If you’ve ever had an injury that continually resurfaced after seemingly successful rehabilitation, or just one that refused to go away regardless of the various treatments, the “Pain-Free Athlete” book may very well hold the answers to your mysteries.
For nearly a decade I had dedicated hours of my daily schedule to rigorous training in pursuit of world-class physical conditioning necessary for highly competitive swimming, running, and rough-terrain racing events. Over the years I had my share of strains, pulls, and bruises, but felt nearly invincible and confident nothing could keep me down.
However, I began injuring the area around my biceps tendon on a regular basis, which routinely sidelined me from meaningful swim training. Just when I was confident it was completely healed for weeks, I would restrain it again. I thus began what turned out to be a lengthy search for help through the entire healthcare industry. I saw chiropractors, orthopedists, neurologists, had x- rays, MRI’s, massage, physical therapy, and ancient Chinese acupuncture and qui-gong. All to no avail! The “tendonitis” (as it was often labeled) returned shortly following the often-lengthy rehabilitation.
It took Julie Donnelly exactly two emails for her to correctly diagnose and solve this mystery. The problem: a shortening of the biceps muscle. The likely reason: all the aggressive swim training (hard intervals, weighted pull-ups, etc.). The solution: release the spasm before stretching. Hard to believe, isn’t it? How could something so simple be so effective?
Well, the advice and instruction not only worked for once, but also made perfect sense. The muscle was becoming shortened as a result of being in a prolonged state of contraction (2-4 hour swim workouts, 500 or so pull-ups over 90 minutes, etc.).
Not all of life’s stories have a happy ending. Fortunately for me, this one does as I’ve seen these treatments work on me. If you are experiencing any training-related injuries, chances are great this book will help you successfully cure them. Follow the basic instructions she presents for any area that you have injured or have discomfort. Finally, “The Pain-Free Athlete” book can act as an exceptional preventative tool and I encourage you to read through it and take advantage of her knowledge.
Your training will surely benefit.
Paul Watson
Winner of 1999 “Beast of the East” competition