Life Lesson 2: Recover with Pateince

If you work out long enough injuries arebound to occur. However, it can feel as if you loose your mojo by the minute, when your injury restricts your running. "Recovery is essential to aid the rehabilitation process but the loss of physical activity in your life can create a psychological state that has been likened to the grieving process"(Purves, 2011). If not careful you can make the mistake of getting back into your training routine to soon, which can prolong your recovery and rehabilition period.I have definitely been guilty of this.

As I trained for my first half marathon I used the Galloway walk/ run method. This was a 4:1 minute ration, but on race day my adreline kicked in and so did my ego. I couldn't possibly walk when it seemed that everyone was running. So I ran/walked at a ratio of 10:1. Mile 11-13 were brutal and my thighs and hip flexor were  feeling the pain. When the race was over and my body finally rested, I felt pain in my inner thigh but I shurrged it off as fatigue. One week later I attempted a 2 mile easy run and incurred the same pain, but with twice the intensity.  So after a trip to my doctor I discovered I had a pulled a groin muscle. Yes, girls pull those too.

My biggest mistake was not seeing the doctor at the onset of my pain. According to doctors at the University of Templar's Medical Technology Center, clinical examination should be carried out immediately after the injury and 5-7 days after the initial trauma. During this time the severity of the injury can be assessed more reliably. If I would have talked to my doctor and chiropractor first, he could have told me the best way to restart the training process.

My second mistake was rushing back into running when my body wasn't ready. According to William Faubion, M.D in the article "Proper Recovery from Injury is the Key to Running Again", two weeks can be taken off completely without negative effects. During this time lower impact exercises, like elliptical training, swimming, pool running can be performed. My rehab plan included lots of stabilizing exercises, pilates, yoga, foam rolling, and spin classes. When I took group exercise classes I was sure to tell the instructors of my injury and they gave me modifications. Your instructors are trained professionals so make sure you utilize their knowledge. RICE(Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) was also a part of my daily routine.


Returning to running/ jogging, was a little frustrating because I couldn't run at the intensity I wanted. My times were slower and my long runs were much shorter than what I wanted to accomplish. However, I had to keep in mind the patience would was key to recovering well.

Resources

Proper Recover from Injury is the Key to Running AgainMuscle Injuries
Post Muscle Injury Recovery
Muscle Injuries (PubMed.gov)