Here's a decent article about the physical pain skaters go through for their sport.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/FigureSkating/2005/01/23/907724-sun.html
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/FigureSkating/2005/01/23/907724-sun.html
Article about the pain of skating
- Thread starter Antilles
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
I can speak from experience that skating hurts! When you fall (especially with us older folks) it really does hurt. The hardest fall I took recently was from doing a back three turn (yes just a little 3 turn). I fell straight down backwards on my hip/but/arm-ouch!! It hurt so bad I couldn't get up from the ice very fast. There are things that skaters wear (padding) that help with all the falling that goes on. Still skaters keep going back for more. Why? Because we love it 
Antilles-thanks for sharing the article
Antilles-thanks for sharing the article
They all hurt
The danger of the sharp blade is probably unique to the sport of figure skating. The danger of falling is not.
Eventors (it's an equestrian sport that involves doing ballet with the horse on one day and tearing pell-mell cross country and jumping behemoth obstacles the next day) have all broken bones at one point.
So, remember that part of the article that involved jumping off the top step? Put the step 5-6 feet in the air, make it move pretty quickly, then have the step catapalte you into the ground... that's a fall off a horse.
So, not to make light of the pain or dedication of a figure skater. These elite athletes all deserve kudos. But pain is not unique to figure skating.
Linny
The danger of the sharp blade is probably unique to the sport of figure skating. The danger of falling is not.
Eventors (it's an equestrian sport that involves doing ballet with the horse on one day and tearing pell-mell cross country and jumping behemoth obstacles the next day) have all broken bones at one point.
So, remember that part of the article that involved jumping off the top step? Put the step 5-6 feet in the air, make it move pretty quickly, then have the step catapalte you into the ground... that's a fall off a horse.
So, not to make light of the pain or dedication of a figure skater. These elite athletes all deserve kudos. But pain is not unique to figure skating.
Linny
