How to Speed Your Recovery Time After a Traumatic Injury

 

By Emma Sturgis

 

Whether it is lifting up a box at work or heading into the gym, traumatic injuries such as broken bones and torn muscles and ligaments happen to almost everyone at some point. For those that would like to speed up the recovery process, here are some simple tips to keep in mind as well as steps that can be taken to prevent re-injuring the body part.

 

 

The Recovery Period

The initial recovery period is the time in which the individual will most likely be completely out of commission and often told to stay under complete or partial bed rest. This takes as long as a week or more, and the key is to keep the body part from moving, staying hydrated, eating healthy, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Unless otherwise noted by the doctor, these few steps allow the body to naturally rebuild or repair damaged parts.

 

 

Train Around the Injury

Once the initial recovery period is coming to an end, it is important to not slip into a sedentary lifestyle. In as little as two weeks, regression of muscle will begin to take place, and failing to take action could actually be detrimental to one’s overall health. The key during this period is to begin training around the injury. This will change between every individual, their overall health, and the type of injury that has taken place, but some of the options should be low impact and focus on range of motion movements such as swimming, stationary bikes, yoga, and using resistance bands.

 

 

Foods and Supplements for Recovery

After a traumatic injury, patients often go straight for comfort food, but maintaining a highly-regulated diet is key. Instead of 2 to 3 larger meals, small meals should be arranged every few hours. For some of the most common injuries such as sprains, tears, and breaks, the body is going to be starved for healthy fats and oils as well as protein and carbohydrates. While the occasional reward is fine, a second-rate diet in the following months could do long-term damage.

 

 

Using the Body Part

When it is finally time to use the injured body part, patience and awareness is vital. The first few uses of the injured body part should be nothing more than a very minor test of the strength and flexibility of the area. This should often be spread out over a week or two before any rigorous use of the injured part takes place. Rigorous activities involving high impact movements, lifting heavy objects or competitive sports should be held off for 4 months or longer as the soft tissue and bones re-acclimatize themselves.

 

The body does an amazing job of healing itself after a traumatic injury, but care should still be taken. With patience, self-awareness, and a great diet, the body will be given the resources it needs to quickly and permanently recover.

 

Informational Credit to Kenneth Cristall Law Corporation

 

 

Categories: recovery time, speed, traumatic injury

Train Like a Champion: 8 Fitness Tips From Rafael Nadal

For those of you who hide under a rock during Wimbledon, let me just clue you in: Rafael Nadal is a living legend. For most people, this World Number One Spaniard needs no introduction, influencing and inspiring millions of people with his passion for the game and, if nothing else, his physique. To be at the top of his game – which he is – Nadal has to pay close attention to his fitness and overall wellbeing. After all, tennis is a game that requires the perfect coordination of speed and agility to come out on top. Without these things, how on earth could top players endure lengthy and gruelling matches, put power behind those serves or recover when they’re sets behind? The question is, then, how does Nadal do it?

 

Not only is Nadal one of the “Big Four” of tennis (the others being Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and, of course, Andy Murray); Nadal is the number one player in the world so, clearly, he’s doing something right (If you’re interested, in the world rankings Djokovic is number two, Murray is number seven and Federer is number eight worldwide). The sheer brilliance of Nadal’s game has led wellness expert and writer Varun Swasthi to investigate the programme behind his performance, and, luckily, he’s sharing that knowledge with us. So, if you fancy yourself the next Wimbledon champion, here’s a comprehensive list of fitness tips from the master himself, so you can know all about his fitness regime, training tips and diet.

 

1. Endurance: According to Swasthi, ‘Nadal is very strong and has amazing endurance—the two very important factors that keep him in great shape and help him outwork his opponents.’

 

2. Agility: ‘Nadal believes in sprint training, as it keeps him on his toes all the time,’ Swasthi explains. ‘Since footwork and strokes are the two very important things to focus in a game, Rafa uses the running machine quite a lot for agility and to work out his leg muscles.’

 

3. Training: Swasthi details, ‘Nadal’s training regime consists of extensive strength training during the preseason and light work during regular season. His practice sessions make up for his workout in the gym. Hence he calls the clay courts his private gym. In the gym, Nadal uses a vibrating platform, which can contract muscles at least 30-50 times per second. The vibrating machine does wonders for muscle strength, blood circulation, flexibility and range of motion. It also reduces pain and helps you recover faster.’

 

4. Core: ‘Rafa believes in doing core work,’ Swasthi notes. ‘He does front bends at the waist, and then, engages in a variety of push-ups. Next he does a kind of pull-up, where he raises his body slightly and repeatedly for almost a minute.’

