INJURIES could end an athlete’s career, but with the right approach and knowledge, they could be avoided or one could recover from them, said Jerry Diaz, a certified National Academy of Sports Medicine personal trainer.
“As a former CNMI basketball team, I understand that injury is part of sports, and that is why we go through intense and rigorous training,” he added.
He has experienced what it is like to get injured after he tore his left knee ACL. He had to go through three months of therapy that involved acquiring certain physical skills before he was allowed to train and compete again.
“I also needed to reduce my muscle mass and body weight to allow my left knee to absorb less impact during plyometric movements that included running, jumping, and sprinting,” he said.
Since then, Diaz said he has to keep his body weight down and maintain a healthy muscle tone.
If one has sustained injury, he suggests obtaining a doctor’s clearance so the injury won’t get worse.
Next is a physical therapy clearance. A physical therapist will guide an individual in performing progressive movements that can hep the individual improve and get closer to a functional or competitive level.
And then comes a fitness trainer recovery program. A fitness trainer such as Diaz will need to review the reports of the doctor and physical therapist in order to create the right program for the individual.
Diaz said each individual’s therapy is different due to the person’s reaction to the inflammation and tissue rebuilding phase.
He said an individual must be patient and allow the rebuilding phase to proceed.
Otherwise, “we are endangering ourselves — we can reinjure ourselves or trigger another injury…. This has happened to many athletes at all levels of competition due to the pressure to re-join their team,” Diaz said.
“For a certified personal trainer, the most important factor is the safety of the client no matter the age or fitness level,” he added.
“When a client is still recovering from an injury, all variables must be taken into consideration to avoid further harm. As the individual heals and re-gains strength and conditioning, he/she will gradually increase his or her fitness training difficulty. Safety first.”
Jerry Diaz performs a medicine ball rotation slam at the BBJ Athletics Camp.
Contributed photo
