The Inconvenience of Injury

Slowly exiting the gym from my workout, I feel relieved, frustrated and a bit anxious. Although it has been two weeks and my shoulder is getting better, it’s still just getting better and not 100 percent back to normal. The rehabilitation of this self-inflicted injury has been all but an inconvenience. Teaching TRX classes have been challenging with demonstrations of maneuvers usually done with ease, requiring more effort and awareness.

Besides the inconvenience while teaching it has impacted my own sanity regarding my personal workouts. From my love of lifting weights to being sidelined on the cardio equipment brings me almost to tears, however the phrase long-term benefit for short-term inconvenience rings in my ears. When I was younger I ignored that thought and pressed through my workouts despite the pain.  However, now that I am in my 30’s, I realize the importance of recover for long-term functionality.  Because of my baby steps of rehab, it’s getting better.  Slowly but surely.  I remind myself that the body is an amazing machine and sometimes in order for it to get back to normal and many times even better than it was, patience has to be learned.

The inconvenience of injury is just that. It rearranges our plans for our workouts and makes us think outside the box even more so than we did injury-free.  It forces us to focus on other areas of our bodies that may not be our preference but actually probably need the extra attention. Personally, I have found that my extending amount of cardio time is a welcomed break to my joints as I have usually defaulted to much longer and heavier workouts on the weights and less time doing cardio. I have spent more time stretching and working on functional movements than ever before. I have learned in the past few weeks to truly enjoy the simple pleasure of movement and take nothing for granted.

My current injury is small in comparison to previous surgeries and rehab I have gone through, such as for my ACL.  But it’s still frustrating because I don’t enjoy being restricted and not able to just do what I want.

I also believe when I have dealt with greater injury rehab in the past I was prepared.  I knew how long it was going to take and knew things I had to completely give up in order to build strength and not put myself and risk far greater injury.

No matter what kind of injury you are recovering from small or large, time, rest and smart training is key to getting yourself back to your normal routine.

Key Steps to Proper Recovery
The amount of time you spend doing each step depends on the severity of your injury.

*Allow healing.

*Restore full range of motion and function in the injured area.

*Regain muscle strength.

*Regain endurance.

*Regain skills.

The Wellness Factor Of Travel

People swimming in the Adriatic sea.  Kayakers seen from a far enjoying the small waves as they paddle along the coast.  Couples walking along the city streets taking in the culture.  Hikers meandering their way along a switchback trail to the top of the city’s lookout point.

Everywhere I look there is movement.  There are people smiling and enjoying themselves. Secondary to the beautiful place they’re in, they are knowingly or unknowingly exercising their bodies and minds. They are doing what their body and mind is meant to do; Move and be actively engaged in their surroundings.  This fairy tale place, rich in culture and with beautiful and friendly people, is a little country called Croatia.
Traveling is a great way to combine two journeys and reap priceless experience and learn more about what we are capable of physically outside of our mundane gym workouts.
I look at travel as an exciting opportunity  to take part in different kinds of exercise. From participating in activities I would not have the opportunity to do at home to walking endless miles in cities I have never seen. Exercise seems almost effortless when I travel. Granted,  I am a fan of the trips that allow me to hike, bike, swim, kayak and run on beaches, but even if you’re not into over-the-top adventure travel, getting lost on foot in cities that are rich with culture and flare can be just as good for your mental entertainment as your waistline. In my experience, I can travel 5 – 12 miles on foot by touring major cities.  The miles add up effortlessly.

The world is clearly a magnificent place. With a population of around 7 billion people and total area of land and water combined of 197 million square miles, it’s no doubt paradise is easily found on all stretches of it’s 7 continents.

Traveling breathes life into my soul and rejuvenates all things needed physically and mentally to refresh my everyday.  It allows me to emerse myself fully into what life is about and why mental and physical heath and wellness is so truly important in my everyday. Mentally it helps us grow, develop and become better.  Physically traveling challenges us from kayaking on the ocean to hiking mountainous peaks, it tests us, it takes us out of our daily comfort zone and propels us to learn a little bit more about ourselves and those with whom we share the world.

Traveling is wellness, no matter if it’s a weekend getaway or an international excursion. It’s freedom, it’s invigorating and it’s what health and wellness is really about. All the time spent at the gym or in group exercise classes and keeping healthy at home pays off in the outdoor world of life.

Give yourself a vacation from the mundane of everyday routine and get out, explore and challenge yourself to appreciate the world of unknown adventure.  The world and all it’s outdoor greatness is by far the best gym.  The best part is there is no membership to purchase, you just show up and move!

TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST EXERCISE WHILE TRAVELING

*Participate in group travel excursions that have an agenda of physical activity.

*Travel to cities that allow you to sight see by foot.

*If traveling on your own, do your research on activities you would like to participate in.

*Swim whenever you can, it’s a great full body workout.

*Walk the stairs every chance you get.

*Take as little public transportation as possible.

*Do guided walking tours, as opposed to bus  tours.

*Pick restaurants that are a few miles from your hotel and walk to them.