Want to prevent injury in the first place? Stretch, stretch, stretch.
The football season is drawing to a close and my favorite player, Peyton Manning, has been out all season with a neck injury. How frustrating it must be for him to deal with his own painful recovery while watching his team struggle without him. While I'm not a professional football player, I do know the frustration of dealing with injuries all too well.
I am injury prone.
In my twenties, I tried training for a marathon and ended up with IT (iliotibial) band syndrome – scorching pain on the outside of my right knee. Also in my twenties, my ankle gave out on a Washington, D.C. cobblestone sidewalk, leaving me with chronic ankle pain ever since. I feel like I've had it all; shoulder pain, lower back pain, runner’s knee ... and most recently, the dreaded plantar fasciitis.
I'm not sure if it is my genetics or my training protocol, but if I do something long enough or hard enough, I end up with some sort of tendonitis somewhere. It is especially annoying because I actually enjoy working out, but am limited by my injuries. When I run more than six or seven miles a few times a week, my body starts breaking down. Fundamentally, I think it has something to do with the way my hips, knees and ankles align. Or it could be my fairly flat feet, for which I have custom orthotics. Whatever it is that causes my frequent injuries, I have learned a few things in dealing with them, which I'll share with you.
RICE
Start with R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) immediately. This combination helps keep swelling down, which is critical to a quick recovery. And don’t forget the Aleve, too.
Get Help STAT
Do not wait to get an injury looked at by a professional. You may think you just twisted something, but there could be a hidden fracture or torn ligament. When I twisted my ankle, I didn’t have it examined until years later when the injury and scar tissue had caused permanenet damage. I honestly believe had I had it treated right then, I wouldn’t be dealing with the chronic pain that I now struggle with.
Follow Advice
If your doctor advises you to rest it, REST IT. Don't think you know more than your doctor.
Look for Alternative Treatments
I use a chiropractor regularly because he looks at the entire body and alignment. He doesn't just look at the isolated pain point. He looks for the cause of the issue. I've also used acupuncture, massage, and ice baths.
Stay Active if Possible
Don't use an injury as an excuse to give up physical activity completely. With most injuries there is something you can do. Biking and swimming are usually the go-to suggestions of most professionals.
All that said, the best way to deal with injuries is to avoid them! Here are a few suggestions to help keep yourself injury-free.
Warm Up
Take five to 10 minutes to warm up walking on the treadmill or spinning on the elliptical. Follow that with some functional movements – a few sun salutations, walking lunges, jumping jacks, push ups.
Start Slowly
When you move into your actual workout, don't go 100% out of the gate. Start with a few sets at 60-70%. For example, if sprinting, do one set of sprints at ¾ effort before going full out. Same goes for weight-lifting sets.
Try a Supplement
There are a ton of great supplements designed support athletes that actually work. Be sure to take them for four to six weeks before deciding whether they work for you – these types of supplements need time to be effective. At Pure Matters, we have a fantastic product, GlucoChon MSM, which combines glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin suflate, and MSM, a trio proven to improve joint mobility and lubrication. I personally have taken it for four months and have seen improvements in my joints. (Full disclosure: Along with being a certified personal trainer and wellness coach, I am the Director of Marketing for Pure Matters). I also take a multi-vitamin and krill oil to help with inflammation and overall health.
Cross Train and Strength Train
To minimize muscle imbalances and overuse, be sure to try other types of exercise. Love to run? Still try to get at least a few bike or rowing sessions in each week. And don’t forget about strength training, with particular focus on core strength which will support all your other activities.
Stretch and Increase Flexibility
If possible, work in a few yoga sessions per week. I also try to stretch after I workout, when I'm warm. When dealing with an injury, it is even more important to stretch those muscles and keep them from tightening up. I follow up stretching with icing.
When I whine about being injured again, my chiropractor reminds me – active people get injured. It is better to be active and deal with a little ache than to sit on the couch all day. I also tell myself that an injury is my body's way of telling me that something is off or that it is time to lay off a certain method of training.
Listen to your body, follow its lead and with time and care, you'll be back in the game in just a few weeks.
