I’m Injured, now what?

I’m Injured, now what?

First, book a doctor’s appointment.  Boston Children’s is a great resource just in Longwood but we are lucky enough to be surrounded by many of the best doctors out there!  If you find out you need an MRI usually Longwood MRI can get you in pretty quickly.  As with all of this, be sure to check with your insurance!

Wellness in Motion and Spaulding are great resources for aches and pains; offering shockwave treatment, needles, active release therapy, and more.  Always check in with your healthcare provider first.  

Come to practices, meets/ races, and our social events!

Join our cross training days to stay cardiovascularly fit if your doctor okays it! This is a great way to cross train for running without the impact associated with it and is usually great for those with stress injuries.  That said if it hurts your injury; stop the activity.

What is RED-S?

RED-S stands for relative energy deficit in sport.  It is formerly known as ‘Female Athlete Triad’, but it can affect ANY athlete regardless of age, gender, etc.  If you have incurred multiple injuries in a short span of time and are feeling fatigued, it may be time to chat with your doctor about this.  However, these are not the sole signs and catching it earlier can help you stay healthy and injury free.  It is caused when your body does not have enough energy to sustain its functions and continue to keep up with running recovery, ie not enough fuel or training too hard. 

Some signs to look out for are bloating or IBS style symptoms, caused by a slowed digestive tract, a persistent cold/ cough caused by a weakened immune system, low libido, poor sleep, irritability or difficulty concentrating.  It also can display itself through the cardiovascular system as well with a lowered HRV, or lower power and endurance while running.  

Another sign is a lack of a menstrual cycle – in those who regularly get them.  NOTE; you should NOT lose your period while training (unless recently starting certain birth control, IUDs etc).  Yes, it may seem convenient at the time, but it is a sign of underlying hormonal/ energy deficit issues and you should check in with your doctor.

Some great resources provided by the nutritionist that came to speak to all of us are below!

• Recipe Runner – https://reciperunner.com/
• Scratch Labs – https://www.skratchlabs.com/pages/cookbooks.
• Shalane Flanagan’s cookbooks 
• Meal Prep Guide for Runners 
• Cookie and Kate – https://cookieandkate.com/ (not running specific but great vegetarian recipes)
• Ambitious Kitchen – https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/recipes/ (not running specific, but delicious and fun) 
• Delish – https://www.delish.com (not running specific but has wonderful nourishing recipes) 
• Instagram: FoodScienceBabe