and my femur snaps like a stick. My wife who was a good 50 yards away could hear it. Had to be taken by ambulance to Mass General where after 6 weeks in traction and a 6 hour operation to install a metal rod in my leg I was discharged.
I had to spend another 3 months on cruches and was out of work for well over 6 months.
I still have the rod in my leg to prove it. I can relate.

[jgod213]

ugh, well thanks for the thoughts, fairweather.

i have softball starting up in just over a month (not to mention the beach, which i was hoping to be in pretty solid shape for haha) so it looks like i might be in a bit of trouble...

weird thing is it doesn't hurt whatsoever, but the discoloration keeps getting darker and more expansive.  i've never had a severe sprain before so this is all pretty new to me.