Looking back on my childhood formal education, there are very few specific lessons or teachings that I can remember. I went to public school in West Virginia, so coming out with the ability to read, write, brush my teeth, and not marry my cousin was a win right???
On a serious note, I had some wonderful teachers growing up. Last week, I got caught in a robust rainstorm and was reminded of an incredible lesson that I learned in a 6th grade science class.
This lesson was simple: If you get caught in a storm, you get substantially more wet if you choose to run for cover than if you simply walk to the same destination. Seems impossible right? It’s proven and can be scientifically verified. Reason being is that if you run, you run directly into more water. In turn, more water makes contact with the front of your body. Since the front of your body (think looking directly at someone) covers a much larger surface area than if you look at someone from above (head/shoulders), by running into the falling water you are giving it more surface area to interact with. AKA…you get more soaked than if you would have just walked. So at the expense of looking like an idiot, I’m the guy who casually strolls during rainstorms while everyone else is zipping around like squirrels. I’m not crazy, it’s science.
This lesson translates well into the rehab world.
We live in a world of unrelenting hurry: Two day free shipping from across the globe and 90sec microwave meals. Delayed gratification is the enemy because anything now is better than something great someday. In the long run, it’s NOT an advantageous trade for any of us.
With injuries we often settle for short term medication so we can make it through the workout. We’ll spend hundreds of dollars on massage guns, wraps, body braces, or miracle juice cleanses if we feel it fixes something immediate and important. There is nothing wrong with those things per say, but I think we’re missing the point. We’re trading away the “something great” that only comes from understanding your body and working consistently to develop it over time. The same few hundred dollars is difficult for many to spend when it’s on long term exercise programming, clinical care, or good quality food.
What would happen if we reframed the way we approach injury, much like I’ve reframed my approach to thunderstorms? What if we took 6 weeks to address an injury fully instead of reinjuring ourselves 3-4 times a year indefinitely? What if we didn’t settle for passive quick fixes, but sought out knowledge about our own unique bodies? Knowledge that we could use over and over and over again throughout our lives. What if we took a small step back from the gym for a couple weeks, so we could train beneficially for the next decade? What if we walked in the rain.
We live in a world full of fast food-esque healthcare. In and out, fast, and mostly garbage. At KPR we’re daring to be different. We’re not perfect. We don’t have it all figured out. What we are committed to is improving your personal knowledge and participation in your own health and helping you train for life. We believe that training for life truly is “something great” worth working and being patient for.
Stay Kinetic Friends.
Dr. Levi Kerby is a physical therapist, orthopedic certified specialist, and owner of Kinetic Performance and Rehab in Winston-Salem, NC. He enjoys fly fishing, guitar, various forms of fitness, and treating active and motivated individuals.
If you're dealing with an injury or pain, you can contact Kinetic Performance and Rehab directly below.
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