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A test session at a nearby club is coming up in about 6 weeks.

I have been training to test then, but now bumps in the road are coming up.  I won't have a lesson for two weeks, next week the ice is down all next week, so no skating even.

Then I have one lesson and my coach is gone until the test.  I have a substitute coach until then.  She is a great coach and more than capable of helping me train my program. 

But here's the thing.
1) It is insanely expensive to test out of club.   Boo, hiss.  Plus, I have to take time off work.
2) Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing and expecting a different result?  We rearranged my program to showcase more speed and flow, but if the only problem actually noted by a judge was an underrotated loop- well, that isn't fixed. I can hope I get more lenient judges (one did pass me before), but really am I just throwing money away?

I'm wondering with my underrotated loop if it is just a lost cause. 

I'm losing motivation to skate USFSA due to the proposed changes that take spins away.  Why bother spending the money to get to Bronze if I'm not going to Nationals because I don't want to skate a program that has so few elements I enjoy? If that passes, my competitive "career" is done.  I hate jumping. I only do what I have to.  Spins are WHY I skate.  (I need to figure out if my coach will support me skating ISI... it really isn't his thing.)


So what would you do?  Is it worth it to just keep trying now, or wait until next year's club test session?  If you saw my video, do you think it is close enough that it is worth putting out there and hoping for the best?

I'm really discouraged right now.

On your last test, all 3 judges noted that the loop was under rotated. You say that is still the case. Is there an option to replace it with a different jump? How's your flip?

Otherwise, I'm not sure I see the wisdom of putting a test out when you know one of the required elements isn't up to snuff. Do you sometimes rotate the loop? Or is it always under?

One judge gave me the loop on the reskate. (The one in the program was awful)

But to be honest my loop is barely there, it is merely a loop attempt, and I know that.  I think there are times it looks less underrotated, but it is always cheated. After 3+ years of work on it, a year of almost nothing but loop, it is probably as good as it is going to get.   My flip is on a 5 year plan...I'm not even close. I am not a jumper, even as a dancer I wasn't one, it is unlikely I will ever have a clean loop or flip since my left side is so weak.

That said, my skating is on par with the other bronze skaters in the area, a few of whom I don't understand how they passed their tests (very weak spins or underrotated/cheated jumps).  The problem is, our judges all come from out of state- so it is not a consistent standard for the area, as it is never the same judges.

The closing date for this test session is May 18, so you can wait to see what happens at Governing Council, if that will make a difference to you.

You need this test in order to be eligible for free skating at Adult Nationals.  But if you just wanted to do dance or interpretive, you could qualify by passing the appropriate dance tests.  Might that be an option for you?

QuoteThe closing date for this test session is May 18, so you can wait to see what happens at Governing Council, if that will make a difference to you.

I don't know if it does or doesn't.  It certainly makes a difference in my interest in skating.  GC seems to be designed to make me quit... (last year it was moves, this year freestyle. I don't understand the adult committees motives at all, but it never works out well on my end.) But it doesn't effect my test as far as if it is worth bothering if my loop isn't quite there.

We don't really have any dance coaches at our rink, so I don't think I'll be able to go that way.  Plus those damn step behinds :)

(Also, just in case I offended- the super expensive comment was more in general- not your club. It's inline with everyone else.)

Are ISI competitions well attended in your area?
Majority of the adult skaters I know only compete ISI.
It's also significantly cheaper.

Quote from: Skittl1321 on April 25, 2012, 03:17:46 PM
(Also, just in case I offended- the super expensive comment was more in general- not your club. It's inline with everyone else.)

Don't worry, you didn't! :)  Ours are what they are exactly because they're in line with everybody else.  As a new test chair, I want to look at our fee structure over the summer and see whether it could be reduced.  The problems, of course, are ice costs and the expense of bringing in the judges, as well you know.

The point of mentioning dance tests was you could qualify for interpretives that way, and then wouldn't have to meet the well-balanced program requirements.

Quote from: jjane45 on April 25, 2012, 03:39:01 PM
Are ISI competitions well attended in your area?
Majority of the adult skaters I know only compete ISI.
It's also significantly cheaper.

There are none "in my area", but there is a coach at the rink (not mine) who travels in a 3-4 state region with his LARGE group.  I'm on good terms with the group, which includes some other adults, so I'd be a welcome tag-along.

The travel expenses would be larger (hotels), but since I can enter 6,000 events, it is more "worth it", plus the huge number of events available mean there is more that works for me than USFS has :(

I'm just so frustrated with skating right now.

