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Pole accidents?
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I have only had one fall…..I was too confident with my caterpillar once when I had just begun poling and was at the top of my pole and fell flat on my back! I was ok but surprised. Once I had my permanent pole fall down with me at the top too….I was up right thankfully so I was able to jump off, I even managed to catch the pole!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gif
I had my first pole related boo boo last week…..I DIDN’T WARM UP!!!! Hurt my good arm….I’m fine now. It was my fault, but I was angry and just kinda hoped on the pole…bad idea. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_safesex.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_safesex.gif
My safety tips…..
ALWAYS WARM UP
ALWAYS USE A MAT OR SPOTTER FOR NEW MOVES
KNOW YOUR LIMITS
DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL AND POLE
CHECK YOUR POLE BEFORE EACH USE….EVEN THE PERMANENT ONES.
DON’T OVER DO THE SPLIT GRIPS AND TWISTED GRIPS!!!!!!!If you want some exercises to help with forearm troubles check out the new line up of strength and stretching for the forearms. More to come! http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/3132" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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well said Veena, that’s perfect advice!
Alex -
broken toes (same toe, 2 weeks apart, same move and teaching the same class – the second time was telling them how not to break the toe)
Shoulder impingement from not being taught correct technique when I started. Nights of waking up in tears from the pain has been my lesson.
I am the queen of the loose x-pole – I’ll bring it down if it’s loose!!
Stages that aren’t firm will also loosen your pole – fell on my back doing that.
Jumping at the pole when doing a mermaid / martini spin (bruised foo foo’s aren’t nice)
ummmm, don’t come out of a layback into a handstand if you can’t do handstands.
watch heels when sticking legs out (slashed another students leg one day, 1cm deep by 7cm long)I am a klutz and do get clumsy. But it makes me human!
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I am a walking pole accident and am a very naughty girl.
Gash my legs with my heels regularly.
Often cut my thighs up on my nails doing cradle spins and holds, hero and chopper foldouts.
I always burn and bruise my feet foot hooking, doing floor work and the splits.
I stub my toes on the pole, my wall at home and the furniture when I am and when I am not poling… lol
I bruise (but not hurt) when I fall on my hip or shoulder or land on my back or something rather often coming out of a trick sloppily or failing one (I don’t use a spotter or mats unless they make me in class or at home if I am learning a drop, something very new with very little contact or just feel super not confident).
I’ve torn a hamstring doing fan kicks to drop splits too enthusiastically – my bones crunched my hammy and surrounding muscle into the floor when it didn’t shift out of the way quickly enough. That leg is now my strong and flexy leg thanks to physio. Just pulled (not ruptured, thank god) the hammy of my other leg not warming up enough before doing downward banana splits on my weak split side. I was also stupidly pushing myself too far and showing off in studio practice time yesterday. Idiot! You’ve torn a hammy once, you should know better, right?! In the same practice one of my booboos broke and bled all over the pole. Cleaned up properly and had to break out the paper tape and tape up every single spot or scratch that might break open… I was covered in white…looked gorgeous!
Nearly pulled a shoulder out doing a jamilla to butterfly on my strong jamilla side but didn’t realise it was my gumbi butterfly side until I was in pain. Now carefully training both sides before I go for this move seriously again. I echo: DO BOTH SIDES!
I continue to pole with injuries if they’re soft tissue, I’m just more careful and certainly won’t do things that pull or push on the injured area so it hurts. However, I have been pushing too far and too fast for the last few weeks, so it’s now time for pole rehab: No more ‘pole or die’ every single day…I must rest my body with strictly no pole, deep stretching or acrobatics one day a week, no more extra intensive pole sessions if I’ve already had class that day (maybe a short low level practice, but no pushing), no more than 3 hours of hard practice at a time! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cry.gif
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I am a walking pole accident and am a very naughty girl.
THANK YOU for this post!!! It sounds like you push yourself hard, and you don’t think about caution, because you are so into what you are doing. Makes you an amazing dancer — but with the cost of more accidents. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
That means you know the real consequences of things. Ooooo! The hamstring one makes me cringe!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif
But now I know not to do that!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gifYou’re too fun!
Mindy -
I gave myself whiplash doing an incorrect somersault. My chiropractor actually asked if I’d been in a car accident. Explaining that one away was not one of my finer moments. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
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While picking up momentum for a spin, (by extending the outside leg out wide to circle it around pole), i smashed my foot into the wall, because i didn’t estimate correctly where i should start extending so as not to hit it!! Result was that i injured a couple of foot/toe bones, which took about 8 months to heal!
LESSON: be careful using this momentum technique if poles are close to walls, furniture, or to other poles! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif -
Hello
I’ve had two mis haps in the last year and a bit.
The first was because I chose to wear heels, I did the sun bather move and got my legs tangled up, the heel of my shoe scrpped along my shin and I now have a very long scar..it hurt like mad! That’s the first and only time I ever wore heels to dance!
