These are just things in my experience have worked well for me, after trial and error.
1.Ingrowing hairs - I have not had any problems with ingrowing hairs I think because I use a gentle exfoliating sponge and shower gel to wash my stump every day but only if the skin is not broken.
2. Cuts, Blisters, Abrasions - I never use blister plasters on my stump after learning the hard way, with the heat and moisture in the socket they dissipate into a sticky gooey that sticks to the hair and needs to be cut out. Bloody nightmare!!!
3. Dressings I have found good - Tackerderm and Opsite are okay, they are both clear post op dressings and stretch with the skin but I still find that with the friction of the socket become dislodged. The best thing I have found is a product called invisible protection plasters by Elastoplast, you can get them in most super markets or chemists. They are completely clear, you stick them on then peal the surface off make sure to smooth them over well but I find even in the socket they will stay on.
4. Prevention is better than cure - When ever there is redness from friction there is always a chance of the skin breaking which in the liner and socket can take ages to heal. Vaseline will help a little but does tend to dissipate but is better than nothing. If it is in an area that you can put an elastoplast on then I would do so as it will eleveate the possible skin brake and might be fine after the plaster comes off.
5. Sockets - Always tell your prosthesitist if you are not happy with your socket as they want you to be as comfortable as possible. I do find though that I need a couple of days to get used to a new socket sometimes they don't feel very comfortable straight away, always give your prosthesitist lots of feedback it is in both your interests.
6. Skin problems - Because of the stump being in a gel liner the sweat and heat can cause skin problems, dry skin patches can be fungal infections some times so get the doctor to look at them. I have had these and they do just look like dry patches but the anti fungal cream is put on then just put your liners on as normal it healed up with in two days.
7. Cleaning - The stump liners need cleaning every day, my ones with soap and water and I also wash the suspension liner every day which again is easy because it is gel lined. The stump liners I take into the shower with me and just wash them under the shower then hang it to dry usually drys within a couple of hours. With the gel liner attached to my prosthesis I just wash over with a sponge as I cant shower it off.
Saturday, 22 September 2012
Sunday, 16 September 2012
Paratriathlon On Channel 4
It was really cool to be on TV thismorning as they showed some highlights on Channel 4 of the Strathclyde paratriathlon. I got really good coverage and they showed me at the start, running a couple of times, mentioned by name and some of the interview I did at the end of the race. I was still sounding very out of breath and looked pretty knackered.
Really good to get paratriathlon out there and it's paralympic status!
Really good to get paratriathlon out there and it's paralympic status!
Friday, 14 September 2012
Just Part of The Game
I've had a bit of an unsettled 10 days since Strathclyde, I had planed to take an easy week, eat what I like and just let the body recharge! The socket had cut me behind the knee at Strathclyde but it was nothing serious and has happened before. Usually even while training it heals without having to do more than us Elastoplast invisible protection plasters, they are brilliant and the only ones that don't disintegrate in my socket but this time though it has been a real problem. Last Friday I thought I would do Victoria Park 5K series and it went okay. I was hoping to get under 22 minutes, I did 22:12 which equals my PB since the amputation but still a way to get close to my post amputation days, I will though:)! The cut behind my knee was no worse no better, I had 4 days off and this short race so took Saturday and Sunday off too, I think I probably did longer swim sessions instead.
I saw my Prosthesitist, Christina on Monday and the problem area was looking okay and the dry stump liner I was trialing seamed to be working well if a little tighter. There was a sharp edge in the socket, on the patella ligament so Christina got the workshop to smooth it out. In the evening I decided that rather than go for my usual all out run sessions I would do a longer gentle run over the 10 K distance. It felt very good while out but when I got back the back of my knee was a mess again! I think in the fold in that area behind the knee is just a hard one to get healed once there is a problem!!
Lesson learnt though, I was supposed to be racing Sunday but have pulled out, it has nearly healed now after resting it up but not enough to race.
Sometimes you learn the hard way but rest and care is as important in life as anyother part of the plan to succeed!!!
I saw my Prosthesitist, Christina on Monday and the problem area was looking okay and the dry stump liner I was trialing seamed to be working well if a little tighter. There was a sharp edge in the socket, on the patella ligament so Christina got the workshop to smooth it out. In the evening I decided that rather than go for my usual all out run sessions I would do a longer gentle run over the 10 K distance. It felt very good while out but when I got back the back of my knee was a mess again! I think in the fold in that area behind the knee is just a hard one to get healed once there is a problem!!
Lesson learnt though, I was supposed to be racing Sunday but have pulled out, it has nearly healed now after resting it up but not enough to race.
Sometimes you learn the hard way but rest and care is as important in life as anyother part of the plan to succeed!!!
