Be the best YOU!

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about living in the moment.  I admitted that it was something that I struggled with--my way is more to tackle a task and not be satisfied until I am finished.

I related the story of working in my yard and finding joy in the task and the weather and being able to be outside.  Simply finishing became less important.

But that's not the whole story.  I also know that if you are to accomplish a lot, you've got to have a plan.  Having a goal and no plan is like leaving on a trip without a road map.  You've got to know where you want to end up.

It might be individual goals.  Never forget that the first thing you've got to be is the best you that you can be.  Competition comes later.  Much later. 

Maybe you want to be as strong as you can be.  Or as flexible as you can be.  Or as fast.  That's totally acceptable.  That gives you the foundation on which other things can be built.

I would tell you at this point that core strength is one of the most important components to any training program, regardless of your sport.  And if you want to prevent injuries, nothing is more important than flexibility.

The next step along your path is skills acquisition.  Maybe it is shooting free throws.  Or performance in agility drills.  Break skills down into their basic elements and work on that. 

For free throws, good coaches tell me that consistency in your form is essential.  That goal isn't going to move.  It's going to stay 10 feet off the floor and 15 feet away.

For agility drills, maybe it is the simple change of directions.  Work on that.  Foot speed is  best defined as how quickly you move your feet-a skill that essential to most sports.

If you're working on speed, breaking it down into components is essential.  It all starts with...well...the start.  Do you explode out?  Getting up to full speed quickly is important.  I remember an offensive lineman from around here who had the quickest first 2-3 steps that I had ever seen.  He used that to a good college career.

Stride length is important.  Flexibility is important.  Running form is important--you want everything focused on propelling you forward as fast as possible.

Personal goals should be just what the term implies.  But set yourself on the path to achieve your dreams by having a plan, seeking advice, and relentlessly pursuing success.

Maybe then it's time to expand to team goals.  Unless you're in an individual sport, in which case it's OK at this point to aspire to a state championship or whatever might be out there in front of you.

It's completely OK to set the bar high for team goals.  Go undefeated.  Win the District.  Win the league.  Win the state championship.  But never forget that if you're part of a team, that team goals must always (always) take precedence over individual goals. 

If you forget that, you will not give your sport what it deserves and you will certainly not take from sports what they have to offer you. 

It's A Personal Decision

"YOU LET YOUR SON PLAY FOOTBALL???"

Uh...yeah.  I seem to be getting that more and more these days.  It is often followed by the question/statement--"well what about concussions?"  Well, OK, that's an issue.  A big issue.  In all of sport.  Not just football.

As far as I know (and I should know), my son never had a concussion playing football.  I did.  There is one high school game that I don't remember.  At all.

I remember showing up in Dayton, Tennessee for the game and remember lining up across from an All State tackle.  I sort of remember him slapping me on the head and then it all fades. I never came out of the game.

 The next thing I remember is arriving back at my high school.  In film review, I actually played pretty well.  But I sure don't remember it.  This is from a person that can still tell you scores and individual plays some 45 years later.

So I obviously didn't suffer any cognitive damage from concussions from years of playing football (my cognitive insufficiencies are strictly my own).  That was also my only concussion.

So how do I answer the question of how can I possibly allow my child to play a sport where concussions happen?  That's a good question.

Medical science and research has taught how serious concussions can be. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they require our full attention and our best efforts. 

That same medical science and research has taught us how to better deal with concussions.  No longer do we put athletes back in the game once it "appears" that they are OK. 

We treat every blow to the head that results in any symptoms (headache, dizziness, blurred vision...those sorts of things) as a concussion.  And we don't wait until an athlete tells us that they are having a problem. 

If you ever watch one of our athletic trainers watching a game, you will likely see us watching intently.  I want to see how a player reacts to a collision.  Do they stagger away?  Does it seem like they are a bit disoriented?  Does something just not seem right about the way they move?

In the NFL, they even have a staff of athletic trainers whose job is to watch the game on video monitors, replaying possible injury scenarios.  They have the power to pull a player from a game based on all this. 

Once we have decided that something is up, that player must complete a battery of tests that includes balance and cognitive testing.  If there is anything (anything!) that indicates a problem, that game is over for that player. 

Then, for that player to return to sports they must pass a formal and extensive cognitive test, perform a variety of balance activities, and get medical clearance.  No exceptions. 

So what's the bottom line here?  We are better at recognizing possible concussions.  We are better at managing those concussions.  We are better at making sure that it is safe for an athlete to return to their sport. 

But it's still a personal decision.

Live in the Moment

A friend recently sent me a book entitled The Precious Present, written by Spencer Johnson.  Dr. Johnson is widely known for his book The One Minute Manager.

Without spoiling the book for you, let me tell you that it is basically about living in the moment, about enjoying life as you live it.

