This week I will talk about the struggles I have faced while having RA and playing competitive sports.
My Personal Experience
As I’ve said previously, in my second blog post “My Journey,” I have been very active and involved in sports since I was very young.
I started playing soccer when I was 4 and played very competitively until I was 16. Since I was diagnosed with RA at the age of 9, the initial part of my soccer career was painless and I didn’t experience any issues. After my RA diagnosis, soccer became more difficult because my left knee and both ankles would swell with fluid pretty frequently.
My RA symptoms have definitely gotten worse as I have gotten older. When I was younger my symptoms mainly consisted of synovial fluid build up in my joints that I would get aspirated. More recently, my symptoms have increased substantially.
This upcoming weekend I will be wrapping up my collegiate field hockey career. Although it has been extremely rewarding, it has also been very difficult on my body. I believe it is a combination of playing at such a high level, pretty much non stop, plus getting older, plus (obviously) the Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have loved my time with Longwood Field Hockey and if I could go back, I wouldn’t change a thing.
You can make it to the next level
Having RA doesn’t completely limit you from playing in college, or even professionally. “Follow pro sports and sooner or later you’ll see rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sideline a star. After tennis champ Caroline Wozniacki was diagnosed in 2018, she dropped from top rankings and retired in 2020. The same year, RA forced top cyclist Ian Stannard into retirement.” (Cristol, 2020) Although, some pro athletes do stay in the game with RA, like Olympic snowboarder Spencer O’Brien. Countless people with RA are able to train, compete, and achieve their dreams.
Below is a video of Caroline Wozniacki opening up about her struggles with her diagnosis with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Professional athletes with RA:
Caroline Wozniacki… professional tennis player.
Spencer O'Brien… Olympic snowboarder
Amanda McQueen… Professional bodybuilder
Kristy McPherson… Ladies Professional Golf Association (LGPA) golfer
Kristine Holzer… Olympic speed skater
Being an athlete and having RA is difficult and in no way ideal, but it is possible.
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