I’m not a brilliant, or even a very competent ice skater, having skated somewhat fewer than ten times in all my years. Still, I do enjoy venturing out onto the ice, and it’s been made far easier since being shown how to lace my boots properly. The big issue is that I’ve always been scared of injury. It used to be a fear of having my fingers sliced should I fall over, but since falling a year or so ago and hurting my knee, resulting in a general ache even now, it’s the falling itself that worries me – after all, these slightly aged bones and sinews don’t heal as well as they used to.
The last time I skated (quite recently, on my daughter’s 11th birthday), I managed to injure myself in rather an unusual manner. Not when I fell over, as I didn’t land on my knees at all, I somehow managed to execute a lovely roll over one shoulder. Clearly highly hazardous for other skaters, but the rink was nearly empty, and to be honest I can’t claim to have rolled that way on purpose. I only wish I did have the presence of mind to do such a thing!
My Unusual Injury all comes back to lacing my boots properly. I was really quite firm about getting the ankle part nice and tight, and relaced/tightened my boots a few times over the course of the two-plus hours on the ice. This is where it went wrong. The last time I tightened my boots I pulled a chunk of skin off the side/inside of the first knuckle of my left index finger. Evidently I’d been a little too assiduous in tightening and managed to cause a blister there, which was consequently pulled off. I also have sore points on the other fingers where the laces rubbed – the other index finger, and both little fingers. My wife and daughter were somewhat amazed I managed to do this. Somehow, I’m not.
Note to self – when making a vinaigrette for supper it’s best not to splash wine vinegar onto an open would. It hurts a little.