- Last week, a skier made her Winter Paralympics debut and explained why her leg was amputated.
- Shona Brown decided to have her leg amputated after suffering from severe pain for six years.
- After suffering an injury that she initially thought was minor, she had developed complex regional chronic pain syndrome.
Paralympian describes her decision to have her left leg amputated below her knee in relief of chronic pain that prevented her from using her foot for six consecutive years.
Shona Brownlee is a Paralympic skier who is also a member of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the UK. According to the BBCAfter an injury she thought was minor, she developed complex regional pain syndrome.
In 2012, Brownlee was looking to join the RAF as a musician — she had been passionate about the French horn since childhood, the BBC reported.
She fell off a ledge during basic training. “I thought I’d just twisted my ankle and would be able to walk it off,”In a blog post, she stated that Blesma is an organization for veterans who have lost limbs.
“When I got back to base and took my boot off, my leg was black and blue, it was bruised up to my knee and very swollen,”She spoke.
Blesma told Brownlee she initially thought she was lucky to have a broken leg. She said that she was able to walk again. “a break would have been much better.”
Brownlee’s injury eventually led to complex regional pain syndrome (or simply “complex”), according to her.
Brownlee understood that it meant that her foot was being taken. “useless for six years,”She spoke.
“It swelled up, and I couldn’t walk on it at all,”She laughed. She needed crutches to get around.
Complex regional pain syndrome, a chronic, poorly understood condition, causes intense, continuous pain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
The condition can often develop after an injury. According to the National Institutes of Health, (NIH),. Complex regional pain syndrome is characterized by excessive firing of the nerves that transmit pain signals to the brain, which can lead to pain and inflammation.
Most cases will improve over time. However, in rare cases the condition may be severe and permanently disabling.
Brownlee’s friend said that after six years of suffering, she should have her leg amputated. “chopped off.”The friend had chosen to have an amputated leg. Per the BBC, Brownlee stated that she was initially horrified.
She eventually accepted the idea.
“I didn’t want to be on crutches or have to deal with that level of pain for the rest of my life, so off it came,”Blesma was informed by her.
“Straight after surgery, I felt much better. I was happy, and now I realize how much it had been affecting me,”She spoke.
According to the BBC, Brownlee is pain-free since her operation.
Brownlee discovered the sport that would eventually lead her to the Paralympics during her rehabilitation. This was supported by an RAF program that supports injured troops.
“I’d never skied before my injury,” According to the International Paralympic Committee website, she stated that. “It’s a cliché, but it’s true that skiing gives you freedom.”
For the 2019/2020 season Brownlee won 3 gold medals at British Para Alpine Championships.
According to the BBC, she made her debut at Beijing’s Winter Paralympics last week. She was sixth in one event, ninth another and still had one to go.