 

5. Resistance: Swasthi points out, ‘Nadal also uses the resistance band a lot, as these bands are more transportable than weights. They also allow for a better workout and a variable resistance. These resistance bands also work the shoulder and rotator cuff better than free weights. This is especially helpful for fixing your joints.’

 

6. Stretching: ‘Since recovery is very important in any game, Nadal stresses a lot on stretching,’ says Swasthi. ‘Rafa also focuses on getting the right amount of rest in order to not aggravate your injuries any further.’

 

7. Cardio: Swasthi outlines, ‘Nadal gets his share of cardio in water by doing exercises in a swimming pool. He swims, runs and jogs inside water that actually helps him increase his stamina.’

 

8. Indulgence: ‘Nadal confesses having a major sweet tooth and eating lots of chocolates,’ Swasthi comments. ‘But he burns all the calories by working out on and off the field.’

Categories: Fitness Programme, fitness tips, game, nadal, nbsp, number, Rafael Nadal, speed, swasthi

What Everyone Ought to Know About Climbing

Climbing can be a fantastically fun way to lose weight and improve your fitness. Not only that, but the thrills and social skills involved with some climbing clubs can be a great boost for your emotional wellness, as well as being great for your physical wellbeing, of course.

 

Alex Honnold is an American climber who has had some very exciting adventures. Even as a child, daredevil climber Alex would climb on top of the fridge, terrifying his mother. Now he terrifies the whole world with his escapes in big wall free solo climbing, a very dangerous and yet pure discipline that involves climbing up huge rock faces without any ropes or even a partner.

 

This very scary form of climbing involves setting yourself a series of unique physical challenges, usually in iconic locations based around the world. Alex Honnold has set numerous speed records for his climbs, including last June, when he completed the ‘Triple’ which involved climbing three huge walls in Yosemite National Park – a 3,000 foot one, a 2,000 foot one and a Half Dome. He did this in a record 18hr 50 minutes. He lost his footing 20 times and even endured an insect attack but still managed the climb 95% without ropes.

 

Honnold says that a lot of the thrill for him is to push his own boundaries. Sometimes that can mean beating a speed record, but sometimes it can simply mean accomplishing a new climb that he has not done before. He said that the more he trains, the less fear he feels.

 

Honnold makes sure that he maintains a high level of stamina, strength and core strength, to help him maintain his balance when climbing. He says that you need good focus as well as strong fingers and arms. For speed climbs, you need to have amazing lungs and iron legs.

Categories: alex, alex honnold, climber, climbing, honnold, nbsp, nbsp honnold, speed

Race to the Top: How to Run Harder and Faster than Ever

As a runner, a lot of the advice you get revolves around increasing your fitness levels, building your endurance or taking care of your own wellbeing, but there’s more to running wellness than going far or beating your personal best. When you were at school, did you run for your health or a personal sense of achievement? Of course not – it was a race! While some people run for the love of running or beating their own personal bests, there are others for whom speed and competition are key in the enjoyment of running. If you’re one of the latter, we’ve rounded up some top tips to put a bit more fire in your running shoes:

 

1. Run the race: According to Runner and writer Dr. George Sheehan, ‘The difference between a jogger and a runner is a race-entry blank,’ so make the switch and get running!

 

2. Get Up to Speed: ‘Three half-mile repeats on the track at 5-K race pace with a short recovery jog in between shouldn’t scare anyone away – and it will improve your speed,’ notes 1972 Olympic Marathon Champion Frank Shorter.

 

3. Work on Quality: Ken Sparks, PhD, top masters marathoner, notes, ‘Quality counts, if you want to stay fast. Don’t do all your workouts in the comfort zone.’

 

4. Stay in Control: ‘Run your own race at an even pace,’ advises Marty Liquori, running commentator and former world-class miler. ‘Consider the course, the temperature, the weather, and most importantly, your current level of fitness.’

 

5. Don’t Follow the Leader: Arthur Lydiard, Olympic coach from New Zealand, warns, ‘The idea that you can’t lose contact with the leaders has cut more throats than it has saved.’

 

6. Make a Pass: ‘Passing competitors always gives you a lift,’ says Libbie Hickman, world-class marathoner. ‘It probably has a physical effect, too, because you get a surge of adrenaline.’

 

7. Move On: Steve Scott, coach and US record holder in the mile, recommends, ‘If you have a bad workout or run a bad race, allow yourself exactly one hour to stew about it – then move on.’

 

8. Patience is a Virtue: Runner, writer and coach Marc Bloom explains you should ‘expect to put in six to 10 successful track workouts before you begin to see some payoff in your races.’

