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A Response to the NYT's article, Switch Sports After Injury? Never!

The Well blog on the NY times published an article, Switch Sports After Injury? Never! which I responded to:

Although I appear as a single-sport person to many, I've always had a bit of a need for change, and paired with my inevitable stress injuries that came from just running, or biking, or rowing, I gladly changed sports before I did serious damage. Even then, my relatively extensive training knowledge - I was certified as a personal trainer through ACE in the early 90's - taught me the need to training hard-easy, with intervals days followed by something longer and lighter, as well as active recovery.

I recently met someone who claimed to play four (4) hours of aggressive tennis almost daily. He related that he had developed a nagging injury and wanted to know my suggestion for resolving it. When I suggested he should takes some days easy, or replace tennis with weight-training, he was adamant that he could mange with his current regimen of icing and stretching, even though it was required every day he played and has not actually solved his problem. I would assign his inability to change to parts ego, social expectation, and pleasure. He was very proud to tell me about his 'fitness' regimen, particularly considering his age, also as a way to give his wife some free time, and as a pleasurable, intense activity.

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