Week 41: Injuries
This week, Tyler discusses some different ways to deal with potential injuries that could interfere with maintaining a physical activity routine.
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Whether they are minor or severe, injuries are an inevitable part of the physically active, high performance lifestyle. It is obviously disappointing when it happens, but at some point or another we all experience injuries. When I experience an injury, I think of it as my body’s way of trying to tell me something. What is it about my routine that needs to change? Am I overtraining? Am I not getting enough sleep? Do I need to stretch more? Do I need to incorporate more methods of recovery? Taking ownership of my situation puts power in my hands rather than giving it away to the injury itself. This is important when dealing with injuries. Some people have very unfortunate luck and experience a lot of injuries. I am sure we all know someone like this. Particularly for these people, things may seem a little outside their control. It doesn’t matter what they do, it seems like they are always injured. It becomes increasingly important to bring perspective back towards what they can control, as opposed to the injury itself. This keeps mood and optimism high despite a disappointing situation.
If you are currently experiencing an injury or are actively working to prevent one, what can you do? I’ve created a list of 5 ways that can act as a place to start:
Consult a doctor/medical specialist: If you currently experience an injury, the first thing you should do is to consult a physician or medical professional (e.g., physiotherapist, massage therapist, etc.). They are the experts and will assist you in whatever you may need.
Incorporate more stretching into your routine: Taking an active approach to recovery assists to avoid and minimize potential injury. Start by adopting a stretching routine. Incorporating even a few minutes of stretching before and after a workout can go a long way in preventing future injury.
Incorporate imagery: If you can’t physically perform the movement, the next best thing is to incorporate imagery. The same areas in the brain are activated while performing the movement as when you are imagining it. If you can’t exercise due to an injury, imagine it in your minds eye. It’s not the same thing as performing the movement, but it’s the next best thing.
Take some time to rest: It’s okay to take some time away from exercise, especially if you have a lingering injury. Rest could include doing nothing physically demanding on the body or just lowering the intensity. It also includes getting enough sleep each night. Whatever it may be, taking some time to rest is critically important when it comes to preventing or managing injury.
Perform a self-evaluation: I’m a big believer in self-evaluation and reflection. Ask yourself, “Am I doing enough to minimize or prevent future injury?” If the answer is yes, that’s excellent. It’s likely you escape injury or minimize its impact. If the answer is no, refer to the four steps above. What could you be doing differently? These difficult personal questions are valuable to growth and development.
Injuries can be a difficult part of a physical activity journey. For those who experience injuries to a higher frequency than others, it can be incredibly frustrating feeling that things are outside your control. Instead, change your mentality towards the things that are within your control. What could you be doing differently to prevent or minimize injury? A simple change in mindset could pay significant dividends when it comes to dealing with potential injuries.
Question: What is one new method that you could incorporate into your routine that acts to prevent future injury?
Until next week,
TM
Twitter: tcmakepeace
Website: tylermakepeace.substack.com
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ICYMI: Check out last week’s article below!