Injuries and Keeping On

So I had an injury and it turned out to be not so good. I hurt my ribs surfing...I just came from the doctor's office and they did an X-ray. Apparently that shooting pain in my rib cage is a series of muscle contusions and bruises. People keep asking if I hit a rock or my board. They're not realizing the size and power of those waves. I basically just got rocked and I remember holding onto my board with my arm outstretched underwater. The doctor was very insightful and empathic and explained that the ribs stretch apart when they're being pulled like that and when they snap back in place, they can lead to bruising. I resisted going to a doctor figuring it was just bruised but it actually was helpful. Here's the X ray for any rib enthusiasts:



But the question is- Where do you go from here? The doctor said I can't lift weights or surf or swim until the ribs heal up- and guess what, they're slow to heal. Good news is he gave me an anti-inflammation drug prescription and a painkiller prescription. So that's cool- and should speed the healing process. My thinking is really that anyone who's testing their limits and trying to improve is going to get injured. This is my second big injury. My first was over a year ago with a shoulder/back injury...That's when I discovered Owen Mckibbin's book- which really helped me through that period. Owen, a fitness model and former athlete, has a lot of insight about injury which I've drawn from.

His thoughts are:

Injury is really an opportunity to grow.
It challenges you to stay positive and focus on what you can do.
You choose to focus on areas that are healthy.
You can feel lucky for the mobility you do have.
Appreciate that healing takes time.
Listen to your body- and respect it.

So along those lines, I've developed a little two week program for the rest of September, consisting of walking, a tightened Paleo diet, and arm and leg exercises. I've gained some weight in just two to three weeks from eating more carbs and drinking beer. I'm now clocking in at 195 vs. 185. My pre-Paleo weight was about 205-210. But beyond that, I feel like I'm losing muscle in my arms and shoulders, and gaining weight in my lower abdominals. So walking can aid metabolism and Owen recommends it first thing in the morning for 20- 30 mins, before breakfast. Leg exercises, like body-weight squats and lunges will work your mid-section and core. Beyond that, there are other things you can do to boost metabolism- namely cold baths; also chili powders. Caffeine has some known weight-loss effects also. The key is to be maintaining muscle while increasing metabolism. Muscles and feeding them proteins helps metabolism too. Additionally, rest and keeping stress levels low are important. (When I get stressed or sleep poorly, I often crave crabs and breads and sugars.)
So there you go...RICE is the recipe (from Bill Pearl's "Getting Stronger"). Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. Hope this helps someone.

Cheers-
Gabe