How can I convince my parents to let me start figure skating again?

icesk8er: How can I convince my parents to let me start figure skating again?
I really want to start skating lessons again. I have been doing several public sessions, and I have asked my mom to call my coach and let her know that I’m ready to start up with some lessons again, but she just kind of keeps pushing it off. My parents are worried that I’m going to move my spinal cord stimulator leads or injure myself again. I can understand why my parents are worried because I’ve been through a lot in the past year and a half (I’ve had a knee surgery, 4 spinal cord stimualtor surgeries, and a battery replacment in my hip for my spinal cord stimulator). My doctors have cleared me to go play sports again, and do what I would like; they say that as long as I’m not having pain that I should be fine to participate in sports and other activites. Any suggestions in getting my parents to let me skate again?
I have started some doubles, and I do have butt pads.
I didn’t injure myself on the ice, I did it in a gym class at school. I twisted my knee, and was forced to keep running on it because they never belived that I had a problem until I came to school on crutches after surgery a year later when surgery was the only thing left to do. After the surgery my body reacted badly to it, and got a nerve conditon called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Answers and Views:

Answer by angelpinkgal
well, talk to them and tell them that u really enjoy it, its something u really want to do. tell them how much life for u with out figure skating would be like.

Answer by Shannon M
Well if they are worried about injurys they shouldn’t, not until your doing doubles or triples. Though to make it safer for you while your skating they have pads. Like butt pads, and you can wear a knee brace. Your back shouldn’t affect you that much. A good way is to let them know that there is stuff that will protect you from injurys, and that you enjoy it. Plus you can add in that it can help with my balance a lot, with concentration, flexiblity, grace, and a good way to stay in shape.

Answer by iceskater311
you should really talk to your parents and get them to understand that skating isn’t just a sport. its your passion and life. and when they realize that its your dream, they shouldn’t stand in the way of it.

Answer by amy
Try and tell your mum why you want to ice skate again, if shes worried in injuries you can always use butt pads, knee pads and stuff, if she worried in how expensive it is, try and encourage her by saying you’ll also try and save up and earn money.

Answer by MooseFashion
To get your parents to let you skate again wat I did was make your schedule clear again and then start streching and practicing around the kitchen. You can start by clearing your schedule of the not so imprtant things and if you have a boyfriend than you can tell him that you are trying to free your schedule for the reasons of doing the skating lessons. If he does not understand than dump him. But then you can ask your parents and leave them reminder notes/

Answer by ikaihc
I knew you had surgeries, but I never did ask how exactly you got injured!

If you could put yourself in your parent’s shoes, which it seems you already have, you can understand their concerns for you. It’s heartbreaking to see your “child” go through any pain – even moreso when the condition is “chronic”. You’ve been through a lot in the last couple years, especially for a teen . . . I’m sure they don’t want you (or themselves) to relive all that, or to make your progress worse. They care for you greatly and are trying to do what’s best for you.

So what would comfort them to know that it would be alright for you to start skating again? Lay out a plan of how you would taking extra care of yourself . . . you can’t totally prevent injuries, but you can try to prevent the “possibility” of injuries. Taking things real slow initially (and having a pro help you with that), routinely stretching and doing strengthening exercises to help your injured areas, eating and sleeping right, having your coach talk to your parents about your skating progress, going to the doctor to make sure all your work is checking out a-ok . . .. assure them that if you felt any sort of pain coming on, that you would stop and not push it . . . and even if a slight injury happened, you would tell them about it. Make a list of all the things you would be doing (and icesk8er, those are the things you should already be doing!).

And talk to your parents. Keep an open communication. Tell them how important skating is to you and tell them your plan to keep healthy/safe. Hear them out too . . . it’s important for them to voice their thoughts . . . so there are no guessing games for you or for them. Tell them you respect what they have to say and you understand that they care . . . but your heart says you belong on the ice. You don’t want to look back on your life one day and regret not being able to at least give skating a fair shot.

Keeping up physically probably would be the best thing for your injuries as you continue to heal. Even if it weren’t skating, you would probably give it your all anyway (no physical activity is completely injury free) . . . so why not do it in a sport you truly love?

I sincerely wish you luck, icesk8er . . . hope you are back into skating very soon!!

*EDITED: Well, the jumping part of skating is not low impact, so perhaps in your plan, cut out jumping until your body is better conditioned for it (like I said, go into skating slowly!) – otherwise skating is a low impact sport! Also it may be good to tell your parents that as long as your coach knows your limitations, it should actually be “safer” to skate under the supervision of a pro than to skate by yourself without direction!!!

Answer by Amanny
well maybe your parents are just trying to look after you! duh!! and maybe (if your patient enough), you can let yourself heal, and then try and convince your parents that you are totally ready and say that you are trying to be totally comitted to it! and maybe they will say yes (hopefully)!!! and try mentioning that you will be a little more careful with things and try not to hurt your self! good luck! 🙂

Answer by sktgrl119
Heres what I think:

1. Like someone else said, wear butt pads to protect the area where your stimulator is. Remind your parents that you will protect this area.
2. It seems that your parents are being slightly protective of you. Perhaps you can discuss this with your parents by asking them “Do have any fears that I will be hurt (or my equipment will be hurt) if I return to skating?” Attend to your parents’ feelings and show that you are thinking about them too.
3. Gently remind them that you were medically cleared to go back to skating and that this is something you love to do. Tell them that even though you have had medical issues, you still love the sport and want the freedom to go back to doing what makes you a happy person. Tell them exactly how you feel (“I feel __________ because _________ and I want you to know ___________”).
4. Keep calm and cool. Don’t make angry accusations because this will turn them off and make them not want to even talk about the topic.

Hope this helps,
Michelle

Answer by gordc238
What troubles me is that there is a lot of jumping and twists in figure skating. Understand that your parents are justifiably concerned and with all their love for your future. They figure they just put you back together and “here she goes again!”

You like skating and that is understandable. And you can have fun and go fast too. Now I am going to give you the links for three people. The reason for this is that one of these people were like you. They were figure skaters who were medically challenged. They opted for speed skating instead.

Now the reason I sent three is that one of them was in the exact same position that you find yourself. I just cannot remember which it was. They are such “Now” people.

Regardless one of these people got washed out of figure skating. Instead she persuaded her parents to let her speed skate. Speed skating has the advantages of “no judges”. It is rip roaring fun.

You might get injured but just as likely not to get too banged up in a fall. Speed skating builds your legs and saves your knees.

Since speed skating is also an endurance event it relies more on cadence and rhythm rather than blinding sprints all the time. So it is just as much fun and easy on the body if not actually beneficial.

Do me a favor. Try it.

Answer by – ~✩anonymous✩~ –
that’s odd. there was this girl in my FS4 public class that had knee surgery too. i think she moved back down to FS3 cuz the teacher didn’t want her to hurt it again. but just tell ur mom that ur coach will take care of u and that s/he won’t push u too hard and that if u feel like u can’t do it, that u’ll immediately tell ur coach so u can take a break or something. good luck.

by the way, wut rink do u go to? i doubt it but i want to know if ur that girl from my class. i go to center ice in california.