What is your motivation behind testing?  Is it a personal goal or a gateway to AN?  At the AN Bronze programs usually include loops, flips and/or lutzes and a  lot of those are in combination with a loop.  So, if your only reason to pass Bronze freestyle  was to compete Bronze at the AN, you definitely need a solid loop to be competitive.  If you do not care about placement, they why even worry about spin requirements and the loop? 

I went to the committee meeting at AN, I thought it would be a good learning experience as I know next to nothing about skating rules!

The reason cited for reducing the number of spins in the bronze program was, interestingly, so skaters had time to develop their spins.  It was said that the limited amount of time in the bronze program, plus the high number of elements required, made it difficult to hold spins for very long and/or develop variations.  Now I have no idea about bronze program requirements, but I can say that spin variations are really a necessity at higher levels (and increasingly at lower ones).  Spins are worth more points than jumps at gold.

I like the idea of you doing dance; your skating skills are better than many bronze skaters I've seen, and it would get you to AN.  Interp programs are a great place to showcase spinning skills!  Plus dance only helps basic skating.  Plus you can do both interp events at competitions.   I've been told dance would significantly help mine, so I think I'm going to start learning it myself.

Quote from: JSM on April 25, 2012, 06:01:25 PM
I like the idea of you doing dance; your skating skills are better than many bronze skaters I've seen, and it would get you to AN. 

I took dance lessons for awhile, and the Rhythm Blues is what caused my hip injury (so now I can't do spirals...).  Those step behinds will take me YEARS to get :(
Besides which, our dance coach quit coaching.  I know Clarice drives long distance for her dancing, and I could even just drive the hour to her rink if I really wanted to do it, so it is just excuses, but dancing doesn't appear to be in my future.   But thanks for the compliment.  To some extent it just makes me sadder though, cause I'm likely never going to get to be a bronze skater...


I disagree with the "time to develop spins" thing.  If you spin faster, you can get plenty of revolutions and still have 3 spins.   Additionally, it was a MAXIMUM.  If judges put programs with two better spins above three crappy ones, people will do the better spins rather than more spins.  I understand the statement that it puts it more in line with the standard track levels, but then- why not just have adults test the standard track?  The current layout gives a lot more flexibility.

The section chair I emailed said this: "However, the proposed changes in competition are directly tied to proposed changes in test programs. We've heard repeatedly that skaters don't want to have separate programs for testing and competing. So by changing the test requirements, it only makes sense to change the competition requirements."
This makes ZERO sense at all.  I'm fine with the test change- however, you still need two seperate programs.  The test doesn't allow for changes of position or feet, nor lets you do the jump layout you'd do in competition.  You still need two programs.

Quote from: irenar5 on April 25, 2012, 05:34:00 PM
What is your motivation behind testing?  Is it a personal goal or a gateway to AN?  At the AN Bronze programs usually include loops, flips and/or lutzes and a  lot of those are in combination with a loop.  So, if your only reason to pass Bronze freestyle  was to compete Bronze at the AN, you definitely need a solid loop to be competitive.  If you do not care about placement, they why even worry about spin requirements and the loop?  

A little bit of both, really.  I'm kind of at a point where my age means my skills are more likely to diminish.  If I don't pass in the next few years- it is not going to happen for me.  I don't really care about winning or even doing well in placements about AN, but it matters to me locally- and I don't need a solid loop here, but I can't do illegal elements and place well here.  I know I can skate up, and I do, but you know how much it hurts to see placements above people who have passed the test (and recently, so it wasn't before an injury or standard change or something), when I can't pass it?  They get to go to AN (where, predictably, they don't do that well).  I don't.

I probably won't go to AN in the near future (too expensive) but passing the test opens it to me for a lifetime.  So it is mostly a personal goal- because what else do I have to work towards?  Why am I bothering with skating? I'll never be able to pass the new Silver moves, so MITF is out.  I'm basically stuck being a PB skater, so I either skate up or I skate against the no-test skaters (we don't seem to have many PB around here.)


I'm probably not going to test- as many compliments as I got when I posted my videos, no one has said it seems worth it to try again.  It's a freaking pipe dream I'm throwing  money into.

Quote from: Skittl1321 on April 25, 2012, 06:23:39 PM
I took dance lessons for awhile, and the Rhythm Blues is what caused my hip injury (so now I can't do spirals...).  Those step behinds will take me YEARS to get :(

Can you do either of the step behinds?  Or is it just one that is hard for you?  The 2nd step behind on the Rhythm Blues is optional... I don't know if you knew that.

