Injury, Apathy, Recovery

[Scott Kyser]

I've been dealing with IT band syndrome for the last 7 months. It hasn't allowed me to train the way I would like to or even live the lifestyle I would like. I'm currently sitting in Idaho looking at pictures of people training and going on adventures and becoming apathetic.

Some questions:

1. How do you deal with (mentally, physically, spiritually, etc...) incapacitating injuries that simply require rest to heal?
2. If you have dealt with long term injuries how was starting training back up?
3. Do you think as skiers, we wrap too much of our identities in being physically fit and active, which could ultimately lead us to disappointment when we can no longer do physical activities?

[Josh Smullin]

Scott,
I fractured my back and was incapacitated for 5 months when I was a 16. I I remember questioning my self-worth without sports in my life. A debilitating injury can be extremely tough to deal with, and I know this because I have had many over the years . I will attempt to answer some of your questions:
1) Instead of focusing on what you can't do because of the injury, try to focus on what you CAN do. Approach the time you spend healing from your injury as an opportunity for new experiences. Try to find physical activities that you can do, that don't cause pain. Can you paddle? swim? increase upper body strength? Also, try to find activities outside of sport to keep you busy. Maybe this is a good chance learn to play an instrument or something along those lines.

2) When you are better and it is time to start training again, have patience and build up your fitness gradually. Slowly increase the amount and intensity of the training you are doing, and monitor the improvements you are making from day to day and week to week. If you are feeling frustrated with your fitness while training or racing, try to remember what it was like to not be able to ski, or train at all. Find joy in the movement and be thankful for the physical activities that you ARE able to do

3) I think that the short answer to your question is "yes". I believe it was Derek Zoolander who said that "there is more to life than being really ridiculously fit and active." Beyond going to doctors and adhering to your prescribed physical therapy regimen, if an injury is reducing your ability to be fit and active, that is not a circumstance you can control. A reduction in physical activity or fitness has nothing to do with your overall human value. It is important for athletes to realize that there is more to life than sports and results. To keep it short, I will leave it at that.
Hope this helps!

[Evan Pengelly]

Scott,

I injured my knee a couple of years back playing ultimate. I sat around thinking it would get better for 2 months before I was told I would need surgery, and then had to wait to have surgery, and then recover. When it was all said and done I wasn't really "on my feet" exercising for about 6 months.

I took the time to do other stuff like lifting weights, spending more time with my wife, and finally getting projects done around the house. I remember thinking that I would never finally run or ski again but it got better and I got back into it after fully healing.

In some ways it was almost a good thing for me because I always took for granted that I could train whenever I wanted. I realized while injured that being able to exercise and get around is not a given and I needed to appreciate it more. I ended up getting to a new level of fitness and competitiveness after the injury, I think, because I appreciate it more now.

As far as getting back into shape after the injury I would just take it really slow so that you don't have set backs. Biking really helped me strengthen my knee without having any impact.

Hope you get better!

[Erik_Hendrickson]

Hey Scott,

That is too bad that you have a nagging injury. I haven't really experienced one myself so I don't have any words of wisdom for you. To answer your third question, yes it does seem that the 'active lifestyle' is a lot of what defines a skier. Maybe that does set us up for disappointment but it also what motivates us to recover after an injury.

Where are you living in Idaho? What are you up to these days? Idaho doesn't sound like too bad a place to be.
-Erik

[Matt Whitcomb]

Scott,

Thanks for the post. IT band issues can be rough. Here are a few quick thoughts, some of which are repetitions of what the other posters wrote. With 13 athletes on our development team, we regularly have athletes recovering from knee or compartment surgery, tendonitis, etc. How you recover is very important.

1. The idea of having the chance to do something other than skiing is a good one. To race well, however, be sure that includes training. First, consult a PT to determine what activities will not hinder recovery, and what PT exercises you can tackle to hasten it. There are many for IT band recovery. Once you identify what won't hurt your recovery, build a training plan of PT work and creative activities that will improve your aerobic capacity and strength. Don't sit idle. Find an "arm bike" at a local gym, or a rollerboard. Pool jog. IT troubles can be a great opportunity to work extra hard on core and upper body strength. Ask your PT about double poling. If you get the green light, do a lot of it and be a much stronger classic skier next year.

2. You don't have to stop. Just back off on the areas that are injured.

3. Everyone is different. Some people are great skiers that have ten active hobbies. Some only ski and love it. It is individual. As for not being able to do physical activities, that's for the birds. Stay active always.

Thanks,
Matt

[Kate]

Get yourself a foam-roller Scott. They hurt like crazy but it was the one thing that made my IT problem disappear. Good luck!

http://www.foamerica.biz/4-diameter-foam-roller-x-12-l.html

[Eric Strabel]

I think Kate hit it on the head. After dealing with a few tendonitis issues myself, and discussing similar problems with others who successfully treated themselves, I am convinced that the vast majority of tendonitis issues (including IT band syndrome) are caused by muscle tightness stressing neural pathways and not actually an injury to the tendons.

The root cause is likely muscle strength imbalences which lead the body to protect the weaker side by tightening the weak muscle. These knots put pressure on nearby nerves. Interestingly the discomfort can appear anywhere along that nerve. FYI, there is one nerve cell originating in the sacrum at the base of the spinal column and stretching all the way to toes. My tendonitis showed up in the peroneal tendon (outside of the ankle) and in the achilles on the other foot, but I finally located the tightness deep in my hamstrings. So after dealing with not being able to do just about anything for several months, I was able to cure, yes cure, myself in less than an hour by wedging a tennis ball between my hamstring and a chair I was sitting on.

So anyone out there dealing with tendonitis problems that just won't go away, try to correct those muscle imbalences and loosen those knots that you don't even know about. Seeing a PT to get an objective look at things is a good idea.

Rest, alone, will not heal most overuse injuries.

[Scott Kyser]

I've been meaning to reply to everyone for a while. It is really helpful to hear so many skiers giving me their help.

Eric-What cured you is called trigger point massage. I've been experimenting with it for the last couple of months. So far I haven't had much success with this form of treatment, but I have become intimately aware of my various muscle groups, reffered pain patterns and possible places that knots could form. I've had a very hard time locating a therapist/doctor who is knowledgeable about this type of massage or getting my insurance to cover treatment. If only we could get healthcare reform....

Claire Davies publishes an excellent manual on self treatment for these muscle knots. Wikipedia and saveyourself.ca actually have links to very good resources on the subject.

I'm beginning to see improvement though. Hiking no longer hurts. Hopefully I'll be able to get in shape enough to race well next spring.

[Amy Katz]

I am dealing with an IT band problem too. But i have found certain things that have not hurt it such as yoga and biking. Try to be more focused on the positive aspects of it. Taking some time off from hardcore training can be a good thing.

[Joe Howdy]

I'm with Kate on the foal roller bit for IT bands. I've had problems with mine for years, but after using a roller, it feels better than it ever has.
Except when I'm actually rolling it......
That hurts like hell.