Broken Neck to the Olympics in 201 days At the Los Angeles World Cup Anna Meares' World can tumbling down with a bang. The undisputed queen of the Women's 500m TT and sprinting legend crashed in the Keirin and suffered a broken neck A good friend of Velodrome.org.uk, we caught up with Anna in this exclusive interview Crash Video It has now been three weeks since my crash and this past week has been a very busy one. It has seen a lot of happy news and a lot of firsts for me. On Monday I had my 2 week CAT scan and on Wednesday an x-ray. The xray was different. To see the c2 vertebra they took an xray through my mouth. It was a real flattering look, he he he. The 2 week scan was only to see that the fracture has begun to move back to the correct position to begin to heal. The results showed that the fracture is showing signs of healing already and has closed by about 50% and that it is in the correct place to heal. This was very positive news for me and for all involved in getting me better down here.  
Having another X-Ray They think that I will be able to have a little go on my track bike next week sometime. At present I can tilt my head back as though I were in a bike position but I can't turn it once it is there. Because of this I can only have a go on the track if I am the only one on it. Once I get some more movement slowly but surely I can do more riding. I still have to wear the brace for the full 6 weeks until the fracture is fully healed but I am definitely on a very good path to recovery. Once I get movement back and the fracture has healed then begins the process of rebuilding my neck muscles to support the weight of my head and to be able to handle riding the bike again. I earlier mentioned this week has been a week of firsts and it really has been. I am now able to do my own hair... thank goodness. I think Mark was happy to hand the baton over on this one. I was also able to shower on my own. I had to have someone help me in case I fell. Now that I am sturdier on my feet I am miss independent once more. I am sure however Mark was not to happy to pass the baton over on this one.  
Back in the Gym for Rehab and Training I also was allowed back in the gym to begin some rehab and training. It was a great feeling. I can work my legs and my abs but not my arms or any upper body work. This would put pressure on and tighten my neck muscles in turn pulling on my neck. Leg press, Leg extension, Calf raisers, Lunges and pulley work for the abs is about as much as I was doing. I was there for an hour and and my coaches weren't happy that my legs were not sore after day one so on day two the weight went up a little to work me harder and I am sad to say, abut they are happy to report I am sore today. This is a good sign, because it has been two and a half weeks since I last exercised, the soreness means they are working.   
Pool Rehab Work I have also begun to do some pool rehab work. A series of walking and movement exercises that goes from 45mins-1hr. I really love this. Again not just for the exercise but it is one of the few times where I am allowed to take off my neck brace. 
We went out for Dinner with one of my sponsors Mark and I went out for dinner on Thursday night with one of my sponsors and it was lovely. Nice to get out and dress up a little and get out of the house and my casual house clothing. Mark also suggested for me to write a journal about my experience. I wasn't to keen on the idea but once I began writing I couldn't stop. I have found it very therapeutic and it has helped me to remember so many things. I have titled it, from Broken Neck to Olympics in 201 days (I hope)....Mark thinks the title is a bit long so I'll work on it. Well I hope that you have enjoyed this update and that you have been able to feel the positive vibe I have in me at the moment. Little achievements everyday have kept me smiling and looking forward to more. 
Mark in MY chair, he he he!! I have also included some photos of this weeks activities for you to enjoy. I also added an extra photo of Mark for a bit of cheek. We bought a confy chair for me to sit in as the couch was beginning to get uncomfortable. It has somehow become a certain someone's playstation playing chair...he he he. But he only sits in it when I don't so I am just being cheeky. Anna Velodrome.org.uk wishes Anna all the best for her recovery, with total confidence that she will be back and firing on all cyclinders come Beijing Anna's Injuries A scan of my fracture. I have circled it so you can asily see it  A blown up image of my fracture  Is a model of the neck vertrbra. I have circled where my fracture is. You can see it is on the bone mass that joins the next vertebra which is why moving my head is painful to do. When the two bones move through the joint it puts pressure on my fracture  Another angle of the neck vertebra. I again have circled where the fracture is. The red tube is the main artery that runs from your brain to your body. If this fracture shattererd (which is normally the case) or broke off you can see how close it is to the artery and I would have been in alot of trouble  Is a model of the shoulder and collar bone joints. The top circle is the join/ligament that I dislocated. It is where the collar bone joins the shoulder. The small circle below the top circle is where this dislocations normally occur  Top angle of the collar bone joining the shoulder joint. I twisted this ligament on the end and back sides 
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