Recovering From Injuries

Injury is inevitable, unfortunately. It is part of the human condition. If you train properly, using body weight, perfectly paleo types of exercise, you won’t become injured from that. UNLESS you overdo it, which can always happen.

Overuse is the number one cause of injuries- just look at me! A few weeks back I posted about being injured from an overuse injury, painting a barn of a garage for just too many hours, and inflaming the bursa in my shoulder. I also did other jobs that overworked that same joint, and the result has been a few weeks of rehab. I used the occasion to research what worked and what didn’t, so here we go my paleo friends!

First of all, remember that it is not the end of the world. If you work out each and every day as I do, (and as I recommend for all creatures that exist on this earth), it is really irksome to have one part of your body that just…hurts. But, you just work around it- you exercise other parts of your body, and only work the hurting part through a limited range of motion (if you can) that doesn’t hurt! Of course, sometimes you can’t work, say, one arm at all for awhile. Don’t sweat it- just rest it.

But, there are some other things that will help dramatically as well. Putting a cold pack on the injured part (in my case this time- my right shoulder) is great. To alternate that with a warm, moist pack is ideal- this promotes blood flow. I would alternate cold with hot- in the shower is one great place to easily do this. But what about later, as you relax in your easy chair?

A bag of frozen vegetables is great to rest on your shoulder for awhile, but you can also get a re-freezable cold pack inexpensively, some even have straps to attach them to your body part. But how to alternate with hot? I have the perfect, although somewhat embarrassing answer-

Get a disposable diaper! That’s right, you can get about 30 for a few dollars. (Luckily, I have a new grandson who could use the rest!) I just took off the cold pack, and moistened the diaper from the faucet. Then, I microwaved it for a minute… hot and moist- perfect! And it attaches easily to any part of your body!!

Just don’t forget, and answer the door with a diaper attached to your shoulder- very embarrassing.

But the best solution of all, besides gently stretching and alternating heat and cold??

DMSO, or Dimethyl sulfoxide, is almost a miracle. Anti-inflammatory, it penetrated the skin and goes right into the tissues beneath, immediately relieving pain. It’s not really a drug, it is a solvent byproduct of the paper industry that has been known of since the 1950’s. The fact that it cannot be patented pinpoints why the pharmaceutical companies are uninterested.

It can’t be patented. There is no big money to be made here! Sad but true…

It is also a potent source of sulphur, which is a substance that is wonderful for any musculoskeletal ache or pain. Think of sulphur-rich hot baths, that people go to to rejuvenate their bodies. DMSO is a hot springs bath on steroids, that you just rub onto your body!

Anyway, for arthritis, bursitis, and any ache, strain, or pain- it is a miracle! Cheap, too- it is one of the veterinarians’ main tools for treating animals, mainly race horses that have been injured. Remember: even though the FDA might say that the effects from DMSO are a “placebo”- well, placebos don’t work on horses, do they?

So, get yourself some DMSO- 70% concentration is best, I like it in a cream form for easy application. Under $20 for a miracle drug! Just like white willow bark, this is something you should always have in your medicine cabinet!


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Train Around Injuries- Podcast on Paleo Quick Tip of the Day

We all know what it’s like when all is going great- morning workout, great breakfast with a green paleo smoothie and coffee with coconut oil and cinnamon, cloves and chocolate powder- and then off to a productive day! Life can be wonderful…
But, it can also be quite stressful, as we all know. I know personally, because I got injured! While not the end of the world, injuries can be very stressful, both mentally and physically. Just know that injuries are, periodically, a real part of leading an authentic, athletic life. Just sequestering yourself and perpetually “being careful” about your body is a fast track to the nursing home- our bodies expect, and need to be stressed, and to do hard things at the very edge of our abilities!
In my case, I just overworked. This is the same as overtraining, which I have seen time and again- someone gets good results with strength training, and thinks “Hey- if I just do even more I’ll be awesome!” Well, then they wind up with black and blue bruises on their triceps, or wherever, and become weaker, not stronger than before- and also injured in many cases, which is even worse.
I know the dangers of overtraining- in fact, my podcast and blog are kind of a mantra against such overtraining- forget the heavy weights, do bodyweight training, train your tendons and ligaments before your muscles exclusively- be cautious yet train very hard! I know this so well, in my training…
But, when I get caught up in physical work, well, I get too caught up and forget. I just want to get the job completed! And so, when I painted my barn of a garage, I just kept going, and going, and going! Then, I wanted to construct a playhouse for my grandson, and kept working on it, in very confined spaces, with a big power drill that contorted my body (and shoulders) into uncomfortable angles. These two activities took up 4 whole days, on which of course I did my workouts before starting work!
And then, my mower deck needed repair- I crawled underneath, and spent most of another day, doing that…
My right shoulder was fried! Dark bruises formed around the perimeter, and I could not really lift my right arm above my head. Me! PaleoJay, exercise nut and functional fitness espouser- victim of my own cautionary tales. Ah, such is humility.
It happens. We are all only all too human, and afterwards we need to get up and start to repair the damage. And, it is a learning experience: I learned about DMSO, which is Dimethyl sulfoxide. You can get it in a cream form, or liquid, and I have been rubbing the cream on my shoulder a couple of times per day. It is anti-inflammatory, and enhances circulation dramatically- in addition, it relieves pain really quickly as well. DMSO has been used by veterinarians and horse race trainers for decades, along with some enlightened medical practitioners.
I plan to continue to use it, and explore its possibilities. Of course, the FDA disapproves, as they disapprove of anything that can’t be patented by drug companies for huge profit potential. DMSO has been known of for so long, that no one can claim the patent.
In addition to that? Train cautiously. For a few days, all I did was to stretch out in the mornings. Also, I did do isometric full body holds for multiple reps, with my arms at my sides… Then, I added in straight legged setups and hindu squats for multiple sets, since they did not aggravate my upper body. My shoulder mobility improved dramatically, and this morning, about a week later, I did some pushups and other exercises using my gymnastic rings in the basement! Hallelujah!! If you do not yet have rings in your house or garage, consider getting them- the most useful apparatus for training ever.
I was doing pushups in the almost standing position, and flies as well- no strain. Went back and lower, still fine- I just made sure to not go into the “pain zone”. I could do pistol squats as well, no problem, and even chins on the rings, with leg support.
The one thing I can’t do yet is isometrics with arm-against-arm resistance. But it will come, and soon- you just need to listen to your body, and not give up!
Being careful about training is not the same as being careful by doing nothing!

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