By Dr. Rich Van Til, D.C.
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Let’s face it … if you don’t take care of you, who will? I encourage you to research everything I am writing about and find a game plan you are comfortable with. The information should become common sense to you with practice.
Stratton Mountain, Vermont
Chiropractor Offers a Plan to Keep You in the Game
Stretching. Though overrated in some ways and misunderstood, stretching your muscles is an important activity. Let’s start by talking about warming up, which is a lost piece of the puzzle. When you first get active for the day, whether it’s hitting the slopes or something else, you need to start slow. Do not start with your largest challenges until you have loosened up completely. A couple of easier or shorter runs should accomplish this.
Once you are loose, begin thinking about stretching. A good stretch can only be done with warm muscles. This can present limitations since I expect you to have gear on. Simply move each joint to its limit and hold for a count of 10 (about eight seconds). Repeat three times for the best results with each joint before moving to the next. Start at the lower extremities and work your way up from there. Even with boots on you can lean forward, right? That can stretch your ankles and calves if done correctly. Make sure both the left and right side get stretched evenly. At the end of the day after you have taken all of your gear off, you will need to stretch your entire body once more to ensure that you will be able to fully enjoy the next day. Water. How much water should you drink daily? I have asked this question to thousands of patients and if it is not answered with a bewildered look, the answer usually is “eight glasses.” That was once thought to be correct, but no longer. I have a 14-year-old patient who outweighs me by 100 pounds. Yes, he plays football, and no I don’t weigh 75 lbs. In the old model, age determined the recommended amount of water. You can see the flaw in this. 34 ❖ MIDWEST SKIER
Today we use a much more accurate model that is based on the patient’s size. Simply write down your weight in pounds. Divide your weight by two, and you have a figure that represents the number of ounces of water that you should be drinking every day. For example, if I weigh 180 lbs., I should be drinking 90 oz. of water every day. If you are active skiing or boarding, this number increases. Alcohol and caffeine are ADH inhibitors. That means they will get rid of fluids instead of keeping you hydrated. That can lead to dehydration. A few indicators of dehydration are lack of energy, lack of urine output and thirst. Injury. So what happens if you do everything we discussed and you still manage to injure yourself? Remember this acronym—R.I.C.E. R stands for Rest. I is for Ice. Apply for 10-15 minutes to the affected area, then wait an hour and repeat. Put a cloth or towel between the ice and your flesh to avoid frostbite if it were to stick. C stands for Compression. This a good reason to have an ACE bandage with you when you travel. You can get creative with your wrappings, but don’t cut off your circulation; numbness and discoloration are warning signs. E is for Elevation. Getting the affected area up above the level of your heart will naturally help control the swelling. Remember: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. You are responsible for your health, so let’s make it a winning effort. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at vantilchiropractic.com.
Rich Van Til is a doctor of chiropractic medicine in Bourbonnais, Ill. 2009/2010 DIRECTORY ❖ www.skicmsc.org