Kim Mickle’s dislocated shoulder takes nearly three hours, general anaesthetic to get put back in

KIM Mickle literally threw her arm out of its socket in the Olympic javelin competition. What the Aussie endured to get the dislocated limb back in place is just awful.

Kim Mickle of Australia is assisted by medical staff.

IT took almost three agony filled hours and a general anaesthetic to get javelin thrower Kim Mickle’s shoulder back in her socket after her Olympic Games blow out.

As Mickle and Athletics Australia faced questions over her preparedness for the Olympics – she had only thrown a javelin with full effort three times since a reconstruction 11 months ago – the West Australian detailed the worst pain she’s ever felt.

Angry TV watchers saw Mickle search in vain for help for several minutes, with team doctors prevented from being on the track, and a hurdles race preventing local staff from reaching her.

Mickle said she had no issue with the time it took to get treatment, or the treatment she ultimately received - just the pain she endured before her shoulder was out back in place.

“That one’s taken the cake,” Mickle said of the pain. “The fact the shoulder stayed out for more than two and half hours was pretty awful.

“I was underneath and they had two goes. They had three doctors around me and they were trying to push and pull and tug. It was the two-minute mark of that and I don’t think too many nice words were coming out of my mouth. I said that’s it you have to stop. I either need to be put under here or chop it off.”

Kim Mickle stunned and in pain after dislocating her shoulder.

She said the fact the shoulder did not go back into place easily was sign she had a good rehabilitation and the muscles were tight around the area.

Mickle had just two 100 per cent throws before leaving late to join the athletics camp in Florida, where she produced a third. National track coach Craig Hilliard has defended the decision to let her join the team, saying she passed all medical advice. He added that shoulders did have a propensity to continue to go once they had been dislocated a first time.

Mickle defended her place in her second Olympics.

“I proved the fitness,” she said. “I threw at 100 per cent before I left but everyone knows the Olympic Games is when you throw at 110 per cent.”

She had wanted to “save that big throw for the final” but needed to produce on her third effort in qualifying after a foul and distance that was not going to let her advance.

“My shoulder was strong as an ox,” she said. “We did the strength tests and it was in really good shape but you can’t replicate a javelin throw, especially in the intensity you put in at the Olympic Games. There was no way I wasn’t going to go out there and give my best, especially as it was my third round and make or break to make the final.”

Mickle had no complaints with her treatment in a Rio hospital or the response time on site.

“It was all a blur,” she said. “They probably didn’t know what was going on.

“Everyone at home could see I’d popped a shoulder out badly because it was right in their face but the people on the side probably just thought I’d bruised my shoulder. I think they probably didn’t think it was a big deal, then might have seen the Aussie team run around and freak out as well.”

Mickle said she would assess the damage but was determined to keep competing.