On Friday the 4 March 2016 Doug Lucas was presented with the Kent Sport Shaw Award in recognition of his Commitment through Adversity demonstrated weekly at the University of Kent Sports Centre. Doug suffered a significant knee injury early in 2015 whilst out riding his bike and the resulting surgery left him on a long road to recovery. Doug heard about the facilities and expertise at Kent Sport and called into the Sports Centre to seek support, here is his story in his own words.
Prior to your accident can you provide an indication of how active you were, at the gym, on the track, in your own leisure time?
I trained regularly, twice a week in the gym, twice on the track with at least one road cycle each week where possible.
Can you briefly explain what happened on your bike, the injuries you sustained and how you felt immediately after?
Whilst out riding I hit black ice and crashed immediately landing awkwardly on left leg which was buckled and twisted on impact. My foot remained cleated in the pedal and as a result I snapped my MCL (medial knee ligament) and badly damaged my PCL (posterior knee ligament). In addition to the pain, my knee joint was very unstable and wobbly despite this I cycled back to Chestfield in pain before being taken to Estuary View Medical Centre, this was not a good decision!
Can you describe your initial progress following your operation and how you came to hear about Kent Sport?
I worked hard at given exercises by hospital to help extension and bending, I cycled in gym after 1 month and took my first Spin class after 2 months. I then continued with basic fitness work in the gym and booked a series of physio treatments to help with leg mobility and easing of tension in hamstrings and quads.
Over next 6 months I tried to build up general fitness in gym but felt very frustrated with discomfort and slow progress! I came to accept that running days were probably over although I was feeling reluctant to give up my number one sport!
On return from my summer holiday I was told by a fellow gym member about the amazing progress made by the Fitness Manager at Kent Sport following trauma to his ACL (anterior knee ligament) so I decided to make contact in order to see what advice could be given in the hope that I might be able to overcome the injury and be able to at least jog again! It was there I discovered Kent Sport facilities and learned that a referral scheme was in place which subsequently set the ball rolling.
Can you summarise/comment on how Kent Sport and the Referral scheme has supported you rehabilitation since your first visit?
I have been given continual support and encouragement since day one which has enabled me to gain confidence and overcome my natural anxiety in returning to sport since the injury. The exercise programmes I have been set have been challenging with short term goals and the rewards have been that I can now enjoy sport at a level that motivates me to continue to be competitive with the sense of achievement that goes with it.
Without the referral scheme and assistance from Kent Sport I would probably have retired from athletics and pursued my cycling at a lower level! [With due regard to safety!]
I would certainly recommend the scheme to any fellow injured sportsmen who wish to return to their sport but lack the confidence and feel that all is lost!
Finally, on the anniversary of you accident, how do you feel now and what are your immediate health and fitness goals for the near future?
I feel highly motivated now that I have been given a second chance to continue with my athletics. Before the accident, my time of 61.22 over 400 metres had ranked me 4th [UK], 12th [European] and 21st [World] for my age group Men’s 60 400m dash! Three months on since the start of serious rehab, I have already managed to run a 200m and 300m at a speed I did not ever think I would attain again, and my goal of racing a 400m in 64 seconds or under, in order to be in the top 3 for my age group [when I turn 65 at the end of July] is one that I now feel is certainly achievable and one that I am determined to achieve!
The Shaw Award was launched in 2011 in partnership with former University Staff member Howard Shaw who worked together with Kent Sport to create the award in memory of his late wife Maria. The Award was set up to honour members who through the exercise referral scheme demonstrated commitment through adversity in striving to achieve their health and fitness goals. Since its launch there have only been three other recipients prior to Doug’s nomination.
Doug was nominated for his persistence and positive attitude to his rehabilitation following a serious accident sustained whilst out road cycling in February 2015. Having been referred, Doug has worked closely with Oli Prior (Health, Fitness & Performance Manager) himself a knee-injury veteran, to devise a programme to help him manage the consequences of his accident. The result of his commitment to training and dedication to a new routine has actually seen Doug return to his pre-injury fitness levels and seen him record some impressive times on the track.
In working with Doug, Health, Fitness & Performance Manager Oli Prior had this to say “Doug is literally now back on track and on his bike (but not wearing cleats) after his horrible injury and has set himself the goal for running 400m in 64 seconds by the end of this summer when at 65 he would achieve second place in the British Rankings for M65 if successful. In the meantime Doug continues to train and is a friendly and energetic individual who inspires all in his wake. His commitment through adversity in not letting his experience deter him from his fit and healthy lifestyle is worthy of recognition with the Shaw Award. I can only hope to be as fit and energetic as Doug when I reach retirement age!”
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