I also wonder what is going on with regards to changing the adult standards all the time - most of the adult skaters that I skate with who passed Bronze MITF have pretty much given up on the Moves test structure - including myself... a few are still trying for the Silver test but very few have passed - a few are still putting themselves out there to test regularly.  Of course most of these skaters have busy lives and are not posting on message boards or attending meetings of the adult committee and so they have no voice and just quietly drop out of skating or just skate socially... this is basically where I am at although I still have some goals in figures and maybe pass some more dances at some point...

Anyway, you might work on that loop for the next 2-3 weeks and see if you can get it and maybe the other coach will give you some tip that will make it work for you.

And don't give up on dance altogether either - of course I like dance...

Quote from: Skittl1321 on April 25, 2012, 02:14:22 PM
After 3+ years of work on it, a year of almost nothing but loop, it is probably as good as it is going to get.

Maybe you need to see a third coach.  Watching your previous test leads me to believe you are capable of learning the jump.

Quote from: Skittl1321 on April 25, 2012, 02:14:22 PM
it is unlikely I will ever have a clean loop or flip since my left side is so weak.

Use your right side?

This is probably going to sound harsh but, honestly, if you're probably going to quit skating anyway due to your disastifaction with the USFS system, why bother spending the money to test? 

If your sole reason for passing Bronze is to qualify for Nationals and you don't feel that you'll be competitive at that level, then it really doesn't make sense to test.

Even if you switch to ISI, you're going to have to jump to pass their tests.  Sooner or later, you're going to run into one element on a test that you can't do and then you're stuck.  (With me it's the back inside 3's on FS4 Footwork, so I know the frustration.)

You have to decide your motivation for skating and how much you personally get out of the endeavor.  And how much you're willing to put into it to achieve it.

Quote from: nicklaszlo on April 25, 2012, 11:53:16 PM
Use your right side?

I wish...  I can do it off ice, but it makes me dizzy with all the leading hops, but rotationally, on ice- there is NO WAY I can skate CCW.  (I tried when I hurt my hip and thought I wouldn't be able to land jumps on the left anymore- it was downright scary. I left skating for awhile after that because it was just too painful, and becoming a CCW skater didn't seem to be an option.)


I think I've worked on this jump with almost every coach at the rink- since I've been in the freestyle group level that does it for over 3 years (don't recall when I passed into it, maybe even 4 years ago).  I've also worked with a PT specifically on left side strengthening, since I have such a disparity between the legs (visible difference in muscle tone- it's weird).  

Quote from: icedancer2 on April 25, 2012, 08:38:20 PM
Can you do either of the step behinds?  Or is it just one that is hard for you?  The 2nd step behind on the Rhythm Blues is optional... I don't know if you knew that.

Of course most of these skaters have busy lives and are not posting on message boards or attending meetings of the adult committee and so they have no voice and just quietly drop out of skating or just skate socially...

I CAN do one of the step behinds.  The second one!  Go figure, right :)


I've seen this with many adults too.  When I started skating the mantra seemed to be "skating is a lifelong sport" and the tests were difficult, but seemed doable.  Now adult skating seems to be turning itself into a more elite sport, upping the standards and putting themselves more inline with the competitive track.  It's discouraging.  I know it is what skaters in other countries face, but why bother with a seperate adult test track then?  Just have us take the standard tests.

Quote from: blue111moon on April 26, 2012, 08:17:16 AM
If your sole reason for passing Bronze is to qualify for Nationals and you don't feel that you'll be competitive at that level, then it really doesn't make sense to test.

Even if you switch to ISI, you're going to have to jump to pass their tests. 

I've passed ISI3 and that is high enough for me. I won't go higher due to jumps.

I don't care about being competitive at Nationals, but I do care about getting to participate.  MOST of the bronze skaters I know go knowing they won't be close to the podium.  And qualifying for nationals doesn't just mean a freeskate (though I'd do one), as others pointed out, there are artistic events.  Unfortunately, without adding in a large commute, there is no dance coach around here.

