I’ve felt dizzy, nauseas and sweaty, before. Singularly and all at once, at various times. But not quite like the way I felt at pickleball the Sunday before.

I was all three plus blurry eyed, unable to focus and in agony. My wrist throbbed. Everything spun. Sweat ran down my face. And I was shaking. My husband applied ice cubes on my wrist. And, got me 100 Plus, an isotonic drink. I gulped one bottle down. He got me another. But not before telling me to remain seated. I took a few more ice cubes and placed them on my head. I was hot. I wanted to throw up.

I knew something was badly wrong, and it had to do with the fall. Yes, fall. In the pickleball court. I took two steps backwards to retrieve a passing shot. I lost my footing. I was on my bum, and I had used my left hand to break the fall. It was all so quick.

I felt somewhat ok, although my left wrist hurt instantly. I forced a feeble thumbs-up to not worry my family, whom we were with. I also managed to stand up. It was only when my husband and I walked away to get some ice to put on my injury that the disorientation kicked in.

I’ve felt physically awful fighting food poisonings and migraines before but this awfulness was in a league of its own. OMG, it was. I asked my husband what was happening to me, and he assured me that we will go to the hospital as soon as I was able to. He didn’t, at the time, tell me that what I was exhibiting were the same symptoms that he had when he fractured his ankle. The difference was he had no pain at all. And, he had delayed reactions/symptoms. Like 12-hours later. He, somehow, managed to drive home with a swollen ankle after a motorcross session.

I’ve had my share of sports related injuries playing squash, tennis, badminton, and athletics during my lifetime. I’ve had a variety of bruises, lumps, bumps, muscle pulls and strains. From running into walls, being hit by missile-like squash balls and opponents’ rackets, over/under stretching, and awkward movements. I’ve also seen stars from sheer exhaustion during squash matches, and all-day athletic meets. But, nothing quite like this. This was a whopping new experience.  

The attending doctor at the emergency department explained that I may have experienced a vagal response. A what?

‘The vagal response (vasovagal reflex) is when stimulation of the vagus nerve causes symptoms such as light-headedness, sweating, and blurred vision. This can happen because of stress, pain, heat, having a bowel movement, or even standing too long[1].’ In some instances, vasovagal syncope, a brief episode of passing out or fainting can also occur.

I didn’t faint, thankfully. But I was so uncomfortable, and quite honestly didn’t know what to do with myself. I think, in my case, the vagal response, if that’s what it was, was triggered by the intense pain that was emanating from the wrist hairline fracture that I sustained from the fall. It was visible on the x-ray, ordered by the emergency doctor. She suggested an injection to stop or control the throbbing pain. And, a half-cast to keep the wrist/forearm protected and still until my appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon the following day. The doctor mentioned that I was the second pickleball injury that morning.

I’ve a full-cast on now.  It will occupy my left forearm for six weeks. Standard repair time, apparently. I did ask the specialist if there was a short-cut to recovery. He said no, and asked whether it was because I was in a hurry to play pickleball again. Not really. He also smilingly told us pickleball is driving business to the hospital. Hmm. We were also told that I managed to have not one, but two hairline fractures. One on each side of the wrist.

That said, he didn’t seem overly concerned. He advised moving my fingers and lifting my arm to ensure circulation, and doing pretty much what I wanted within reason. The two things he ruled out were driving and cycling. Really, yes. I have an appointment a month from now, to check on the bone healing process/progress.

Back to the vagal response.

‘It is a neurocardiogenic response which causes the blood pressure and heart rate to drop suddenly. When this happens, the blood vessels in the legs may dilate, or widen … and cause blood to pool in the legs, which can cause the blood pressure to drop even further. All of these changes can result in less blood flow to the brain[2].

Having to wear a cast is a six-week inconvenience, aaargh… But what still intrigues me is my scarily curious reaction after my tumble on the pickleball court. Hmm.