Lessons From A Triathlon: Preventing Injuries | Thousand Oaks Chiropractor
Last weekend I was privileged to treat 36 tri-athletes, as a team member of the Wildflower Triathlon medical team. The events were grueling and injuries were common, including plantar fasciitis, femoral acetabular impingement syndrome, patellar femoral pain syndrome, illiotibial band syndrome, and much, much more.
The event boosted my confidence in the fact that chiropractic is a premier tool to offer athletes, not only for rehabilitating existing problems, but also preventing injuries before they occur, and enhancing overall athletic performance. After this weekend two helpful lessons stand out, not only for triathletes, but anyone in training, whether just beginning or as a seasoned competitor.
First, take time to train. Just like everything else in life, you get what you put into it. There were many triathletes who didn’t properly condition their body, resulting in injury. A muscle’s ability to maintain its strength during exercise is dependent on the nerves signaling them to fire, and a muscle’s cardiovascular and neurological network does not develop over night. Bone’s also need time to adapt to the increased stress placed upon them. Train at a steady pace, over a long period of time.
Second, when correcting an injury, look beyond the point of pain. Knee pain may be caused by a problem in the hip. Hip pain may be caused by a problem with the low back. Low back pain may be caused by problems with the upper back, and so on. If a part of the body is not balanced, another part will have to work harder to compensate. For example, patients suffering from chronic plantar fasciitis, who try everything to relieve the pain with no success, find complete resolution of pain after releasing their proximal fibular head and gastrocs. Finding a health care professional who will look beyond the point of pain, assess your overall bio-mechanics making sure everything is functioning properly, is key in preventing injury and improving performance.