It comes down to how badly do you want it?  Our team motto for last year was "make it work".  It was a real challenge, especially with the distances involved.  This year we need to do a lot of testing to move up a division; motto is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger".  You have some significant physical challenges.  I'm 54, but I'm still training, improving, and testing.  I'll hit a non-negotiable limit someday, I guess, but until I do, I keep trying.  If you want to go to ANs badly enough, you'll find a way to make it happen.  That means either passing your Bronze free test, or the first 6 dance tests (to qualify for a Bronze dramatic or light entertainment program - you only need the first 3 for Bronze solo dance, although you'd have to be able to compete more dances than that).  Assuming you haven't yet hit that non-negotiable physical limit, there are ways to do this, although they're not necessarily easy or convenient.  You already know it's possible to pass that free test without having a passing loop if other things are strong enough.  And isn't there a dance coach in Cedar Rapids?  I know Brianna worked with somebody there, and took some of her tests with me.  How bad do you want it?

Slightly OT, but in response to the thoughtful post above re: non negotiable limit, I don't quite want to push to that exact limit, in fear that the cost to find out the limit is an injury bad enough that ends up changing the limit, preventing me from doing what I could have done.

guess I don't want it badly enough. Or, I really want a different "it": that my body stays healthy enough to hold into lifelong skating!  :-)

Quote from: jjane45 on April 26, 2012, 09:48:18 AM
I don't quite want to push to that exact limit, in fear that the cost to find out the limit is an injury bad enough that ends up changing the limit, preventing me from doing what I could have done.

This is why I'm reluctant to get into ice dance.  I know it was a freak fall, but I used to have beautiful spirals :(  I miss them.

I know I'm not made to be an athlete- between my neck, knees, and hip- there is only so much I can do.  I just hate that I'm getting nowhere in skating.  If I take the goal of bronze test away, I have nothing to work towards at all. 

You're not getting nowhere in skating.  You have a beautiful Artistic program where you show your joy and love for the sport.  Your freeskate is also enjoyable to watch - and you got passed by one judge!  You were so close.  Every time you skate, you can inspire other adults and kids who see you to keep working hard, and maybe get some skate moms who just watch to consider trying it, too.  You inspire me because you're putting the test out there and trying!  I hope you will try the test again, if not this June test then whenever the next session comes out.

I hope to have the option to go to AN someday too even though I know I will place low if not last.  I want the option of being with other adult skaters, sharing the camaraderie, cheering everyone on and hopefully having them do the same for me. 

Quote from: Skittl1321 on April 26, 2012, 10:02:05 AM
If I take the goal of bronze test away, I have nothing to work towards at all. 

Beauty, power, and precision? My goals certainly changed from tangible to more intangible ones over the years. For younger skaters, it's like winning a specific medal vs skating the personal best. YMMV, just my personal opinion.

Don't forget that your lifestyle may change in the future.  You're working, going to school and skating in an area with limited figure skating resources.  Someone might open a new rink and bring in new coaches, you'll finish school, you might relocate/move.  Anything can happen.

In lieu of waiting for next year's test session at your home club, or paying guest fees to test at another local club, you could test at someplace completely different.  A lot of competitions and training camps/clinics hold a test session since judges are in town anyway.  The idea of doing a week-long training camp and then testing at the end has some merit.

Honestly, I had a wonderful experience as an ISI skater and competitor.  It sounds like you'll be part of a group, which makes skating so much more fun.  Perhaps that group could organize a local ISI competition once a year so they don't have to travel far.

The injuries and physical limitations are daunting, so you have to deal with that separately.

But, things can change in a moment, as you know, so if you love the sport, stick with it.

And why would passing the bronze test give you nothing to work towards? There's always another skill to learn and another trick to do, another competition and heaven forbid - the next test.
Passing the test just means the next test is slightly further away, instead of being permanently within grasping distance.

Quote from: fsk8r on April 26, 2012, 10:48:47 AM
And why would passing the bronze test give you nothing to work towards? There's always another skill to learn and another trick to do, another competition and heaven forbid - the next test.
Passing the test just means the next test is slightly further away, instead of being permanently within grasping distance.

I said taking away the bronze test gives me nothing to work towards.   Not passing it.  Yeah, I guess my goal could be elements, but what is the point of elements if you don't do something with them? Although, I'm not sure what the next step would be if I pass it, I haven't thought of what comes next- silver is impossible, so I guess I'd just be working towards a stronger competition program.

I suppose I could do that now, as my program isn't optimized toward competition at all, since it is a test program.  But it makes no sense to me to work to be a more competitive bronze skater if I can't even be a real bronze skater!

I'm a person who needs measurable goals- right now my goals are bronze test and camel spin.  I'm making progress on the camel at least.

