Teacher shrugs off op for triple gold
ATEACHER from Banks has won three gymnastics gold medals – despite having undergone major shoulder surgery.
Michael Aspinall, 45, claimed the triple gold in one weekend after having specialist surgery from a professor at Ormskirk Hospital.
Although he had participated in gymnastics to a high standard as a teenager, Michael had made his academic studies to become a primary school teacher his priority.
He still competed at lower levels, but about five years ago the PE teacher and deputy head at Queens Drive Primary School in Fulwood started feeling the twinges in his right shoulder.
He continued competing but, over time, his shoulder started to get worse until eventually it popped out of its socket during a training session.
This started to occur more frequently and after the fifth time, he booked into Ormskirk Hospital to get it resolved once and for all.
The operation was a success and Michael started training once more and decided to enter a gymnastic competition at Lilleshall Sports Centre, in Shropshire. He entered the tumbling, trampoline and gymnastic events in the senior division.
Not content with just getting back to fitness, he trained hard and was rewarded by winning all three competitions, scoring the highest marks of the weekend on the floor apparatus in the men’s gymnastics discipline.
Prof Adnan Saithna, from Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, said: “Michael had two tears of his labrum, which is a cushion that goes all the way around the shoulder socket.
“This was causing him a lot of pain and he had to stop his sporting activities.”
He added: “Michael has done very well to return to win three medals but it is not unusual for my patients to return to high levels of sporting activity after this type of surgery. “I have several other patients that participate in high level sports – competitive swimming, rugby, football, weightlifting, rock climbing – with similar injuries who have returned to competition after surgery. “This is a reflection of the high quality of surgical treatment and post-operative rehabilitation that we are able to provide in the trust.” Michael said: “I owe a great amount to the consultants, doctors, physios that have helped me get back to fitness and compete once again. I had originally planned to take part in two of the three events at Lilleshall but thanks to Adnan the shoulder healed very well – so I went for the three and won golds – I feel like the Bionic Man!”