Sports injuries have hit us all. If you are active, if you enjoy training hard, at some point you have felt the limitations of a sports injury. We strive to push our fitness levels, increasing performance, achieving our goals. To help facilitate that process remember a few key elements:

• Have a specific goal and break it into smaller steps. For example if you want to run a 5 mile race in 2 months from now, start off slowly and gradually add distance as your body adapts. You can follow specific training plans (often recommending 10-20% increase each week) but it is crucial that you pay attention to recovery times and honor your body’s need to rest.
• Nourish injuries as soon as possible. Do not wait it out after injury — seek care immediately. In my experience sports injuries treated within a week of onset, injuries heal faster and more completely than injuries that have been untreated for weeks or even months.
• Add foods that enhance training. Diet is crucial when breaking down and rebuilding muscle fibers. It is necessary to supplement the diet during times of intense training with foods rich in protein and fat. Often a few key supplements, vitamins and herbs can greatly reduce chances of injury and speed up recovery times.
• Take advantage of the professionals. One personal training session to correct your form when lifting weights can help reduce the likelihood of injury. A golf lesson to correct body mechanics can solve that nagging neck pain that returns after each round. Physical therapy exercises & stretching are excellent to incorporate into a daily routine.
• Use Eastern modalities to focus your mind and enhance performance. Meditation is a way to visualize success ultimately translating into reaching your fitness goals!