Training for a Marathon? Get To The Starting Line In One Piece.

Bill Rodgers is probably the most famous American marathon runner in history, winning both the Boston and New York Marathons four out of five years in the late 1970s. But when asked about the most difficult part of racing, he famously said, “getting to the starting line healthy.”

Why would the greatest American marathoner be worried about just getting to the starting line? Because Mr. Rodgers is very aware that training for a marathon…is a marathon. Because training is a tedious, precarious balance between preparing the body for prolonged stress and allowing the normal healing process to catch up to the stress.

In a competitive environment, the temptation to “put in more miles”, increase the speed work, and accelerate the training regimen, is tantalizing and dangerous.

For the first-time or novice marathoner, the competition is also intense, but the body is the main adversary. That’s why when injuries develop, many runners ignore the symptoms, avoid treatment, and “suck it up.” After all, nobody likes to start something and not finish it. People with the “hero complex” deal with injuries as long as possible until it’s too late to do anything substantial.

Instead of bearing the burden of bumps and bruises by burying them below the surface, runners should be more like an analyst or security monitor, always checking and evaluating. The best runners monitor aches and pains, tightness and weakness, fatigue and energy, always calibrating how intense, how long, and how frequent they can run.

This does not mean run to physical therapy or a doctor’s office every time your calf tightens. It simply means be aware, about how your body feels, keep track of it, and act when something is not right.

Some signs to look for include the following:

·         Pain that alters the way you run. If you have to make a conscious change in the mechanics of your running stride to compensate for pain, you are headed for more pain.

·         Steadily decreasing energy. Watch for two things: too much training or too little nutrition.

·         Pain in the shins that is focused in intensity and location. Diffuse and spread over a larger area usually means medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS or shin splints). Focused and intense pain usually means stress fracture (or reaction), and that can lead to a complete fracture.

Things to do during marathon training:

·         Get a doctor that you can trust for musculoskeletal injuries IN CASE you need to see him or her. Race drivers don’t hire their pit crew in the middle of the Indy 500.

·         Be honest with yourself. You have flaws, everyone does. Some simply compensate better than others. This is the essence of running, repeating the same stride over and over, as long as you can, and then trying to repeat the strides faster and longer, all while dealing with the imperfections of one’s biomechanics. Without knowing your flaws, you will succumb to them.

·         Follow a running program from a trusted source. Resources to turn to include local running shoe stores like Hanson’s and Running Fit, and websites like runnersworld.com. Many other runners like Jeff Galloway and John “The Penguin” Bingham have websites that tout their expert advice. A good running program will steer you away from injuries related to improper training.

·         Get maintenance work on yourself, and that includes REST! Don’t cut out rest days. Your body can’t heal from the breakdown if it doesn’t get the chance. Other maintenance techniques include stretching, massage, manual medicine (adjustments), and acupuncture.

By Steven J. Karageanes, DO, FAOASM, Sports Medicine, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.

Arthritis and Exercise

Arthritis is an ever growing concern for many people, and is not just limited to a certain age group. Arthritis is an inflammation of a joint, most often the knees, hips, and spine. The pain associated with arthritis can be moderate to severe and sometimes prevent people from being active.

In the past it has been recommended that people participate in a flexibility based program to improve range of motion. It is now becoming more common to have a well rounded exercise program that also includes strength/resistance training and cardiovascular exercise as well. A well rounded exercise program can preserve joint mobility, increase joint stability, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The key to success is to take it slow and ease into new exercise. If you experience pain lasting more than 60 minutes, or an increase in inflammation or swelling, make note of the activity and modify the intensity for next time. 

At the DMC Fitness Center, you can find a host of licensed physical therapists, athletic trainers, and personal trainers who can adapt a program to fit your needs to help reduce your pain as well as get fit for the summer. For more information, contact the DMC Fitness Center at (313) 745-9748, or email Craig DeLeon at cdeleon2@dmc.org

It’s Solid Gold for RIM’s Paralympic Swimmer

Paralympic swimmer, Cheryl Angelelli, competed in the CanAm Championships this past weekend at the University of Minnesota. Over 130 athletes with disabilities competed in the event. Angelelli finished first in the 200 meter freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, 50 meter backstroke and 50 meter freestyle events in the S4 classification.

Her time of 52.5 seconds in the 50 meter freestyle was a lifetime best time and moved Angelelli from being ranked 4^th in the world to 2^nd in the world.

Angelelli suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of a diving accident in 1983, however that didn't stop her from getting back in the water. A quadriplegic, Angelelli is Michigan's most decorated athlete with a disability. She is a 4-time Paralympic medalist and holds 15 American Records and 3 World Records.

Angelelli was a patient at Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) following her injury and today she serves as RIM’s Director of Marketing and Public Releations. She often speaks to newly injured patients at RIM and is an inspiration to those recovering from similar injuries.

To watch Angelelli’s 50 meter freestyle race, click here

RIM's Wheelchair Basketball Team Headed to National Championships

Last year, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s (RIM) wheelchair basketball team, the Detroit Diehards were the underdogs going into the National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWBA) and ended up going all the way to the finals before losing a nail biter to Cleveland. This year, they have unfinished business to take care of, and are determined to bring the national title home to Detroit.

