To Have Reconstructive ACL Surgery Or Not

I'm sharing some interesting perspective posed on the Youth Sports Parents blog regarding young athletes and reconstructive ACL surgery.

Mark Hyman's post refers to a recent study highlighted in the New York Times that sought to identify whether patients fared better with the surgery or just with physical therapy rehabilitation.

The study doesn't really come down on side over the other, but Hyman makes a keen observation that if a young athlete is contemplating such serious surgery, but may not play sports beyond the first few years of high school, then perhaps the "hammer" of surgery goes beyond what is necessary.

Obviously, families need to consider these issues on their own based on the situation. However, Hyman poses some interesting points to consider if one of your child athletes is facing this type of a decision.

Train To Race

Training to race your race in a triathlon.

If you're looking to finish at a certain time, then you need to train so you meet those time goals. Train to meet YOUR goals.

Amanda McCracken has some tips on tri workouts in swimming, biking and running that will help you meet your time targets.

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for new workouts that will help me reach closer to my goals -- and sometimes they are hard to find. So, be sure to check this article out.

Try Some "Scale Back" Weeks

We all need "scale back" weeks.

Believe it or not, they are important toward recovery for our bodies. This post from the Run Girl Run blog highlights why recovery weeks are good for us.

I recently had a recovery week that extended into a two-week recovery period due to a job transition. Sometimes our bodies need rest. Sometimes important issues come up in our lives that make it necessary to scale back in our fitness routines.

We shouldn't ever feel bad about "scaling back". We should listen to our bodies and give ourselves rest when needed.

Help With Knee Pain

There are some great products available that can help with knee discomfort.

Laura Johannes recently wrote about a few of these products in the Wall Street Journal. Patella bands are thin straps that fit around the bottom of your knee and can reduce the amount of pain you feel in the front of the knee.

The Imak or the Cho-Pat are two common straps athletes wear for relief. Personally, I've been using the Cho-Pat strap for about a year now and it is helpful.

Check out this article to see how you may be able to relieve some knee pain.

New CPR Guidelines

If you're dedicated to fitness, you never know when your ability to perform CPR may come in handy.

I've been CPR-certified for many years and luckily have never had to use it, but it's good to know that I can if needed.

Check out this post from Jen Mueller at www.sparkpeople.com. The article shows new techniques recommended when performing CPR.

If you're not CPR-certified, consider asking your Human Resources department where you work to bring in educators to certify employees. You never know when it may be necessary. Representatives of the American Red Cross and other safety organizations will conduct CPR training at your place of employment.

Beating The "After Workout Stink"

Does your spouse or significant other often tell you to shower following your workouts?

My wife can't stand the smell of sweat, so I get this a lot when I return home from a run or bike ride. As a result, I had to share this post from Kristen Seymour at www.thatsfit.com on how you can prevent bad odor after your workout.

The post discussed some products available that will help you. Additionally, taking a shower wearing your workout clothes, using baby powder or stuffing newspaper in your running shoes when not in use are tips suggested in the article.

Check it out and maybe you'll avoid the odor that can offend the ones you love.

Break Through Your Running Slump

It's late summer . . . any maybe you're just a little tired and worn down.

We're still experiencing those days where it can be very warm and humid, so by this time of year, we can get a little bored from the routine. Read Christine Luff's post on how to break out of the "funk".

It's funny how a purchase of new running gear or trying a new cross-training activity to break things up can make a difference.

Additionally, there are so many great fall racing events. Jump online to find an event to enter. Once you've paid your entry fee to an event, you usually feel rejuvenated toward a new training program committed to that event.

Don't let the "late summer blues" bring your running game down.