Interpreting a List
A recent Tweet caught my eye.
Borrowed as the header image for this essay, the social media posting in question outlines a list of ten activities that physiotherapists (read: PTs in American) see as "top activities that lead to injuries serious enough to need your (PT) help."
Look closely at the "activities"mentioned. I can see at least a few "brands" in there listed as activities, which promote the increasing "bucket-list"mentality of the modern day endurance athlete. Throw in a couple of fads that are in fact misunderstood gems and this could be adjusted/renamed as a list of the the top ten activities that could lead to injuries serious enough to require your (PT) help if approached incorrectly.
I recently worked at a long distance triathlon here in South Africa. My role was to provide finish-line massage treatments for all competitors. I hadn't attended a triathlon in over a year so I was more than an interested observer of the athletes, whether elite or amateur, slow or fast, serious or recreational. The sport has evolved over the years and what struck me were the number of overweight participants slogging it out in the mid-summer heat. That and the plethora of lower limb (read: soleus/Achilles) ailments and/or tenderness.
Such injuries are seemingly more and more commonplace in multi-sports, often interpreted as running-related but increasingly resultant of the cycling component of the sport. Small pedals, steep tri-bike geometry and excessive periods of aero positioning might be suitable for elite athletes but far less so for the average competitor. Early morning cycling followed by sitting all day at work in heeled-shoes is in an invitation for such ailments to manifest, just like 10x1000m on the track after a busy day at the office.
Are our lifestyles injuring us?
Quite possibly.
A high performance athletic lifestyle is the antithesis of an active lifestyle. The former is definitely finite and not long term, the reason that many professional athletes retire from competition after a decade or less at the top. Yet many a "part-timer" carries on as if this is the case, only to suffer recurring health problems later on.
Former elite triathlete and prolific writer/sage Gordo Byrn gives a great analogy stating that "the most effective treatment for chronic injury is lifestyle modification."
Profound words indeed, especially coming from a guy who once rode across America in 53x12 gearing to improve strength! Byrn has been there and seen what years at the top flight can do to the body. Having the strength of character to adjust his lifestyle and athletic practices post-elite sport has provided him with a new lease of life, daily exercise included. Forest walks complement his love of Master's swim squad and high altitude cycling routes. Maintaining a much-reduced fitness template has served him allowing the well-travelled Canadian to ramp up the volume and do selected endurance events/feats when he chooses.
The past few years have seen me pursue running in the competitive sense. While I've had some great results and experiences, my current circumstance and subsequent lifestyle calls for an extended period of slowing down. My daily fitness practice continues but without the self-imposed pressure and purpose that satisfying my competitive fire requires. I know there will be a time that this lust for competition will resurface, just not at the moment. The time has come for restraint just as the time will come to push it again. Such is the ebb and flow of life.
Moderation in excess or excess in moderation?
Depends on the current lifestyle, motivation and circumstance.
Ask Doug Stanhope!
+++++
Back to the aforementioned Tweet and I'm not sure if any of the examples listed are actually that bad (except high heels). On the contrary, nine out of the ten activities could be be beneficial and even healthy if approached in the right manner.
In fact, this list could be whittled down to half by applying some common groupings, looking something like this healthy benefits/solutions/suggestions in brackets:
- CrossFit/Kettlebells (not everyday; proper technique; understand true strength training).
- Barefoot Running/Vibram shoes/Flip Flops/Newtons (no shoes best; slow progression; foot strength; improved posture; promotes proper running form).
- Ironman/Marathons (once/twice per year max; understand the impact on body & recovery required; getting as fast as possible once yearly is far harder - and more satisfying/healthy - than slogging through multiple IM/marathons to satisfy bucket list/enhance CV).
- Computers (move around; take regular breaks; constant connectivity deadens the mind, discourages personal creativity).
- High heels (no comment).
And thus follows a paragraph/precis with some further personal takes on these groupings:
While I do own kettlebells I use them like dumbells or a barbell, simple movements that promote true strength without the breakdown effects of "throwing plate" or dangerous swinging. I like the basic principles of CrossFit but feel that it is extremely well-marketed hype where people are encouraged to overdo things. We did "CrossFit" in primary school phys-ed as and ran barefoot, which remains a great passion of mine - running shoe-less on the beach or on grassy fields gives a sense of freedom and euphoria not necessarily attained if running in various "minimalist" footwear brands, which are way to expensive and over-rated anyway. I've done Ironman triathlons and marathons and loved both but realise that multiple years of consistently participating in such gruelling events is not necessarily the recipe for athletic longevity and general health, although I still have aspirations of getting faster over the twenty-six-point-two-miles in the future. Computers are there for a reason but constant connectivity makes the internet boring and not the novelty that it once was.
The End