Thursday, 6 September 2012
Active Ashford Bursay
I had some really good news the other day! I took a call that I wasn't expecting from Active Ashford saying that I had been awarded a very generous bursary for Disabled Athletes. I was really made up as have really struggled financially through the summer and have found it very stressful! I have been looking for work but with no success, I am at university but will also have to work. So this money will allow me to spend out on things I just didn't have the money for like some swim analysis and coaching, bits for my bike, money for race entry, travel money which is getting continually more expensive!
It will also be nice to go to the event they are putting on in aid of the athletes that receive the bursary's and will hopefully be able to talk a little about paratriathlon to keep pushing the sport into the limelight.
So would like to thank Active Ashford and also Designer Outlet who are putting the funds up!!!
It will also be nice to go to the event they are putting on in aid of the athletes that receive the bursary's and will hopefully be able to talk a little about paratriathlon to keep pushing the sport into the limelight.
So would like to thank Active Ashford and also Designer Outlet who are putting the funds up!!!
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Strathclyde Paratriathlon
I was travelling up with my brother Phil on the Friday to the lake district first as he was going to be staying there to do Hellvelyn Triathlon on the Sunday. We was there by about 5pm and and had arranged to meet up with Christine, who was the coach at Ashford Tri before moving to the lakes. She was taking an open water coached session in a river at the mouth of Windamer, beautiful setting and a brilliant but very tough session. The current was very strong but it was really good practise and good to be coached, we did draughting practise, sighting and a set to see how many laps we could do round some buoys in 5 minutes. Really good to see Christine again:).
On the Saturday morning Phil dropped me off at Grange-Over-Sands train station. I was pretty loaded up with my bike and bag with me but the only good thing about the swim being cancelled was that I now didn't need my wet suit or crutches. I arrived in Motherwell at about 4pm, booked into the hotel which was only half a mile away, dumped my bags and headed over to Strathclyde Country park to register.
I joined one of the C1 guys, Dave on the Cycle course for one lap to get a feel for the cycle course and saw how difficult it was for them in the chairs it being very undulating and felt more up than down hill! It was good for me on the bike though, I like a hilly bike course:) I headed back to the hotel which was very posh, so great to be staying there by myself in a massive big bed knowing there was a wedding reception going on that evening. Lots of pretty girls all dolled up, it was so hard not to go down for a drink! I went straight to my room though, put the paralympics on the tv and had my pasta and tomatoes that I had brought with me, rock and roll.
Race Day
I arrived a little late not getting there till 7am, I still had plenty of time to set up in transition as it didn't close till 7.35am but like to get things sorted allot earlier. It was now just a case of waiting till the race start at 10.20am. I had breakfast at 6.30am but new I would need to eat again so had another coffer, banana and a big cookie at about 8am. At 9.30am started to do some warming up with James Smith who is in C3 and has CP, it is good talking and learning about how different disabilities affect you and gives you more of an understanding of the amount of thought and work they have to put in!
1500 meter run
The only other person in C5 was Matthew Emmerson the British Champion, for lots of reasons the turn out was very low. The run started and I tried to hold ground with Matt but after about 500 meters he had pulled away. I finished the run in 00:06:31 which was a little slow for race day but not to bad. T1 was good though and didn't have any problems getting my cycle shoe on which can sometimes be a problem getting it onto a prosthetic foot and did it in 00:00:51.
21K Cycle
A very undulating course and some long climbs considering it is only a sprint tri course and made it a gut buster. It was 4 laps so you new what to expect each time and the only flat part was on the turn around point and as you came back past transition. I was really pushing to try and catch Matt but on each lap we was passing each other on opposite sides of the road at about the same point! It was a little disheartening on the last lap seeing him at the same point and as it was closed to traffic I had really chanced my luck on the turn around points at either end of the course! I was really laying my bike into the corners and just hoping the tyres would hold onto the road. I was hoping to be a little quicker but 00:38:28 was okay and I was pushing hard. T2 was brilliant and did it in 00:00:43, very quick in anyones books!
5K Run
Since the amputation I have done no run hill training at all so when they said the paratri was going to be 1 lap back round the same course as we cycle my heart had sank a little. I felt good though when I went out on the run and felt strong going up the hills but just lacked a little technique as I haven't practised but just tried to really lean in and drive back with my legs and drive with my arms. On paper there was no way I would catch Matt on the run but that doesn't mean to say I wasn't going to try and anything can happen. So when I passed him coming the other way at about the same place again I still had belief that anything can happen and to keep driving up the hills. As in T2 the camera crew were there taking lots of close ups which I found quit motivating and with the motor bike just infront of me on the run allot was trying to pass it every time it crept infront:) Matt crossed the line first again but I was closer to him this time than I was 3 months ago at the British Paratriathlon Championships! My run time was 00:24:27 which I am really happy with as it was allot of hill running and this is something I can work on over the winter.
