It can happen to anyone, because even the best of us are prone to injury.
We train to the limit of human capabilities, daily overcoming excruciating pain, but sooner or later the margin of safety comes to an end, and the pain transforms into damage. What to do? Most will choose the option “endure”, so as not to drop out of the training process, but what about the fatal consequences of those injuries that remain without adequate treatment?
Over the years of training, I learned one lesson very well: training through pain is normal, but training against a background of serious injury can no longer be said. It is necessary to start treating the injury before it gets worse and / or becomes a chronic problem.
Bodybuilding is a very demanding sport; incessant work with iron takes all your strength and often keeps pace with danger. But those who don’t take risks don’t drink champagne, and intense strength training comes with a certain risk: everyone realizes that they can get injured, which will force them to spend several weeks or months away from the gym.
However, we always train to the limit in order to achieve maximum results, but what is the price to pay for it? As soon as an athlete is faced with injury, he immediately begins to use various tricks, just not to miss a single workout.
If we continue to train injured or return from sick leave too early, we risk chronic injury. On the other hand, if we lie in a hospital bed for too long, we will lose all our athletic performance.
Can you find a way out of this situation? The answer is yes. If you, like me, are not going to stop training because of injury, then follow my tips for dealing with injury and you will not miss a single workout.
1. Nutrition
Food is on my list under the first number, and not only because its value is often underestimated. Eating the right diet plays a big role in the recovery from injury.
The rate of recovery depends on individual characteristics: some take a few weeks, others recover within a few months. However, each of us can significantly increase the efficiency of recovery processes, you just need to fill the diet with the right nutrients and adhere to a healthy lifestyle.
The composition of the blood has a huge impact on the speed of recovery processes: the more oxygen and nutrients supplied with the bloodstream to the damaged tissues, the better. Also, note that some foods increase inflammation while others are anti-inflammatory.
Of course, you should avoid foods that increase inflammation (fried foods, flour and pastries, eggplants, tomatoes and potatoes, cayenne and hot peppers). At the same time, try to fill the diet with foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3) .
Drink as many fresh fruit and vegetable juices as possible every day, as they contain a huge amount of vitamins and enzymes that accelerate recovery processes. Garlic, radish and beets are extremely useful, we also recommend adding ginger to the diet, since the active components of this plant have an anti-inflammatory effect and reduce the severity of pain.
Eat 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day to get the perfect diet and get back on your feet quickly.
Critical Recovery Nutrients:
- Multivitamins: very important. Helps prevent the development of hypovitaminosis and micronutrient deficiencies. Accelerate tissue regeneration
- Zinc: important for tissue regeneration
- Vitamin C and bioflavonoids: antioxidants that protect tissues from damage and accelerate growth and regeneration
- Magnesium: strengthens damaged ligaments and tendons
- Promote the recovery of muscle, bone and skin
- Essential fatty acids: accelerate recovery, are a component of cell membranes
- B Vitamins: Reduce Trauma Stress
- Glucosamine sulfate: strengthens cartilage, ligaments, tendons, promotes the secretion of synovial fluid in the joints
- Calcium: accelerates the regeneration of connective tissue
- Silicon: participates in the absorption of calcium and the regeneration of connective tissue
2. How to distinguish pain from injury
It is very important to understand the difference between injury and ordinary pain, because at any time during training we can pull on some muscle or tendon, and this will cause pain.
How do we react to these painful sensations? We grimace, see that there is no bleeding, and try to endure. It is not right! If pain occurs, exercise should be stopped immediately to assess the symptoms, depth, and extent of the injury. Do not blindly hope that everything will go away by itself.
There is no doubt that we all want to be the tough guy who can handle even the most excruciating pain, but continuing to exercise or recovering too shortly can have the most serious consequences. The only correct decision would be to pause in the training process.
But it is also true that pain is an integral part of the training process, and we must endure these hardships and deprivations with courage and courage. Banal pain is not a reason to stop training, especially in preparation for a competition, but if the cause of pain is a tendon injury, it is better to stop and be examined.
Pain is the main clinical sign of injury. If the pain is intense, stop and pause until you can continue. If the pain persists, see a doctor.
But how do you learn to distinguish between pain caused by trauma and ordinary pain that is inextricably linked to the training process? Unfortunately, it is very difficult to do this on your own, only a doctor can answer a similar question. Therefore, I do not get tired of repeating – if you are experiencing pain, make an appointment with a doctor.
Damage types:
What signs indicate that you have serious injury? Typically, all injuries can be divided into three types: acute, subacute, and chronic.
- Acute injuries are felt instantly, such as a sprained Achilles tendon, a muscle tear, or a broken leg. An unbalanced diet, neglect of a warm-up, improper exercise technique and just plain bad luck – all these factors can cause the above health problems. Such injuries are very serious, training will have to be stopped for a while.
- Subacute injuries develop over several months or even years. As an example, let’s mention muscle sprains and various tissue wear processes that get worse over time. This is one of the most unpleasant injuries, because on the one hand, you can continue to train, on the other, you cannot work at maximum efficiency, because your physical performance is drastically reduced.
- Chronic damage can be disastrous. An example is damage to the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint, bursitis of the shoulder joint, tendinitis, and so on. Such injuries should be treated with great care, as even a small tear can send you to the operating table. Pay maximum attention to chronic injuries and strictly follow your doctor’s recommendations.
Do not forget that the older you get, the more difficult it is for the body to recover from damage: aged muscle fibers, tendons and ligaments need more time to regenerate. If you are injured, remember that age is often the factor that determines when you can return to normal physical activity.
3. Principles of WOLF
Acute trauma is accompanied by moderate or severe edema of the tissues of the damaged area (violation of the integrity of the tissues leads to the release of biologically active substances that cause edema). Edema dramatically reduces the range of motion in the damaged area and causes pain and irritation caused by the inability to effectively use this part of the body.
To speed recovery, reduce swelling, alleviate pain and protect the affected area, I recommend using the four principles of WOLF (elevation, rest, ice and compression).
Elevation
Using the laws of physics and lifting the damaged part of the body above the level of the heart is another tool to combat soft tissue edema. For example, if you’ve injured your ankle, simply place a couple of pillows under your feet while you lie on the couch.
Ice
Ice is considered to be one of the most effective remedies for sports injuries. By reducing the intensity of blood flow in the affected area, ice reduces the severity of edema and relieves pain for a while.
I recommend applying ice for an hour after your workout: apply ice for 15 minutes, then rest for 15 minutes, and reapply ice.
Advice. Never apply heat to the affected area. Heat dilates blood vessels and speeds up blood flow, which in turn increases swelling and can worsen damage. Ice, on the other hand, constricts blood vessels and slows down blood flow to damaged tissue, thereby reducing the severity of edema. So – ice and only ice!
Compression
Like ice, compression can help reduce swelling. Why is it so important to get rid of edema? Because it slows down the processes of tissue regeneration.
I recommend using elastic bandages and dressings in combination with ice because this combination is more effective than applying ice alone.
Most injuries can be dealt with using the principles of WOLF, but more serious injuries require the involvement of a certified professional. A doctor’s consultation is necessary in the following situations:
1. Lack of positive dynamics for 3-4 weeks.
2. Inability to perform movements in the affected area.
3. The appearance of reflected pain.
4. Joint injury accompanied by edema.
5. Tingling or numbness of the skin in the affected area.
Remember, if you have severe pain, the sooner you seek help from your doctor, the better.
