I don’t think I’ve ever screamed and shouted anywhere near as loudly — and for as long — as I did yesterday afternoon!

I was doing what I normally try to do Sunday afternoons in Kathmandu: playing a game of Ultimate Frisbee at the American Club. Coming down from having gone up and intercepted a pass to the opponent I was guarding, my left foot landed on its side, twisting the ankle really badly. Apart from screaming and shouting — including some expletives I am sure — I was also pounding my fist on the ground. They were all in response to the physical agony I was in.

As my sport of choice, I have been playing Ultimate Frisbee since my Grinnell College years in the early nineties. I have played in a number of countries too, such as in Malawi (Lilongwe), in Azerbaijan (Baku), in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) and in Qatar (Doha).

Ultimate Frisbee is actually a non-contact sport but, I am sure you have realized by now, it has its dangers. Apart from the usual burns one sustains from laying out, one can injure oneself pretty bad in other ways too. I have seen many fellow players do so! I once heard — yes heard! — a fellow player break his ankle!

I have been no exception…to injuries!

Some of my injuries have been the usual: pulled or strained muscles. I strained my hamstring a while ago also in Kathmandu, for instance..

In Baku, Azerbaijan, playing regularly and quite competitively, for almost three years, my injuries were more frequent and various. I had the scariest “injury” in Baku, for example: I had my wind knocked out of me!

I also had the most unusual injury in Baku. I got a cut eyelid with the edge of the heel of a shoe!

I had done a quick about-turn following a turn-over. My nemesis, Stevie, who had been covering me from behind, had also done the same at pretty much the same time. Against all odds, somehow my face met the edge of the heel of one of his shoes as we both did so! What are the chances of that?! But happen it did, leaving me with a nasty bloody gash on my (right?) eyelid!

(I am pretty sure Stevie even has a photo of the injury. I have a distinct memory of him taking a shot of it with his iPhone during post-game lunch and drinks.)

But, until yesterday, the worst injury had been a sprained thigh and a severely weakened knee in Lilongwe (Malawi), from an opponent (an American friend) crashing his knee into them really hard. I was on crunches for some days!

Yesterday’s injury was not only the worst ultimate frisbee injury I have sustained so far, the physical agony was also the worst I have ever experienced in my life!

The pain just seemed to permeate the whole body. 

It may also have been the first time I screamed in agony from an injury. I don’t ever recall screaming and shouting so much at any other time I was physically injured! I can’t, however, describe the pain any more.

The diagnosis that came back following a visit to the emergency ward of the nearest private hospital was, “No broken bones” which was a huge relief and made me really happy! The orthopedic surgeon was not around, so I had to go back this morning. The result? See below!

In the emergency room, yesterday afternoon, being the scientist that I am, I got to thinking: Why do we scream, shout and/or swear when in physical pain?

I can tell you that screaming and shouting did help. Had I not screamed and shouted, I think my experience of the pain would have been considerably more acute! I am pretty sure of that.

Does screaming and shouting actually cut acuteness and extent of the pain and help one cope with it though?

Is there an evolutionary explanation for why we scream and shout when in pain? Is part of the explanation that it actually reduces the acuteness of the physical agony?

I was curious and so, obviously, I googled etc. but that could be a blog post on its own!

Regardless of the reason(s) and/or explanations, I don’t want to have to scream and shout so loudly and for so long like I did yesterday, not for a while anyway, though, truth be told, I’ll probably be itching to go back on the field to play the game when the cast comes off! I love the game…after all!

What do you think…about Ultimate Frisbee, Ultimate Frisbee injuries, about screaming when in physical pain and what evolutionary biology might have to say about that etc.?

May 29 Update

So the cast came off this morning!

The swelling has not gone down completely and the range of motion, not surprisingly, is limited as well. I walking is still a challenge.

So, I had my first session of five-day physiotherapy this week. It’ll be a while before I back to even near 100% it seem! I have to also do some therapy at home on my own as well!

Fun days still ahead! 😀 😀

July 7 Update

Two months after the injury, I walked to work for the first time in my Chukka boots!

Light, sturdy, with a wide outsoles providing the necessary stability on the uneven roads and streets of Kathmandu and big enough to fit my left foot sporting–until a few days ago–an ankle brace, they have been perfect albeit a little uncomfortable in this hot and humid summer weather in Kathmandu!

(I have been driving from when I started going to work, a month ago!)

December 1 Update

This morning, went for a light jog for the first time since the injury and the ankle held up. Back in October, I even went trekking in the Annapurna Sanctuary. I did the nasty nasty Tirkhedhunga, Ulleri and Gorepani climb for the first time with two ski poles for support like I were some Austrian! 😀 😀 I did not have any problem then either!

So, it looks like my ankle is recovering fine!

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