Regeneration: Listening to Your Body & Gauging Injuries

Introduction

Injuries are a natural part of life, there are moments when we can truly avoid them, other instances we can only treat them. Having played the likes of Rugby and Hockey since childhood I have experienced a wide variety of pain scaling from simple bruises to double knee surgery.

Why do we want to avoid admitting pain?

To understand why we are not all quick to see the doctor and diagnose any pain or discomfort can not only be because of our busy schedules, but the negative connotations we have associated with being injured. It can seem as a sign of weakness, in a world where we become more competitive every waking second.

Accepting your genetics

Whilst working at Equinox W76th street I have worked alongside trainers who run a couple of marathons a year, it always amazed me what their bodies could go through. Yet in my case I start running once a week over 3 month period and uncover a chronic injury, that has originated from genetics, and notably wear and tear. I’ve asked myself so many times, “how is that fair”? , or “how come my body can’t sustain that kind work”? . It’s frustrating but you have to accept that everyone’s body is different and although we can train for events and competitions, perhaps our genetics favor us for another specific movement pattern.

Being proactive to symptoms

Having had two knee surgeries in nine months, I listen to my body incredibly carefully. Taking post-exercise precautions such as R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) can truly be pivotal in your recovery but also in knowing if your injury is serious. As a 14 year old I had patellar tendinitis which can be common among boys that age as they go through growth spurts, but I made it a routine to use R.I.C.E. any time my knee didn’t feel great. During my 3 month running period mentioned before, I had similar yet not identical symptoms – but using R.I.C.E improved nothing. Three doctors, two X-rays and an MRI later, I discovered it was an osteochondral defect. All the icing in the world would have done nothing to stop the pain – so surgery was the only option.

Summary

The best approach we can take in gauging our injuries is to listen to our bodies: knowing when to push yourself. You could squat 300lbs or deadlift 400lbs, but do I need to? The brain can be the most powerful muscle at times, but being stronger than the mind, overriding our ego can be the toughest exercise. This doesn’t mean we should not push our bodies to create adaptations, but simply learn and realize what are limitations are, what movements our genetics favor.