Fractured Skull Fractured Jaw Broken Nose Fractured Ribs Concussion 2x bulging intervertebral discs Fractured Elbow Broken Toes Broken Metatarsals Broken Fingers Shin Splints Elbow Tendinitis Achilles Tendinitis Ruptured Right Rectus Femoris Patellofemoral syndrome of left knee Left hip bursitis Now, you’d probably assume this person has been in a car crash. Or at the very least got between a northern bird and her chips and gravy.
Well, you’d be wrong. That’s my injury list from over the years. Some sport related… some from training like a bellend in my younger days. Now, I could ignore these injuries and cause more damage. I could use them as an excuse to never exercise. But the smart move is to embrace them and learn from them. First port of call is always to get treatment when you need it (Physio, doctor, podiatrist, whoever). I have this conversation at least twice per week: Me: ‘How’s your (insert old injury) been?’ Client: ‘Still not great.’ Me: ‘Have you booked in with that physio yet?’ Client: ‘Go fuck yourself Paul, you’re not my real Dad.’ Or words to that effect. I honestly understand the reluctance, but you don’t have to put up with pain. Don’t be shy of asking for help. Side note: if you’re given corrective exercises by a medical professional… do them. For the smaller things, you may be able to research yourself. It can sometimes be a case of adapting an exercise. For example, Barbell Back Squats irritate my lower back… So, I do lunges instead. I’m getting the same muscle recruitment but I’m not compromising a weak point. Trying to fit a square peg in a round hole is just stupid. I always tell my clients, we don’t want any heroes in the gym, if something hurts… shout up. You’d be surprised how tiny adaptations to an exercise can take it from painful to pain-free. We’re all carrying wear and tear. It’s normal. It’s a sign of a life well-lived. But for optimal health, we need to think longevity and sustainability. Learning how to adapt exercise and safely work around your issues allows you to stay active long-term. Injuries and illness are an unfortunate part of life. They are pretty much guaranteed at some point… but don’t let them paralyse you. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.
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