Road to recovery

One of every athlete’s nightmares is picking up an injury that will put them out of action for a considerable period.

Clonlara teenager Deirbhile Ryan’s worst fears were realised earlier this year when she suffered such an injury during a warm-up for the long jump competition for the multi-events at Nenagh.

A member of Nenagh Olympic AC, the student at Gael Choláiste Luimni is hoping to be back competing in 2014 and is currently following a rehab programme that is geared to get her back to full fitness.
Saturday, March 9, is a date that is etched in Deirbhile’s memory.

“I was competing in the multis in Nenagh and had just set a personal best in the hurdles,” she told The Clare Champion. She was practising for the long jump competition when she suffered the injury. “When I landed I felt the pain and I was screaming,” she explained.

The initial view was that she suffered a hamstring injury. “I was able to do all the exercises they asked me to do but I just could not lift my leg,” she said.

For a number of weeks she followed the instructions of physios but there was no improvement. “We then, through our GP arranged a visit to the Santry Sports Clinic where a scan revealed a third degree hamstring tear with an evulsion fracture of the hip,” Deirbhile’s mother, Claire explained.

Deirbhile continued, “It’s an injury that required surgery which could only be carried out within five weeks. Seven weeks had elapsed since the injury was suffered so it was too late for surgery. I am now working on a programme which, hopefully will lead to a full recovery.”

“We all thought it was a normal hamstring tear. I was being told to sprint and I couldn’t lift my leg. It was only when I was referred to the Santry Sports clinic to surgeon Dr Andy Franklen Miller (he was the coach to the British rowing team in the Olympics) that this was diagnosed. It’s all down to time now,” she said.

It’s not the first time this type of injury has hit the family. Deirbhile’s uncle, Neil McCarthy, suffered a serious leg injury during his athletics career. Neil set the national junior triple jump record in 1977, a record that still stands.

“He picked up a similar injury when jumping. He would rest for a few weeks but it would go again when he would return to action. The same medical facilities weren’t available to athletes then,” his sister, Claire Ryan said.

Deirbhile started running when she was in second class at national school.

“Prior to that she was interested in music, swimming and ballet. The father of one of the girls in her class suggested that she should come down to the track and she hasn’t looked back since,” Claire added.

Her first national medal was in the U-10 hurdles at the Community Games finals, while her first title with the club was in the shot putt.

“The shot, the high jump and the multi events are my favourites and the ones that I have won most medals in. I have also won long jump and javelin honours with Munster,” explained Deirbhile, whose first international cap came in the schools multi-events at Kelvin Hall, where she was sixth out of 16 and the first of the Irish team.

She competed in the Celtic International in Aberdeen last August where she won the shot and she has been the Munster Sports Star award winner for the past two years. Earlier this year she was an athletics Ireland award winner for Tipperary.

Deirbhile this week paid tribute to club officials Martin O’Grady (coach), Denis Finnerty (club captain), Christine Finnerty (club physio) and Mark Fendrum and her teachers at Gael Choláiste Luimni for their support.

“We go to Santry every two weeks and I am working  on their programme. It’s going to take time and I am going to work to the programme they are providing. I feel that there is an improvement already,” Deirbhile said, also admitting to being disappointed at having missed this year’s Community Games competitions, her final year being eligible for the competition.