I have considered getting some proper pole shoes now because those shoes were just summer stilettos and the heel was a bit sharp. I currently see a teacher about once every six weeks and I know she doesn’t encourage beginners to wear shoes because of this. She also discourages wearing jewellery such as watches, necklaces and bell button bars.
The second accident was just before Christmas, I wasn’t sticking to the pole at all, stupidly I did an invert, slipped into a wonky handstand since I only just managed to out my arms out (better than my head), that hurt my back and neck for a few weeks.
Hope this helps
PoleKitten
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Other than the usual bruises on hips,legs and butt i am currently sporting a black eye, cheek and slight concussion .
Not even pole related I was hovvering the floor walking backwards so I would end up in the next room and turned round when one of the kids yelled me.HUge nose bleed and bad headache so ended up at the out of hours Doctors.That was fun explaining that one, think they thought himself had clocked me one.
The amount of times I almost trip when poling is due to the cat thinking I need company.
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Well..this post has been a good one to read thats for sure lol. I had my very first pole injury…4 hours after i recieved it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif Was proud of myself of being able to do the fan kick..started showing the hubby.. bam two little toes right into the pole…as i was prepping to kick up…i screamed for the year at that point..its still a little sore at the moment LOL..so i know now to stand so close i guess to the pole..opps
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hi all,
so i’ve just started level 3 pole after a few weeks out with an injury (left shoulder/rib area from a front straddle from stand w/ no momentum). anyway, aside from feeling like i’ve lost all my strength and am now the shit girl in calss that everyone feels sorry for..i think i’ve hurt my right shoulder from martini spin. i’ve done classes 3 nights in a row this week and am very sore, especially after having a few weeks off, but my shoulder hurts particularly this morning.
any suggestions for how to make is go away/get better? we do shoulder warmups in class but i feel like its not enough sometimes so will do a bit more before attempting some tricks..but right now i just want it to stop hurting!
thanks,
el -
i came thisclose to busting my head open 2x yesterday. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif once getting into shoulder mount and once going for a cartwheel mount into butterfly. both moves am comfortable w, but forgot i had put lotion on in the morning and as started to warm up it was getting the pole really slick in spots. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif i also landed flat on my back once going to do a handstand against the pole. whoops. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif i also fell onto my shoulder doing an aysha. think that’s it, but prob more that i can’t remember. yup its a lot of fun , but can be very dangerous. got to be super careful! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/bom.gif
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I fell yesterday, twice! The pole was so slippery. The first time was doing a forearm grip aysha. Luckily, not far off the ground, and my hands were in front of me already. I landed on my hands, followed by my left hip, which is a little sore today. The second time was going into scorpio from inverted crucifix, of all things. My leg just slipped right off! It wasn’t a major fall, though. The first one was scarier. That was pretty much my first real fall, and I didn’t even get it on video!
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wI’ve had two major accidents- my first was November of 2009- I was working on split grip and put my foot through a glass table. Went to the ER- luckily no fractures but it was swollen and sure felt broken. Second was when I was leaning back upright and lost grip with my legs. My back and leftx side of my body hurt so bad after that and my tail bone still hurts from time to time. I didn’t go to the ER for the second injury. I did get both on video.
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Today I had an almost accident, I practicing combos for the first time ever and when i came out of scorpio to do an inverted crucifix I was like ooh I have enough room to caterpillar, as I was coming around to face the pole my dog was RIGHT in my FACE! I screamed! poor little guy, he was like *ears back* *pause* *wag*wag*wag* im soo lucky I didnt fall, if I had I would of probably broken my desk, legs, and my dog lol. hes only 5lbs! Now I know to shut my door during pole practices lol
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LOL! I can imagine your doggie’s reaction — what the HECK is mama doing?? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif
I did hear a story recently through the grapevine, though… Girl sustained a neck injury that paralyzed her — permanently. She was doing a cross-leg release, and slipped and just landed wrong. Just a sobering reminder to always pay attention… Poling, while so wonderful in so many ways, can be dangerous. (If you happen to know the person this happened to, please, let us know. This is the kind of thing we should all be aware of.)
Mindy
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I’ve had soooo many! First I have to say that I’m really flexible and hyper extended everywhere but my back; particularly in my shoulders and elbows.
I pulled my rhomboids when I began inverting because I hadn’t built up enough strength in my back. It’s now a recurring pain. I later partially dislocated my left shoulder while in butterfly on my weak side (left). I’m in PT now for it because I damaged my rotator cuff.
I’ve learned that I have to be much stronger than the average poler to do certain tricks because I’m very prone to injury in my joints.
Most recently I fell out of a straight edge aysha because I didn’t know that I had to rotate my hips when bringing my legs up. I landed fine on my feet, but for a brief instant I was convinced that I was going to break my neck. That was definitely one of the scariest moments in my life. In general, I’ve been really lucky with my instructors (fleur and ottorsocks), who have watched out for me and have tried to keep me advancing at a slower pace than I would have wished to make sure I don’t give myself any permanent injuries.
