In Physical Therapy we try to approach a diagnosis holistically. We try to treat the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the physical symptoms of a disease. I often hear in the clinic...why did this happen to me? And often times, it isn't just simple extrinsic factors that have caused a persons current predicament. My favorite part in therapy is the detective work that goes into figuring out someone has ended up at my door.
As an aging (gasp!) athlete myself, I have come up with a process of elimination when figuring out what went wrong.
Starting with training. Intensity and time out of sync? Big jumps in mileage? Change in the terrain?
Recovery. Not enough days of rest? Not enough sleep? Stressful event going on in your life...like a pandemic 😉
Nutrition. A food journal can help you track your caloric intake. Are you eating enough? Do you have symptoms of an intolerance? Are you eating the right stuff? Speaking to a nutritionist can be very helpful.
Strength work and Stretching. Asking patients if they stretch, I tend to get the same flustered response, avoidance of eye contact...None of us are perfect. But you need a good and healthy foundation to exercise at your peak.
Ladies this is specifically for you. But your cycle. Is it regular?
Men are your hormone levels normal?
Supplementation. Do you need it. Depending on blood work. Most individual's have deficits with Vitamin D and Iron. Speaking from personal experience feeling tired isn’t always just because you have kids...it could be because your anemic.
Come visit us and we can help you navigate through this process of elimination. As an athlete it is normal for imbalance to creep into your life we can help you overcome some of these extrinsic factors and find balance.