Overall time 01:11:01
Summary
Overall really happy with my performance, it has given me areas to work on and I will be so much stronger again when I next race. I am still knocking massive chunks out of my run times every week but will just need to put some hills in now to cover all bases. On the cycle I think I just need to gain more speed when I go over the top of the hills sooner there is a habbit to rest. You can always be quicker but was very happy with my transitions and my training programe is obviously working:)
Matt was the deserved winner and the stronger guy on the day, well done Matt and good luck in the worlds next month!!!
Thanks to my mum, dad, brother and friends for all your support!!!
On the Saturday morning Phil dropped me off at Grange-Over-Sands train station. I was pretty loaded up with my bike and bag with me but the only good thing about the swim being cancelled was that I now didn't need my wet suit or crutches. I arrived in Motherwell at about 4pm, booked into the hotel which was only half a mile away, dumped my bags and headed over to Strathclyde Country park to register.
I joined one of the C1 guys, Dave on the Cycle course for one lap to get a feel for the cycle course and saw how difficult it was for them in the chairs it being very undulating and felt more up than down hill! It was good for me on the bike though, I like a hilly bike course:) I headed back to the hotel which was very posh, so great to be staying there by myself in a massive big bed knowing there was a wedding reception going on that evening. Lots of pretty girls all dolled up, it was so hard not to go down for a drink! I went straight to my room though, put the paralympics on the tv and had my pasta and tomatoes that I had brought with me, rock and roll.
Race Day
I arrived a little late not getting there till 7am, I still had plenty of time to set up in transition as it didn't close till 7.35am but like to get things sorted allot earlier. It was now just a case of waiting till the race start at 10.20am. I had breakfast at 6.30am but new I would need to eat again so had another coffer, banana and a big cookie at about 8am. At 9.30am started to do some warming up with James Smith who is in C3 and has CP, it is good talking and learning about how different disabilities affect you and gives you more of an understanding of the amount of thought and work they have to put in!
1500 meter run
The only other person in C5 was Matthew Emmerson the British Champion, for lots of reasons the turn out was very low. The run started and I tried to hold ground with Matt but after about 500 meters he had pulled away. I finished the run in 00:06:31 which was a little slow for race day but not to bad. T1 was good though and didn't have any problems getting my cycle shoe on which can sometimes be a problem getting it onto a prosthetic foot and did it in 00:00:51.
21K Cycle
A very undulating course and some long climbs considering it is only a sprint tri course and made it a gut buster. It was 4 laps so you new what to expect each time and the only flat part was on the turn around point and as you came back past transition. I was really pushing to try and catch Matt but on each lap we was passing each other on opposite sides of the road at about the same point! It was a little disheartening on the last lap seeing him at the same point and as it was closed to traffic I had really chanced my luck on the turn around points at either end of the course! I was really laying my bike into the corners and just hoping the tyres would hold onto the road. I was hoping to be a little quicker but 00:38:28 was okay and I was pushing hard. T2 was brilliant and did it in 00:00:43, very quick in anyones books!
5K Run
Since the amputation I have done no run hill training at all so when they said the paratri was going to be 1 lap back round the same course as we cycle my heart had sank a little. I felt good though when I went out on the run and felt strong going up the hills but just lacked a little technique as I haven't practised but just tried to really lean in and drive back with my legs and drive with my arms. On paper there was no way I would catch Matt on the run but that doesn't mean to say I wasn't going to try and anything can happen. So when I passed him coming the other way at about the same place again I still had belief that anything can happen and to keep driving up the hills. As in T2 the camera crew were there taking lots of close ups which I found quit motivating and with the motor bike just infront of me on the run allot was trying to pass it every time it crept infront:) Matt crossed the line first again but I was closer to him this time than I was 3 months ago at the British Paratriathlon Championships! My run time was 00:24:27 which I am really happy with as it was allot of hill running and this is something I can work on over the winter.
Overall time 01:11:01
Summary
Overall really happy with my performance, it has given me areas to work on and I will be so much stronger again when I next race. I am still knocking massive chunks out of my run times every week but will just need to put some hills in now to cover all bases. On the cycle I think I just need to gain more speed when I go over the top of the hills sooner there is a habbit to rest. You can always be quicker but was very happy with my transitions and my training programe is obviously working:)
Matt was the deserved winner and the stronger guy on the day, well done Matt and good luck in the worlds next month!!!
Thanks to my mum, dad, brother and friends for all your support!!!
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