Dealing with injuries while being active…

Posted In: Fitness August 5th, 2014 divider No Comments »

Let’s just say I had an amazing weekend but it was rough on the body. And I’m not even talking about libations!

I was simply being active and hurt myself in a few spots: a cut toe from trying to climb atop an island while open water swimming, a strained oblique muscle from trying to wakeboard and tight neck muscles. The best part is I wouldn’t do any differently!

Most active people get injured from time to time. It’s part of the cost of doing business from my opinion. What my physical activity brings me is quality of life so I’m not going to change that any time soon.

I’m not saying go out there and be reckless but your life is not over when you’re injured, although it might feel like that temporarily. Yes there are folks who die running marathons but I’d be willing to bet there are more people who die from repeatedly eating Cheetos on their couch.

Here are some of my tips for dealing with injuries:

• Stay active: Research shows that blood flow is the magic ingredient. The more active you can be, the better, without aggravating your injury of course. The water is usually a good bet. It will also get your mind off the fact you’re injured.
• Get help: Go see a professional and get treatment. They are like coaches for your injuries. And make sure you see a doctor who sees eye-to-eye with you, not one who hasn’t read a study since the 1970’s and still thinks RICE (rest, ice, compression & elevation) is the cure to everything.
• Take a break: Injuries usually come from overuse. Maybe bring it down a notch or do some cross training to work on some stuff you usually don’t. No need to prolong your time on the shelf.
• Sleep in: This is a great excuse to get an extra 30 minutes of sleep. Your sleep is when your body recovers so do yourself a favour and enjoy it a bit more. For your health!

I’m not wishing injuries on anyone but sometimes they are a blessing in disguise. Try to make the most of them…

***
The ECinc ChiRunning Tour is back in full swing. This month I’m doing workshops in Halifax (Sat Aug 16), Petawawa (Sat Aug 23) and Ottawa (Sun Aug 24).

See this link for all the details and tell your friends!