The Bronze Free will be my last test for sure.  When I started skating I knew jumps would mean I never get above bronze free but I had high hope for moves tests.  Then came the hip injury.  I can't do spirals anymore so I can't do the current silver moves, therefore moving up isn't possible.  If I was a kid, I'd likely get the surgery to fix it, but it isn't justifiable as an adult.  If they revert to the old spiral pattern (which is still really really pushing my limit, but a little less daunting) I may try for it, but I don't see that happening.

Quote from: Skittl1321 on April 26, 2012, 08:36:14 AM
I CAN do one of the step behinds.  The second one!  Go figure, right :)

Yeah, too bad that is the included in the "Optionality" portion of this test.  Have you tested this dance and failed it because you couldn't do that one step-behind?  What happens when you do it - or is this the move that you injured your hip doing?  Hard to keep track of everything here!

Don't give up.  You might want to take a break and see if you miss it.  There is so much to love about skating and it isn't about doing the "next element" or passing the next test, or even competing at Adult Nationals!

For me it's all about the glide and the movement that goes into that.

It is about the friends I have made which at this point are actually pretty significant.

Realizing that skating is really a very difficult sport that most people can never even get close to doing well - someone once told me that only one in ten people could ever learn to skate backwards, for instance.

Anyway, you catch my drift!

Quote from: icedancer2 on April 26, 2012, 02:12:39 PM
Yeah, too bad that is the included in the "Optionality" portion of this test.  Have you tested this dance and failed it because you couldn't do that one step-behind?  What happens when you do it - or is this the move that you injured your hip doing?  Hard to keep track of everything here!

Don't give up.  You might want to take a break and see if you miss it. 

I have not tested dance.  I got my first two dances testable, but didn't do them because there didn't seem to be a point if I couldn't do the third...  I did work a bit on the dances from the next level. The willow waltz is fun!  But for the most part- dance just seems impossible if the "easy" dance includes such a difficult move.

I have never gotten the hard step behind up to speed. I can only do it very very slowly.  That was the step that I fell on (really, it could have happened lots of ways, so logically I shouldn't blame the RB, but I do), and I slid into the boards and that's where I got the labral tear.  After which I did take a break, and I did miss it.  Thankfully, except spirals- I can pretty much do everything without aggravating the hip.

I think I am going to test, if only because I really do think I'm close, and maybe I'll get nice judges :) 
Plus, my husband and I scheduled an event the day of the competition, so I won't be able to skate then.  It will give me a chance to do my program...  I know judges don't like tests that aren't ready, but I don't think of it as not ready- it's more a "just barely" on one element.  If I can keep my nerves in check, the other elements are all beyond passing.  My other jumps are small, but with good technique. 

Skittl - You shouldn't let the XB in the RB stop you from enjoying dance.  The key is ankle flexion, and you can work on that in F chasses.  If you can flex your ankle sufficiently, then it's a matter of building your confidence.

You need to move to Australia - we don't have the Rhythm Blues on the dance test structure here!  ;D

Somewhat OT and insensitive, but I'm sorry I can't help asking: what happened to your hip?

Quote from: sampaguita on May 02, 2012, 11:33:50 PM
Somewhat OT and insensitive, but I'm sorry I can't help asking: what happened to your hip?

I have a labral tear from falling and sliding into the boards.  I could have surgery to fix it, and probably would if I was a kid still, but I can't justify the risks (I have anesthesia issues), time off work, cost as an adult.  Occasionally, my hip will get weak (I have exercises from PT to help this) and I have trouble walking/supporting weight on it, but mostly it just means I can't do spirals.

Sorry to hear about that...falling is one thing, and sliding into the boards is another. Was this incident pre-crash pads? I hope the tear will heal up on its own eventually...

I owned pads at the time, but only wore them for loop and 8 step.

I have a less obvious hip pad I wear most of the time now, but go figure, I always hit somewhere else when I fall.

Well Skittl, I don't know about you, but I opted out of the free skate June 12.  Going to take MIF only and try to test the free skate in August.

I put my test papers in the mail today.

It's expensive, but I'm not competing, so the cost ends up being about the same as the competition would have been. (I'm going to a concert that day.)

Coach says my elements are ready, if I just do a good loop.  I only seem to do a good loop if I'm tied to the ceiling though.  (He doesn't actually do anything with the harness- but I skate a million times faster if I know I can't fall.)

Program has gotten a little sloppy, so I don't expect much.  But I have more of a chance than if I don't try, and a month to get it cleaned up.

Quote from: Skittl1321 on May 14, 2012, 10:56:13 AM
I put my test papers in the mail today.

You go girl......    I feel like I let myself down ... on the other hand I feel like I am pushing myself too hard considering I have only been back on the ice since January.  What is your test date.... I'll mark my calendar!

Wheeee, have a great time!

Quote from: Adultsk8r509 on May 14, 2012, 11:08:17 AM
You go girl......    I feel like I let myself down ... on the other hand I feel like I am pushing myself too hard considering I have only been back on the ice since January.  What is your test date.... I'll mark my calendar!

June 7 or 8- don't know yet, but I expect it will end up on the 8th.

I don't think you are letting yourself down. You are making remarkable progress on your comeback. 
I passed my Bronze MITF in September of 2008, and have been working towards Bronze free since then.  I keep getting injured, or when I'm not injured, I'm just not good enough...

Crossing my fingers for you.
And to take some of the pressure off, just see it as an opportunity for some feedback on where you are from some judges.

I'll be on a road trip, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll have a good skate too.

I think if you can just go for it and not let fear get the best of you, you'll do great :)

I'm still anxiously awaiting the announcement of our summer test sessions... my later plans for this summer are on hold until they announce something.  Knowing my luck, if I book my flights now, that's exactly when they'll schedule the test session!

Good luck to both of you!

I am testing bronze MITF June 29. It'll be my second attempt and I'm not sure my power 3-turns are anywhere near ready. But maybe by then I can get it together.

Quote from: Skittl1321 on May 03, 2012, 08:05:09 AM
I have a labral tear from falling and sliding into the boards.  I could have surgery to fix it, and probably would if I was a kid still, but I can't justify the risks (I have anesthesia issues), time off work, cost as an adult.  Occasionally, my hip will get weak (I have exercises from PT to help this) and I have trouble walking/supporting weight on it, but mostly it just means I can't do spirals.

Can you jump at all? I have had labral tear for the last 9 months, complicated with having also bursitis. My hip now hurts most of the time, although after corstisone injection it was slightly better. The injection was 5 months ago and I think it is wearing off though!  :( I can't jump at all, because although it is my left hip and my landing leg is my right one, the impact of landing hurts badly. I can't lift my leg more than 90 degrees (bent leg) and holding it at exactly 90 degrees is possible only for a short time (it hurts badly and feels like if I didn't have the strength to hold it longer). But I can lift my leg backwards, so I can do spirals fine. Because I can't jump, I started doing dance. Not what I always wanted to do, but better than nothing. 

I stopped jumping for almost a year. Now I can skate without pain except spirals.  I did a lot of PT, plus 6 months of no skating at all.

Quote from: Hanca on May 21, 2012, 03:17:08 PM
I have had labral tear for the last 9 months, complicated with having also bursitis.

I also have labral tears and bursitis.  Everything hurts my hips, including normal forward stroking with decent extension and FI mohawks.  I live on ibuprofen.  There's no way I'm having surgery, but a cortisone shot in the R hip (my worst) doesn't sound too bad just now.  Thanks for the idea!

Skittl - Good luck on your test!

Sk8Dreams, cortisone shot helped a lot. Before the injection the pain was driving me mad. It kept me awake at night, I couldn't lift my leg high enough to go up the stairs and I ate so many ibuprofens with codein that it couldn't be very healthy. After the injection I could do anything except of jump and lift my leg. Also, doing swings with the painful leg swinging across the skating leg hurt, but otherwise stroking and anything else on the ice was fine. The trouble is that the injection don't seem to last forever.

Quote from: Hanca on May 22, 2012, 11:46:19 AM
The trouble is that the injection don't seem to last forever.

I've also heard they can cause additional degeneration.  I've always refused them in the past (for other issues too, like my shoulders) due to this.

There's a limit on how many cortisone injections you can receive, to protect you from that issue.

I had the shots several times for my plantar fasciitis/heel spur syndrome. 

They really worked wonders in getting the inflammation and pain reduced.  The orthotics and stretching exercises have it well under control. 

I had an elderly neighbor who received cortisone injections for a sinus problem.  She raved about the shots because they not only helped her breathe/smell, they eased all her minor aches and pains.

I don't think that having one or two cortisone shots is a problem. (if it was, they would ban it by now). I would be worried if someone was getting them frequently, but having it as one off should be fine. Obviously, there is certain amount of risk, but some risk is connected with any medication, even taking over the counter bought aspirin.