Getting Right

The week of a big championship match and you pull up at training with an ankle, hamstring or some other ailment. The pain is excruciating and you are sure its put you out of the upcoming game. However, once you get back on your feet and haul yourself up to the dressing room, you immediately start thinking about how to get yourself fixed up. The phone is whipped out and you're onto the physio in a flash. She can see you in the morning. You throw the gear bag over the shoulder and head off home to the frozen peas.

Irish physios are great. They understand the irrational behaviour of GAA players and their absolute need to play in Championship games, despite the potential longer terms risks they may expose their body too. The GAA is centred around Championship. League has always been seen as a necessary chore but with no great meaning. Its all about being right for the big day. The physio will rarely send you for an xray in case you might get bad news. They'll never say never, always stay positive and give you a chance. That's probably the most important thing in overcoming injury, being positive.

Days of tear jerking twisting and tugging are had on the physio table. You watch training with the hands in the pocket fielding questions on your progress. Show weakness at your peril, in case management catch a whiff of it and start tampering with team selections. You declare yourself fit at the final training before the big day, still with doubts secretly lingering in your fragile mind. The last visit to the healer is the morning on the game. Depending on your state different alternatives are considered. If you're lucky, you've timed your run well and you'll get the thumbs up. If your not, you may be eye balling a needle in the worst case, bracing yourself for an injection. Whilst the consequences going forward may be worse, its a whole lot easier to deal with than a roll of white tape applied to a hairy leg.

It will often be the first ball that tells you whether you will contest many more. If you survive that first clash, your tail is up and you can plough forward. This is the behaviour of GAA players (and I'm sure those from other codes) all over the country. They absolutely cannot miss Championship matches and there are many a sceal told of men playing with torn hamstrings, the odd broken limp or some other debilitating condition.

They don't get it in Belgium. Firstly, the process is laboursome. You must go to a doctor and they will refer you. Often, if even a hint of a disturbance, you will be sent to the hospital for a scan or xray. Next stop is the physio, or kine as they call it. They absolutely will not understand your need to 'get right'. In fact, they will look at you with distain, such is the manner in which you are mistreating your body. The knock on is they will not shower you with positivity or give you the believe you need to speed up your recovery. Its a lengthy and futile exercise.

With my latest ankle injury my tactic was simple. Stall until the swelling went down so as to avoid an unnecessary xray. Then go to the doc and get my physio letter. I don't know why i bothered. They really don't care that you have an urgency and when i started trying to get here to tell me when I'll be back she started rambling on about how if you could play before it is better you could end up breaking it. Real positive thinking. My situation is slightly worsened by the fact that i suffered injuries to both ankles in the same week, although one much worse than the other. Still, i need two strappings and only have one!

If i was at home in Kinsale preparing to play Macroom in this weekends Championship, there would be no question that i would play. The ankles would be shaved and bundles of white tape would be on hand. However, Benelux tournaments are a bit like the league and anyway, its your best three tournaments go towards the final standings so not so much point in risking it. I'll bring the gear anyway and we'll see how things pan out.