Injury Update: Patrick Gudauskas and the Rodeo-Induced Ankle Injury
Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 26, getting inverted at the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco.
SAN CLEMENETE, California/USA (Friday, November 18, 2011) – Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 26, does not hold back. The man is full-throttle every wave – sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. Tahiti, 2010, on the verge of missing the field reduction cutoff, Gudang sticks a huge Rodeo in marginal conditions at Teahupoo to advance past Chris Davidson (AUS), 34, and into the safety zone. This year at the Rip Curl Pro San Francisco, Pat sticks another phenomenal inverted rodeo in his clash against Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, but the result was much more painful. ASP caught up with the San Clementian as he was on his way to rehab. This…is his story…
Basically, when I go up and try that maneuver, I often land with my nose first and kind of roll the rest of the board back onto the wave. That motion acts to absorb a lot of the impact and helps maintain speed in the transition. However, the one in San Francisco was a really slow rotation (or at least it seemed like that to me) and I landed about as square as I could on the board.
As soon as I landed, I heard a huge pop and the pain shot up through my calf. My first reaction was that I’d broken something, but sometimes when you land out in the flats, you have hard landings and nothing ends up being wrong. So I tried to do a little turn after it and that’s when I realized I had to go to the beach.
The doctors on-site were really good and my Dad and them all went to the hospital with me. The weird thing was that I had totally assumed I had broken something, but when the hospital x-rays came back, they said there was no break so that was good news I guess.
After that, Pops and I hit the road and drove back to San Clemente where I met with Dr. Kramer and had MRIs done. The official diagnosis is that I have a “Grade-3 High Ankle Sprain” which means I’m out of the water for like four-to-six weeks, maybe eight.
It’s definitely disappointing, but I’m staying pretty positive. I’m doing laser therapy on it and just focusing on getting as strong as possible. I’ve set a goal in my head as being ready for Pipe, but I know that it will be tough to be 100% by then. I’m taking things in the moment and seeing where I end up.
For more on PATRICK GUDAUSKAS, check out his ASP World Tour Profile
Comments
Category: All ASP News, ASP Editorial News, ASP World Tour News
really hope pat gets well, rips pipe, and makes the cut.
The amazing thing was he fully stuck the Gorkin Flip, with ease. Amazing to have seen it landed in person AND during a heat with Jordy. Inspiring. Pat just going for it… Heal up, right!
With the intensity and dynamics of surfing today more injuries like this will occur for sure. Strength and flexibility training is going to become more and more important for the pro’s ( and anyone looking to boost, rotate and land) I’ve trained with gymnasts and pro athletes and as soon as the ankle goes it can be a non stop niggling issue, lets hope his rehab is excellent to ensure he can come back stronger and not go over on the ankle again.
Good luck to you Pat. You are an inspiration to many. YOU CAN DO IT!