RIM’s team will compete in the 2011 National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWBA) April 7-10 in Denver, CO. The Detroit Diehards are one of 16 Division III teams competing for the national championship title.

RIM’s Diehards are seeded 4^th in the tournament after finishing their regular season with 12 wins and 3 loses. RIM’s team is comprised of athletes with physical disabilities, aged 17 to 50 from throughout southeast Michigan.

Teams qualified for the Nationals via NWBA-sanctioned regional tournaments – the teams playing in this event in Colorado will be the best of the best.

Leading RIM’s team on and off the court is Mo Philips. Philips, an amputee, has been playing and coaching both nationally and internationally for over 25 years. Over his playing career, Philips has won 3 National Championships and was inducted into the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame in 1998. Philips also serves as the coach of the Diehards.

The NWBA is comprised of over 200 wheelchair basketball teams within twenty-two conferences. Founded in 1948, the NWBA today consists of men's, women's, intercollegiate, and youth teams throughout the United States of America and Canada.

RIM has been sponsoring the Detroit Diehards since 2002. The team is supported through grants, donations, and fundraising events such as RIM’s annual “Celebrity Wheelchair Basketball Game,” (www.celebritywheelchairbasketball.org)

Former Detroit Lion, Mike Utley, to Fund Physical Therapy Scholarship

Former Detroit Lion, Mike Utley, is offering a person with a spinal cord injury (SCI), the opportunity to maximize their recovery and improve their quality of life, by providing a scholarship to DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.

Through the generous support of the Mike Utley Foundation, Utley will be funding a scholarship to Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM). The Scholarship provides one free month of intense sessions designed to help the person engage in health, fitness and rehabilitation at the highest level after the program is completed.  The program will include physical therapy, biofeedback therapy, personal training and nutrition consultations. 

As a leader in the treatment of spinal cord injury, RIM sees more SCI patients than any other program in Michigan, including the most complex cases. RIM is also home to the Center for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery (CSCIR). The CSCIR is one of the first hospital-based programs of its kind in the U.S. to provide long-term, high-intensity, activity-based therapy, to optimize health and function in persons with spinal cord injury. The program incorporates the latest scientific research and innovative therapeutic techniques, in the quest to make recovery from spinal cord injury a reality.

Utley, was paralyzed during an NFL game in 1991. In the years since his injury he has inspired others with his own drive, determination and incredible motivation to strive for optimal physical performance.

Applications are now being accepted for the Mike Utley Scholarship. To download the scholarship application form, please visit www.RIMrehab.org and click on the “Community Programs” tab.  The deadline for submitting the application is May 1, 2011. 

About the Mike Utley Foundation

The Mike Utley Foundation was established January 2, 1992 to provide funding for research, rehabilitation and education for those living with spinal cord injuries. The Mike Utley Foundation encourages those disabled by such injuries to expand their potential through rehabilitation, physical training, education and a determined pursuit of personal goals. In addition to innovative research, the Foundation financially supports rehabilitation projects, patient and family assistance programs, patient equipment, patient and family education and therapeutic recreational programs.

Dr. John McDonald to Present Keynote at RIM's Rehabilitation Symposium

John W. McDonald, MD, PhD, a neurologist and research scientist, who directs the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute, will be the keynote presenter at Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s 2011 Rehabilitation Symposium.

McDonald is credited for developing “activity-based restoration” (ABR) therapies designed to help patients with long-term spinal cord injuries recover sensation, movement and independence. ABR was publically acknowledged as producing the substantial and delayed recovery of actor/activist Christopher Reeve, whom McDonald worked with. McDonald has lead several multi-center clinical trials in spinal cord injury repair, including the first human stem cell transplantation study with the company Diacrin.

Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s 2011 Symposium will be held April 29 at the MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit. The targeted audience is case managers, insurance adjusters and other rehabilitation professionals. The conference is free, however there is a $30 fee to attend the lunch and keynote presentation.

To learn more about the conference or to register, visit www.RIMrehab.org/symposium

Free Yoga Class for Persons with Disabilities

Many associate Yoga with a series of complicated, intricate movements that are difficult to perform, however, Yoga is not solely physical and anyone who wishes to connect with their physical, mental and spiritual selves can benefit, including persons with disabilities.

Jennifer Weiszhaar, a physical therapist at Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s (RIM) Novi Center, teaches an adaptive yoga class and believes the mind and body are connected, no matter what the disability.

“People in wheelchairs can still experience the energy flowing throughout their bodies and feel the opening of the chest and lengthening of the spine,” Weiszhaar says.

For the adaptive yoga class, a partner will assist each participant in feeling the experience of the pose. Props, such as blankets, towels and pillows will be used for support and Weiszhaar will even encourage those comfortable with getting out of their wheelchairs onto the mats to do so.

Weiszhaar has been practicing yoga for about eight years.  She has been trained by author, instructor and motivational speaker, Matthew Sanford. After a car accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, he became an advocate for the mind/body relationship and centers everything in his life around yoga and the life lessons he believes it has taught him.

Weiszhaar’s adaptive yoga class will take place on April 6, 2011 from 2-3 pm at RIM’s Novi Center, located at

42005 W. 12 Mile Rd.

The class is free but you must call in advance to register at 313-745-9748.

By: Carly Knazze, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan