Autoinmune illness in figure skating

[RafaelAstro]

I think this may be a good topic, don't know if it there is already one, which are the most common inmune illness in figure skaters, current and former skaters with those types of conditions and how they do in their training and life, etc. One of my favorites skaters "Mai Mihara" have been dealing with juvenile artritis since she was 16 years old and she had been even hospitalized due to her condition, wonder if there are more skaters dealing with this kind of situation, I think it takes lots of courage to still practice in a profesional level when you need to take care of your own body destroying you

 

[Weathergal]

I think this may be a good topic, don't know if it there is already one, which are the most common inmune illness in figure skaters, current and former skaters with those types of conditions and how they do in their training and life, etc. One of my favorites skaters "Mai Mihara" have been dealing with juvenile artritis since she was 16 years old and she had been even hospitalized due to her condition, wonder if there are more skaters dealing with this kind of situation, I think it takes lots of courage to still practice in a profesional level when you need to take care of your own body destroying you

She honestly amazes me - so much respect for her and what she has gone through.

 

[4everchan]

Gabby Daleman has suffered from arthritis but I don't know much about this. It's been mentioned a few times. No idea how severe it is for her but if they mention it, it's definitely because it's an issue.

 

[TT_Fin]

My son has arthritis. Mostly he has had symptoms in the ankles and knees. I tell this here just because his doctor said when he was at school that skating it is not recommended he to skate. Every child skate at school in Finland, it is in the plan to have skating at winter time - almost every school has an outdoor rink of its own (at the evenings open to everybody) mostly boys play hockey and girls play hockey or make some easy figure skating moves. So it really is an issue, especially if the under body symptoms the most. It varies a lot which part of the body has most of symptoms.

 

[NanaPat]

Nicole Watt was a Canadian figure skater who had severe Juvenile rheumotoid arthritis. She was not nearly as successful internationally as Mai, but she did once win a silver medal at Nationals. If I recall correctly (and this was a LONG time ago), it was reported that some skating actually improved her condition, but heavy training made it worse.

 

[Amei]

Not all arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Elite skaters probably more commonly deal with osteoarthritis which is related to wear and tear of the joints not the immune system attacking healthy cells.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Nicole Watt was a Canadian figure skater who had severe Juvenile rheumotoid arthritis. She was not nearly as successful internationally as Mai, but she did once win a silver medal at Nationals. If I recall correctly (and this was a LONG time ago), it was reported that some skating actually improved her condition, but heavy training made it worse.

I remember her. She had to have someone else lace and unlace her skates for her if the JRA was acting up in her hands, but kept skating until it started to affect her knees as well. I've had RA myself for a long time and it depended on which joint was acting up that day (not always the same one) whether I could skate freely or could only do some things and not others. I date from the compulsory figures era, so some days I went into the small rink where we "did patch" and just practised figures, which was probably good for my basic skating skills as otherwise I'd skimp on them if I could. I think the improvement is mainly psychological if you can keep going, as long as your competitive aspirations weren't unrealistically high. Just the joy of the free-flowing movement on the ice boosted your mood for hours on a not-so-good day.

 

[chuckm]

Didn't Irina Slutskaya also have an autoimmune disease? She suffered from vasculitis. She was away from skating for a time and had to take heavy doses of steroids to keep the disease in check.

 

[RafaelAstro]

Didn't Irina Slutskaya also have an autoimmune disease? She suffered from vasculitis. She was away from skating for a time and had to take heavy doses of steroids to keep the disease in check.

Yes and she returned to practice before what doctors said, didn't place good in 2004 but in 2005 she was again in a good shape and end up winning worlds. It's a serious condition but don't seem to affect at the same way as artritis in the sports

 

[sisinka]

Didn't Irina Slutskaya also have an autoimmune disease? She suffered from vasculitis. She was away from skating for a time and had to take heavy doses of steroids to keep the disease in check.

Here is an article about that.

Young Champion Skates Despite Painful Illness

abcnews.go.com

Yes, vasculitis can be autoimmune.

Yes and she returned to practice before what doctors said, didn't place good in 2004 but in 2005 she was again in a good shape and end up winning worlds. It's a serious condition but don't seem to affect at the same way as artritis in the sports.

If I remember well, she was practising just about three months before 2004 Worlds and finished 9th (which is great result taken into consideration lack of practise and her state of health).

 

[yehyeh]

I have had juvenile idiopathic arthritis since I was 8 and I'm now in my late 20s. It affected me a lot more growing up than it does now. I've never met another skater with the disease.

I'm currently a showgirl and have skated for Holiday and hope to skate for as long as I am healthy-ish. There were times that I couldn't go for more than 10 mins of practice without resting because it affected my feet and knees so badly. I never got out of regional championships because I couldn't train as much as everybody else but I can do still do a triple jump on occasion, so there's that.

 

[sisinka]

I have had juvenile idiopathic arthritis since I was 8 and I'm now in my late 20s. It affected me a lot more growing up than it does now. I've never met another skater with the disease.

I'm currently a showgirl and have skated for Holiday and hope to skate for as long as I am healthy-ish. There were times that I couldn't go for more than 10 mins of practice without resting because it affected my feet and knees so badly. I never got out of regional championships because I couldn't train as much as everybody else but I can do still do a triple jump on occasion, so there's that.

Thank you for sharing.
You are very brave!
Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

 

[FaustinaF]

Dear friends all,
It was a long time for me without writing or reading anything on the forum, and just now I come online, I apology for my long disappearance it was not an easy time for me but now it's all ok and I have more time to spend on Golden Skate again
Well, coming to the argument, I was just reading something around the forum when I found this post.
I know about Mai Mihara's health problems, but I didn't know about others skaters' problems.
Autoinmune illness is a problem that regards me personally. I'm affected by IJA (idiopathic jouvenile arthritis), I'm nearly 21 and I suffer from this illness since i was 2year-old. My childhood was often limited because my joints were weak, so I couldn't do or play like other children. But figure skating was always my love since I was a child!! Little by little I've learned to always follow my own rhythm required by my health and my situation, so I didn't give up but kept in mind Mihara's example and Anna Shcherbakova's determination In figure skating we have lots of example of how, even if in troubled health, one can follow his dream even if affected by IJA or similar illnesses always step by step and with great patience and one'OWN's RHYTHM, never forcing but keeping satisfied of the little goals obtained!! I've learned especially thanks to my path in figure skating that you should never dream the impossible FOR YOU but be grateful for have reached one step more, because if you started at level 0 and now you are doing even some jump this is a great goal!! Never be scared to try, just keep in mind your health situations and be rehalistic, be guided by a serious figure skating coach and you'll reach the unimaginable!!!! Keep strong and have faith always!!
This is just what I wanted to share with you. Never get tired and with your constancy you'll really get great goals!

 

[yehyeh]

Thank you for sharing.
You are very brave!
Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Thank you!

 

[el henry]

Dear friends all,
It was a long time for me without writing or reading anything on the forum, and just now I come online, I apology for my long disappearance it was not an easy time for me but now it's all ok and I have more time to spend on Golden Skate again
Well, coming to the argument, I was just reading something around the forum when I found this post.
I know about Mai Mihara's health problems, but I didn't know about others skaters' problems.
Autoinmune illness is a problem that regards me personally. I'm affected by IJA (idiopathic jouvenile arthritis), I'm nearly 21 and I suffer from this illness since i was 2year-old. My childhood was often limited because my joints were weak, so I couldn't do or play like other children. But figure skating was always my love since I was a child!! Little by little I've learned to always follow my own rhythm required by my health and my situation, so I didn't give up but kept in mind Mihara's example and Anna Shcherbakova's determination In figure skating we have lots of example of how, even if in troubled health, one can follow his dream even if affected by IJA or similar illnesses always step by step and with great patience and one'OWN's RHYTHM, never forcing but keeping satisfied of the little goals obtained!! I've learned especially thanks to my path in figure skating that you should never dream the impossible FOR YOU but be grateful for have reached one step more, because if you started at level 0 and now you are doing even some jump this is a great goal!! Never be scared to try, just keep in mind your health situations and be rehalistic, be guided by a serious figure skating coach and you'll reach the unimaginable!!!! Keep strong and have faith always!!
This is just what I wanted to share with you. Never get tired and with your constancy you'll really get great goals!

Thank you so much for sharing Faustina, and best wishes to you in your journey!

 

[FaustinaF]

Thank you so much for sharing Faustina, and best wishes to you in your journey!

Thank you!!

 

[Weathergal]

Dear friends all,
It was a long time for me without writing or reading anything on the forum, and just now I come online, I apology for my long disappearance it was not an easy time for me but now it's all ok and I have more time to spend on Golden Skate again
Well, coming to the argument, I was just reading something around the forum when I found this post.
I know about Mai Mihara's health problems, but I didn't know about others skaters' problems.
Autoinmune illness is a problem that regards me personally. I'm affected by IJA (idiopathic jouvenile arthritis), I'm nearly 21 and I suffer from this illness since i was 2year-old. My childhood was often limited because my joints were weak, so I couldn't do or play like other children. But figure skating was always my love since I was a child!! Little by little I've learned to always follow my own rhythm required by my health and my situation, so I didn't give up but kept in mind Mihara's example and Anna Shcherbakova's determination In figure skating we have lots of example of how, even if in troubled health, one can follow his dream even if affected by IJA or similar illnesses always step by step and with great patience and one'OWN's RHYTHM, never forcing but keeping satisfied of the little goals obtained!! I've learned especially thanks to my path in figure skating that you should never dream the impossible FOR YOU but be grateful for have reached one step more, because if you started at level 0 and now you are doing even some jump this is a great goal!! Never be scared to try, just keep in mind your health situations and be rehalistic, be guided by a serious figure skating coach and you'll reach the unimaginable!!!! Keep strong and have faith always!!
This is just what I wanted to share with you. Never get tired and with your constancy you'll really get great goals!

I'm sorry you had a rough time for a while. I had some health adventures of my own in the past year, and it has been quite challenging. I am happy to read that you are in a better state now. I am grateful also for being healthier. Best wishes for good health to you!

I enjoyed reading about your skating journey as well. You should be very proud of what you accomplished. May it continue to bring you joy!

 

[FaustinaF]

Thank you so much!!
It also motivates me to be here and talking togather about this, I hope it could encourage each other!

 

[yume]

She probably suffered from it after her competitive career but Tara Lipinski has endometriosis. That shit hurts.
If there is/was any woman skater competing with it, props to her.

 

[sisinka]

... ,one can follow his dream even if affected by IJA or similar illnesses always step by step and with great patience and one'OWN's RHYTHM, never forcing but keeping satisfied of the little goals obtained!!
I've learned especially thanks to my path in figure skating that you should never dream the impossible FOR YOU but be grateful for have reached one step more, because if you started at level 0 and now you are doing even some jump this is a great goal!!...

Very nicely written.
You are absolutely right!
Take care and I wish you a lot of happy days on the ice!