Let me back up a bit.  Confession time.  I don't do that very well.  I am very task oriented.  I get great satisfaction from completing a task.  The "doing" of the task...eh...not so much.

If you could see my desk, you would see a countertop littered with post-it notes with specific tasks on each one.  Even my computer has an application where another set of post-it notes can be found on the screen in digital form.

I take great pride in tossing those post-it notes in the trash or deleting them from my screen.  That is the final step to completing a task. 

My approach does seem to get a lot of things done.  I will tackle work projects and won't let up until I'm done.  I will work around my yard and will work feverishly just to get to the finish.  I will take a list of chores and go full speed until everything is checked off.

Even on the bicycle sometimes I'm that way.  I just want to get to the finish of the ride.  To accomplish the ride.  It's just the way I'm wired.  Or so I thought. 

A couple of weekends ago, I was trimming some bushes at home.   In typical fashion, I was trying to get finished with that project and get on to the next one.  More check-offs on my list of things to do that day-that's the goal.

But then I stopped and thought about why my friend sent me this book and what Dr. Johnson was trying to tell me.  It was a gorgeous day.  I felt great.  Life was (is) good.  I was doing something productive.  And I thought, what's wrong with being here, being in the now. 

I thought about a message that I've heard former Maryville High football coach George Quarles tell his players many times--about enjoying the moment.  I've heard him tell his players "you're only guaranteed 10 opportunities to play this game.  Don't take this one for granted.  You'll never get it back."

That is so true.  When preseason is in full swing and you're tired and it seems like the first game will never get here, it's easy to wish it would all be over.  But then the games start and the next thing you know, you're in the last game of the season, maybe the last game of your life.

I knew Coach Quarles was a super coach and a great builder of young men but I never realized that some of his lessons could include me.  I probably thought I was too old to listen or something. 

Goodness knows I'm an old dog and we've all heard you can't teach old dogs new tricks. But maybe, just maybe, I should have been listening all along.  Maybe life wouldn't be speeding by so fast if I would take the time to stop and smell the roses.

So here's the advice of the day:  Whatever you're doing, enjoy the moment.  Enjoy the journey.  Enjoy the game.

Sports Injuries Summarized

I've been on a bit of a theme lately.  What I would consider to be the pillars for success at sports and life.  Hard work.  Integrity.  Focus.

So before my Favorite Person tells me I should get back to writing about athletic injuries and stuff like that, I'm going to go there on my own.  I mean, that is what I do and probably what I know best.

Let's talk about concussions (everyone else is...we might as well join them). Concussions are a real concern.  They simply cannot be taken lightly.  The long term effects are too serious.

For high school athletes here, we do ImPACT testing pre-season on as many as we can.  That gives us a baseline on brain function and helps us make better decisions.  Beyond that, we treat every blow to the head that results in symptoms as a concussion until convinced otherwise. 

Before anybody can go back to their sport after having had what appears to have been a concussion, they must first have medical clearance, pass cognitive testing, pass balance testing, and then go through a series of activities and exercises, basically simulating their sport in a monitored environment.  And they have to do that without any of their symptoms coming back.

And knee injuries.  If your knee hurts, you really need a proper diagnosis.  I've seen too many cases of self-diagnosis where delay in getting proper treatment was a big mistake.   See the experts.

Ankle injuries?  Ice and protection.  Ankle injuries are easily the most common sports injury.  Usually the foot goes in and the ankle hurts on the outside. 

Shoulder problems?  A big part of it is probably your posture.  Every single day, I see patients with shoulder injuries.  And almost every one of them has some postural component.  We call it "inturned" shoulders.

When you stand up, are your hands in front of your body?  That comes from your shoulders.  A big part of it is the world we live in.  Everything we do is in front of us.  Computers.  Driving.  On and on.

Neck hurts? Again, heavily influenced by posture.  I saw a photo of myself from the side this week.  Oh my...I've got to work on my posture.

TMJ problems?  Go to a soft diet and see a dentist or oral surgeon that knows something about the TMJ.

Shin splints?  It's probably your feet.  Really.  Foot problems that increase the impact forces of running are the most likely culprit.  Correct the way the foot hits the ground and you fix the problem.

Hip pain?  Again, you need a good diagnostic workup.  It can be so many things.  See your orthopedist.  Don't wait too long on this one.

Elbow hurts when you throw?  You need an athletic trainer to look at your throwing motion.

Hand or fingers numb or tingly?  Could be coming out of your neck.  Get it checked.

Wheezing when you exercise?  Asthma.  Very treatable.   I do seem to see too many athletes with bronchodilators (inhalers), claiming asthma.  Those things should not be used for performance enhancement.  I'm afraid that's what's happening too often.

Above all else, trust your body, seek professional help, don't ignore warning signs, and don't turn to the internet for medical advice.