2026 SEASON - INJURY UPDATE
So it's been a few month since my last post. The reason for the silence is because I've been trying to recover from a knee injury. To say I was devastated would be an understatement. Just as I was getting my stride and flow back my right knee just basically collapsed. Torn ligaments and pulled muscle. What is worse it's the same knee I popped my knee cap before I retired. Read on for more!
Red Light - Electric Acupuncture
Okay! The new Fencing Season has officially been in progress for 5 months!
As my previous article said I was soooo excited after seeing my first coach and truly starting to develop my old skills and leaning into the beauty of the sports (something I never appreciated before). I had beaten a couple of my club mates and was fencing strategically (not back to my old self but a solid 80% of my skill) and one the club coaches asked me to fence. I just knew this would be the season everything clicked.
Sadly, I was wrong. After fencing one of my club mates, I had my private lesson and I did a few strings of lunges and then a flunge (flying lunge). I could feel hamstrings tightening but just thought I didn’t stretch enough. After I flunged it was my landing that killed me. My ankle twisted and my knee just popped.
Now I didn’t pay close attention to this because as I stated earlier I popped my knee cap back in the day and that required going to the Orthopedic Surgeon and a lot of rehab. I remember that time and the pain wasn’t as bad and my knee wasn’t swollen immediately. I thought I didn’t drink enough water and didn’t stretch enough. Instead of taking it easy after feeling my hamstring and knees pulling I just kept training (even though I was slower because had slight pain).
I went to bed mid-September a little sore and woke up in excruciating pain. My lower back to my ankle was stiff and I couldn’t bend my knee and of course I freaked out. I knew I didn't want surgery again and wanted to try a more holistic approach even though I knew it would take longer. I started off with Tu Na and Cupping to regain circulation and to start my mobility. It took about 2 months for everything to stop throbbing. During those 2 months I couldn’t drive, train, walk - nothing. I was devastated. I was up to be a filler for the World Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah in January 2026. The way I was healing and limited mobility I knew I wouldn’t be able to compete.
I’m still in the healing process but I’m now able to walk and do light footwork. My speed has yet to return and I still can’t bend my knee all the way (aka I can’t lunge). So it’s definitely been an adjustment.
I now truly appreciate fencing and love it and I get injured. The knee is no joke and this is the second injury on the same knee. So as I heal I’m starting to think of my overall ability to continue competitively fencing.
Overall, I’m still excited and grateful to see how my love of fencing unfolds even if it looks differently than I was initially hoping.
Until next time!
