Weightlifter keeps her sights on Olympics

OLYMPIC hopeful Helen Jewell feared that injury could jeopardise her chances of taking part in the London 2012 Games.

But, thanks to a Leeds surgeon she is now back on track in her attempt to win gold.

Helen, 22, who lives in Headingley is a Team GB weightlifting hopeful and suffered a tear to her rotator cuff shoulder muscle, halting her intense training schedule.

“I tore my muscle while lifting weights about six weeks ago,” explains Helen, who works as a physiotherapist in Leeds and Bradford when not weightlifting.

“I was in a bit of pain, but I didn’t think it was that bad, so I kept on training. But it gradually got worse. I eventually went for a scan and I was told that I needed surgery.”

Helen was treated at BMI Thornbury Hospital, Sheffield, by consultant orthopaedic surgeon David Potter.

Mr Potter performed keyhole surgery in less than an hour, leaving Helen free to go home later the same day.

Helen is now undergoing physiotherapy, with plans to go back into training by Christmas.

“I needed to be treated as soon a possible. The qualifying stages for the Olympics have already started, with the cut-off point being in May.

“Before then I would need to have taken part in two separate competitions, being able to lift over 100kg weights on both occasions. So time is really of the essence.”

Helen was taken into surgery just days after consultation.

Mr Potter said: “Helen’s operation went really well. The tear has been repaired and with any luck, she will be back lifting weights by Christmas. However, she will have to recuperate first and take things slowly.”

Mr Potter admitted that there was a little more pressure attached to treating Helen.

“We don’t often see Olympic hopefuls at BMI Thornbury Hospital. For a normal patient, to be able to lift small weights eight months after undergoing major shoulder surgery would be a huge success.

“However, for Helen, this wouldn’t be nearly enough, as she needs to be lifting over 100kg by next May.”

“The surgery couldn’t have gone better,” adds Helen. “Mr Potter was fantastic and really helped me get through this minor setback.

“While it’s no guarantee that I’ll make the cut for the Olympics, being seen so soon helps my chances of representing Team GB in 2012.”

Helen moved to Leeds from Plymouth last year to train at the World Class Lifting High Performance Centre based on Leeds Met University’s Headingley Campus.

She took up the sport when she was 13, inspired by one of her teachers, Michaela Breeze, who was a weightlifter and set up a weightlifting club.

Helen only went along to keep her friend, who wanted to go, company. She immediately took to the sport and showed her natural strength. Michaela then became Helen’s coach.

Growing up on a farm she was always sporty and with good natural strength she progressed rapidly in weightlifting, a sport stereotyped as a male activity.

“My first session was awful. I could hardly get the correct position. I have come so far going from the basics and now representing my country at senior internationals. Competing at the Commonwealths last year and now I am looking ahead to 2012, which is anyone’s dream.”

In just 10 years since taking up the sport she has risen to be among the sport’s elite.

Last year Helen came ninth in the women’s 58kg Commonwealth Games weightlifting championships in Delhi – making her Britain’s second-best weightlifter behind Zoe Smith who came third.

However, with her injury set back Helen is more than aware of the amount of work that she now has to put in to qualify for next year’s London Olympics.

Common cause of pain

Rotator cuff injury and inflammation is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain.

There are three common conditions that can affect the rotator cuff: rotator cuff tendonitis, rotator cuff impingement syndrome and a rotator cuff tear.

Rotator cuff tears are usually tears in the rotator cuff tendon rather than in the muscles themselves.

In younger people, a rotator cuff tear normally happens as a result of trauma (injury) due to a fall or an accident.