 

9. Keep Your Finger on the Pulse: Dr Sheehan comments, ‘If your morning pulse rate is up 10 or more beats above your average, then you haven’t recovered from the previous day’s training. Take time off or back off until it returns to normal.’

 

10. Favour Fartlek: Mixing it up is key to getting the best results, and Bill Dellinger, former University of Oregon coach and 1964 Olympic 5000 bronze medal winner, believes Fartlek is the best way to do it. Dellinger enthuses, ‘Fartlek training can help you build strength and endurance, learn race pace, and practice race tactics all in a single workout.’

 

11. Double-Tie the Knot: ‘I double-knot my shoe laces,’ runner and coach Hal Higdon details. ‘It’s a pain untying your shoes afterwards – particularly if you get them wet – but so is stopping in the middle of a race to tie them.’

 

12. Keep the Ritual: Ted Corbitt, ultrarunner and 1952 Olympic marathoner, urges, ‘Once you find a warm-up routine that works, repeat it as habitually as possible.’ For a possible warm-up routine, Mark Plaatjes, 1993 World Championships marathon winner, recommends, ‘At most, jog easily for 15 minutes before a race. Then stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and lower back. With about 15 minutes to go, maybe do a few strides. But no more-you’ll warm up plenty in the early going.’

Categories: Coach, nbsp, olympic, runner, Running, speed, Warm-Up, world class

Amp Up Your Workout with These Winter Extreme Sports

The key to keeping on top of your fitness routine is to shake things up. Sure, you want to take care of your wellbeing and find activities that work for you, but if you don’t want to throw in the towel, you need to make sure your workout is exciting as hell. Therefore, we’ve rounded up some of the biggest names in extreme winter sports, to hear what they have to say about their workout routines, and how you can connect with your inner winter Olympian!

 

1. Snowboarding: According to Gretchen Bleiler, the 2006 Olympic half-pipe silver medalist and 2008 X Games half-pipe gold-medal winner, ‘I push myself so I can be a role model and show women they can do it. When I started, there weren’t a lot of women snowboarders, but now, guys and girls train and travel together — snowboarding is a small and supportive community.’ If you’ve never even looked at a snowboard, let alone ridden one, Bleiler warns, ‘the first two days are tough — you’ll fall a lot.’ Don’t give up, but give yourself a week to adapt and ‘absolutely take a lesson,’ Bleiler advises. ‘There are simple things a coach can tell you that a friend won’t know.’ If you’re serious about snowboard, leg workouts are vital for preventing knee injuries. Bleiler does single-leg dead lifts with a 20-pound barbell to fire up her hamstrings, glutes, and back, as she points out ‘Slow-burning stuff builds proper muscles.’ She adds, ‘Snowboarders need explosive power. Quick sprints up stairs mimic an explosive half-pipe run.’

 

2. Short Track Speed Skating: For this sport, you sprint-skate an oval track at up to 30-plus miles per hour, hoping you don’t cause a dangerous collision while jockeying for position. Three-time US Champion Katherine Reutter details, ‘When your technique is spot-on and you’re going top speed, you feel absolutely out of control. You can’t think about a track pattern or who’s behind you; all you can think about is how you’re going to stay on your feet. It’s exhilarating.’ If you’re comfortable on rollerblades and have a need for speed, you can download technique instructions at usspeedskating.org. If you want the endurance routine of speed skating without the actual speed skating, Reutter’s dry-land endurance routine mimics on-ice relays: 15-second sprint, 45-second jog; and repeat for 30 minutes total.

 

3. Ice Hockey: Angela Ruggiero, who has 1998 Olympic gold, 2002 Olympic silver, and 2006 Olympic bronze medals, says she has been keeping up with the boys since she was a kid. ‘At a young age, I realised that people didn’t want me on the ice because I was a girl,’ she recalls. ‘And it actually motivated me to go out there and prove myself.’ If you’re worried about getting hurt, all the padding means you don’t feel the falls. Plus, as the penalties don’t allow for fighting, ‘you shouldn’t worry about losing your teeth like you see in the NHL,’ says Ruggiero. To get in shape, Ruggiero does interval training on the treadmill to teach her system how to recover after intense play, as during a game ‘you’re constantly sprinting and resting, and you can’t be dead at the end of the third period.’ For her workout, she sprints as hard as she can on the highest incline possible for 30 to 45 seconds, jumps off for a minute, and jumps back on. ‘I’ll do eight to 10 sprints,’ she notes. #It’s such a good workout, and it only takes 15 to 20 minutes. The cool thing is that when you’re done, your body is still working, unlike after a 15-minute steady jog.’

Categories: bleiler, endurance routine, ice hockey, olympic, short track speed skating, skating, snowboarding, speed, speed skating, Workout