Topic: injury

How White Water Rafting Helped Me Face My Fears (And Re-Ignite My Inner Bad-Ass)

How White Water Rafting Helped Me Face My Fears (And Re-Ignite My Inner Bad-Ass)

Becoming a powerlifter taught me to be fearless. Then a serious injury from lifting, followed by surgery and the loss of my beloved sport taught me to respect my own limits. One of the most painful parts of the experience was losing that bad-ass sense that I could do anything; after all, I got hurt precisely because I didn’t think it could happen. More »

Kinesio Tape: Olympics Fashion Statement, Or Performance-Enhancer?

Kinesio Tape: Olympics Fashion Statement, Or Performance-Enhancer?

Kinesiology tape (or kinesio tape) has been spotted on many an Olympian at London this year–the most notable example has probably been German volleyball player Katrin Holtwick‘s blue tape arrangement over her torso. Although varying kinds of tape have been used in sports for a long time (think: ankle wraps and taped-up foot sprains), the fluorescent colors and odd placement on athletes’ bodies are new, and have been getting it a lot of attention this year. Which is making a lot of people wonder: Is the blue tape a fashion statement, or is it helping athletes perform? More »

Injuries Suck: 10 Foods To Help Your Body Heal Faster

Injuries Suck: 10 Foods To Help Your Body Heal Faster

Yes, being sidelined with an injury sucks. Whether that’s a pulled muscle, twisted ankle, tendinitis or other sports-related ailment, rest is almost always in order. But so is proper nutrition. In addition to a well-balanced diet, did you know that there are actually some foods that can promote healing and repair in our bodies? Meaning, maybe you won’t be sidelined for as long as you think. Take a look and try incorporating these foods into your diet to help your body heal. More »

Hurts So Good: How Much Pain Your Exercise Should Really Involve

Hurts So Good: How Much Pain Your Exercise Should Really Involve

We know No Pain No Gain is BS. Pushing through injury is dangerous and downright foolish. But exercise isn’t supposed to be easy, either. When I gasped about how hard some uphill weighted walking lunges were to my trainer last week, he replied drily that he doesn’t mean for me to feel like I’m floating along. And when he sent me immediately into wall sits after I dropped the 40 pounds of dumbbells, I let the agonized shrieking echo off the walls along with the Linkin Park blasting on the stereo. If I were ever captured by hostile interrogators who needed information from me, they’d need only to force me into a wall sit. After enough time I’d give up any state secret they wanted. They’re that painful. But: when I stand up and walk it off, moments later I’m fine. More »

Crossfit Is Incredible, But It’s Also A Recipe For Injury (If You’re Not Careful)

Crossfit Is Incredible, But It's Also A Recipe For Injury (If You're Not Careful)

To the average onlooker, Crossfit is crazy. Tractor tire flips, dead lifts, and as many rounds of push-ups, kettlebell snatches and sprints you can manage in a matter of minutes–everything that makes the workout so intense, also appears to be a recipe for injury. I was skeptical of the fitness craze, but hard-pressed to find anyone who had anything negative to say about Crossfit–even people who got injured. There are definite Crossfit addicts out there–and this is changing their lives for the better (injuries and all). More »

From Donuts To Mud: Why I Hate Novelty Runs

From Donuts To Mud: Why I Hate Novelty Runs

Being someone who runs with some degree of regularity, I frequently get emails from well-meaning friends who want to remind me that the registration deadline for a novelty run, often involving food or mud or costumes or finding of stuff, is just around the corner, and that if I want the ugly hat and the free beer and the chicken wings, I need to sign up ASAP. To which I usually respond with some kind of excuse why I can’t make it, but thanks for sending it along. But the real reason I’m not signing up for the Mud and Chicken and Beer and Tutu Race is because I hate them. They are the worst. Novelty runs are the worst. More »

Ouch: Big Brain Damage In Small Hits To High School Football Players

Ouch: Big Brain Damage In Small Hits To High School Football Players

Yesterday, the nation gathered in living rooms and sports bars for the Super Bowl. And while we may have witnessed some small injuries (Tom Brady‘s bell-ringer comes to mind), for many of the players, the damage has already been done–long before they were playing in the NFL. Because, according to a study by researchers at Purdue, high school football players are doing more harm to their cranium and brain than previously thought–and it’s the little hits that do it. More »

The Downsides Of Barefoot Running: Stress Fractures, Mean Looks And More

The Downsides Of Barefoot Running: Stress Fractures, Mean Looks And More

Whether you love or hate the way these ultra-popular barefoot-style running shoes look, they’re a sign of the times–and for some, a status symbol of sorts, signifying their desire to live a more natural lifestyle. But when people become too focused on the fad–and not enough on the technique or potential for injury–they can get hurt in a hurry. Is it bad for you? No. But while barefoot and minimalist running is great for some people, it comes with more than a few caveats. More »

My Chiropractor Saved My Running. Now I’m In Love With Him.

My Chiropractor Saved My Running. Now I'm In Love With Him.

I never thought I would be glad to have a doctor find something wrong with me, but I am. And now I’m in love with him.

For three years now, I have been battling what I thought was a stubborn Achilles injury. Three long, frustrating, fuckin’ years. During that time, I have continued to work out, run and complete marathons (because what else was I going to do, sit on the couch?) and I would manage the symptoms of my heel pain with the standard prescription of Advil and ice while flitting around from one doctor to the next trying to find someone, anyone, who could fix me. Instead, all I got from a host of sports medicine docs and podiatrists was useless advice to stay off it and take more anti-inflammatories until it was better. One doctor even told me to quit running. Needless to say, I wanted to punch him in the face. Another told me I needed surgery, which I am highly against. More »

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