Barbara WintroubBy Barbara Wintroub, Retrofit Pilates
bwintroub@retrofitpilates.com
This fitness instructor finally injured herself pushing her body way beyond her limits. After 3 visits to the ER, 1 to Urgent Care, several meetings with the Physical Therapist (PT) and 2 MRI’s, I was diagnosed with “over use syndrome”. All I know is I have been in terrible pain for 3 weeks and cannot do much of anything. Since I make my living teaching fitness and my free time is taken up playing sports, this debilitating injury has caused quite a hole in my day. I am supposed to “give my body a rest”. What a concept! What can I do in my new resting state of mind and body?
Here are my suggestions to myself. Might any of them work for you?
Mental work:
– Start to meditate in the morning to awaken my senses and in the evening to give thanks for still being on the planet.
– Make appointments at the Apple Store and really discover how to use my new MAC.
– Connect with old friends and family using the on-line social network or the phone.
– There are always plenty of things on my ‘to do’ list.
Body work:
– ICE/HEAT can be your best friend. Talk to a Physical Therapist, Doctor or Athletic Trainer (not another pickleball player) about when and how to use both.
– Wrap the body part (knee, elbow, ankle, etc.). There are good braces and not so good ones. Most ACE bandages are not great but make you think they are. Talk to a knowledgeable Physical Therapist who can lead you to the best braces on the market.
– Rest the body part for 6 weeks or longer, then slowly begin a program to strengthen.
– Take an active part in your healing process by doing the things suggested to you by your medical experts.
There are 4 Phases to an injury.
Phase I: The injury takes place
Phase II: The body sets up a protection of the injured area by doing some or all of the following: swelling, bruising, pain, numbness and tingling lasting weeks
Phase III: The body begins to repair the area, which also takes weeks
Phase IV: Time to begin a rehab program to strengthen the weakened area
Since my problem is stabbing, shooting and radiating pain down my left leg, there is nothing to wrap. I did Kinesio tape myself and now my body looks like a roadmap of colors. Sometimes, I press on my back and the pain subsides. Often I press on my leg or hip and the pain goes away. Then I take prescription anti-inflammatory medication.
There are several things I know for sure at this point:
– The pain is terrible now.
– Because I want to continue my pickleball life well into my 80″s and 90″s, I need to rest now in order to have my body functioning well again later.
– I must limit my calories while not exercising; otherwise my pickleball clothes won’t fit when I return to playing.
Good luck to all the injured warriors out there. Time to go rent a movie.