Congrats and good luck with your teaching! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
-D -
I injured my trapezius coming out of iguana mount.(Don’t carelessly exit from this move)
I was sliding out of an invert and released thinking I was closer to the floor than I actually was and fell (Obvious one here: Make sure you are touching the floor before you release your body! lol)
I was coming out of an invert and my kids moved my exercise ball under me so I landed on it and bounced into my pole and caused a huge blood blister on my big toe and twisted my ankle https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif make sure the area under you is free of obstacles if your kids are around https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_mad.gif )
I agree that teaching default exit strategies is really important!! And I also agree with a previous poster saying to "make sure your brain is engaged" -
i was trying a no hands bow and arrow (not the one on wikipole – imagine standard B&A position with no hands).
i was wearing boots so had plenty of grip. one hand off… two hands off… i was just about to celebrate when gravity defeated me and my grip disappeared! i managed to turn my head (i had been facing the floor) so i landed on my cheek. I ended up with a bruised cheek, bruised and scratched shoulders and bruised hips my bones stick out so they were nasty bruises). And i ripped my boots https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif i was shaking like a leaf and couldn’t control the nervous giggles!
Needless to say, i haven’t tried it since, lol!
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Luckily no major accidents as of yet. (Keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way, lol.) The only injuries I’ve had have been what I feel are beginner related. When I first started I would constantly forget to roll my shoulders down and back, would be so sore for days afterwards. Once I figured out/remembered to keep the shoulders back- no problem. I also had a problem of jumping at the pole and would therefore get tons of bruises on the back of my ankle doing the fireman and ankle spin. I banged the back of my ankle so bad one time that I couldn’t walk on it the rest of the day. The only other issue I’ve had is tendonitis in my wrist, and that was because I tried to push myself too hard too fast and didn’t adequately warm up/warm down my wrist. Out of every pain I’ve had since starting, the tendonitis was by far the worst. It hurt for 3 weeks straight and made gripping and even lifting difficult.
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Just sprained my ankle! It happened so fast, but I was coming out of a simple spin and I think…I put my feet down to stop but my body tried to keep going. That caused my ankle to twist. Just using ice and ibuprofen. It's red and just a little puffy but hurts like anything if I dont keep it straight. I can walk ok tho. Nice…
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I fall all the frickin time. ALL THE TIME. I always have crash mats down for new moves, though, even if I've gotten them a couple times already.
The only one that scared me was a fall out of CAR. I thought I had mastered it so there was no padding underneath me. I'm not sure what happened but I slipped out of it: I was fortunately able to grab the pole behind my head, but it only slowed the fall a little bit. I tucked my head and landed on my shoulder. That promptly ended pole practice for the day, and CAR attempts for months. God, that hurt.
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When I was filming my first videos, I was trying to pull out at least ONE move that I felt was cool and actually a pole pose. I got into a wrist sit, and was SO HAPPY I nailed it after not practicing it in a while. In the video I DIDN'T post lol, you see my face light up and I squeel of joy, and promptly loose all composure and fall right down the pole. Its hilarious. I flattened out so I wouldn't hit my back, and the bottom of the frame is cut off, so all you see is my legs sprawl out as I fall, then I sit back up into the frame, and hug my elbow lol. Then I grab the pole to get up, I make it to my knees and grab my elbow. Then I start walking to turn off the camera, and I pause, to yes, grab my elbow. No bruises (that amazed me), no muscle damage, wasn't even hurting after 10 minutes, and I went back and took one more video and called it a night. Boy was it funny. The largest, beamingest smile I think I am capable of, and the rug gets yanked right out from under me. My husband said it was like first time surfers, they work so hard to stand up and ride a wave, and when they finally get that wave, they inevitably give that huge grin before losing their balance and wiping out haha
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I've fallen a few times; once I was too sweaty and fell down the pole in a jade split- no injuries though; once I slipped while doing shouldermount hops and caught myself, but ended up tearing my subscapularis in the process; once I fell sideways out of a mount hook/forearm grip rubber ayesha- no injuries there either; and the scariest fall of all was trying out grip changes in ayesha, because when you don't get it, you don't really have time to bail to the side (at least, I didn't), and down on your head you go. Fortunately, this last one took place over my mat, so I was rattled but fine.
I definitetly agree with Veena's post, and especially the part about having a mat. If you're practicing at home at an intermediate-advanced level it's a really necessary piece of equipment.
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My worst injury was an intercostal strain. I was learning a drop from flatline to inside leg hang and my instructor told me to make sure to catch myself with my shoulder on the pole, so I twisted my torso hard into the pole as I was coming down and strained it. It's been almost a year since I did that and it still gives me trouble. I keep restraining it and it just never heals. It's really driving me crazy.
One time I was super slippery, which is unusual for me. I went into yogini, which I've done so many times, but since I was unusually slippery, I slid right down the pole and landed on my knee caps. Ouch. They were so bruised that I couldn't kneel for a couple of weeks.
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