Injuries

INJURIES SUCK...but they are common with ANY type of sustained physical activity, from walking to weightlifting. When the human body is put to work, great things happen. But things like overuse, poor technique, strength imbalances, genetics, or accidents can and will create injuries. 

What really matters is how we react to injuries and how we move forward from them. We have all encountered some form of injury in our lives; it could have been from a high school sport, an overuse injury, or maybe just a tweak from a poor movement pattern. The 3 most common reactions to injuries are:

1. Denial. The individual ignores the injury and grinds through the pain or compensates by recruiting the wrong muscles or creating poor movement patterns. Denial almost always ends badly, with a worsened condition and a  much longer recovery period.
2. Quitting. The individual escalates the severity of the injury and assumes that severe injury is likely and quits the activity entirely.
3. Attack. The individual assesses the injury, researches remedies, seeks professional consultation, scales workouts accordingly, puts in the rehabilitation work, and fixes the issue.

Two common injuries/issues we often see are plantar fasciitis and injuries incurred from mobility problems. People try to push themselves into positions that their bodies are not ready for and, over time, this creates pain and, quite often, an injury. This is why we stress the importance of scaling appropriately and working on mobility. If your shoulders aren’t able to lock out an empty bar overhead safely, adding weight to the bar and forcing the position is not going to help. 

This is also common with squatting. If your hips/knees/ankles do not have the proper mobility to squat to a certain depth, loading a bar and squatting with the weight in the balls of your feet (with your knees jarring forward) is not going to fix it. When we assess people who have chronic knee pain, they didn’t develop their issues overnight. It occurred after years and years of repetitive motion and, typically, poor form. This is also true with shoulder injuries and can often happen (in Crossfit) after repetitive kipping (if you don’t have the proper range of motion or strict strength) or snatching, loading the shoulders in a position that they are not yet equipped for.

Plantar fasciitis is a common injury that many people experience at least once in their lifetime. It can come from overuse, a career with prolonged standing, obesity, or your genetic foot mechanics. If not addressed and taken care of, this injury can become chronic and life-altering. Although you might love running, backing away from movements that aggravate the foot are necessary for proper healing. Resting, rehabilitation, and stretching will help calm the inflammation down. Once you are fully healed, returning to the activities you love will be a breeze. 

Unfortunately, fixing injuries and poor movement patterns is not a quick fix… It takes time, dedication, and consistency to train your brain and body to move in a different way. However, the rewards of this work are worth it and will leave you feeling great today and as you age. 

Overall, we have ALL dealt with injuries, they are no fun and can be discouraging after we put so much work into our fitness plans and goals. The good news is that you can always work around them and/or rebuild the basics. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort with a movement, ALWAYS let your coach know. We will help you scale or find an alternative movement. We are here to help you be healthy for a lifetime, not just the next 1-3 years. Try not to get discouraged (or worse, quit being active). Injuries are just a speed bump in the path of health and wellness.