Fitness Files: Being in shape helps one through life’s rough spots

My running friend Ed’s caring for his mom, changing jobs and moving, so I texted him to say, “Hope your day is going well.”

“Nope,” he said, “left my workout, turned on Jamboree, got rear-ended. Big bump on my forehead, car’s back end is crushed. I’m fine.”

“Go see a doctor!” I told him. “You may not feel fine tomorrow.”

He went to the doctor and then on to work, returning to his packed schedule in his crushed car.

Not 24 hours later, I got a call from my sister in New York City.

“I was crossing the street, stepped into the crosswalk and was hit by an SUV. “And,” she stressed, “the sign said walk. None of that hanky-panky of crossing on a red light. I caught the driver’s eye and put my hand up, but he kept going. I thought, as I went down, I don’t want to hit my head, so I tucked and rolled on my shoulder, then crawled out from under the car.”

At this point, I was wild with worry, but my sis sounded in control and rational.

“Go see a doctor!” I told her.

“Oh,” she said, “people helped me up. I walked to Bellevue Hospital emergency and had an X-ray. Then I walked home. By the way, I gave that driver a piece of my mind.”

That morning, my sister had been returning from a workout with her competitive swim team. She misses few workouts, even though she has Parkinson’s disease.

Two days later, I grilled Ed and my sister, asking about sore backs, necks and headaches and came up with zero. I’m still amazed.

Both came to the same conclusion: Their workouts and general fitness protected them from further injury.

I asked physical therapist Victor Rusenescu whether he noticed if his clients who were fit recovered faster from accidents.

He started out, “A big part of anybody’s recovery is wearing a seat belt and driving at safe speeds. That said, people who come in here with a good foundation in daily activity do better.”

Me: “What do you mean by good foundation?”

Victor: “When people have built into their daily schedule stretching, proper warm-up, aerobic exercise and cool-down, their muscles, ligaments, tendons and musculoskeletal systems are strong and supple. They are have mobility to start with. Physical therapy helps repair a system primed to recover. By the way, how old are your sister and your friend?”

Me: “They’re both in their 60s.”

Victor: “Younger people recover faster, but the body was made to move, so when people of any age are sedentary, they develop inflammation. Then they avoid movement, gain weight and take pain pills. People who sit all day become tight. If they are in an accident or fall, [they] are likely to be impaired.

“When we get those people moving, their whole quality of life improves. They rediscover movement they forgot they had. If they keep up a daily workout program, they’re able to get down on the floor with grandkids. They regain freedom of mobility. Of course, they’re less likely to fall, but if they do experience an accident, they’re in shape to recover.”

Me: “So basic fitness helps recovery, and people who don’t have it can regain it.”

Yes, he answered.

*

In the weeks after the accident, I called my sister, each time listening for pain or depression. Besides a sore ankle, she sounded fine. Her husband, who taught physiology and anatomy at New York University, is a strict caretaker. He kept her inside, resting.

Sis: “I’m stir-crazy. I’m going to sneak out when Teddy’s gone.”

Me: “Really?”

Sis: “No. Parkinson’s has taught me patience. Sleep helped recovery. The first two weeks I rested and felt stronger every day. I learned that just because I could get a shoe on the hurt foot didn’t mean I was ready to hike to the store. So I kept the sprained ankle elevated and iced. Like I said, patience.”

Me: “So ‘rest, ice and elevation’ helped you recover.”

Sis: “That and chocolate chip muffins.”

*

Recently I ran with Ed. He had his car, nicely repaired.

Me: “Your car’s like new. How about you?”

Ed: “I’m over it. Want to run a marathon in Cuba? I’m going next October.”

Three views of recovery: Vick supports my thesis that fitness, gained at any age, helps people bounce back. My sister demonstrates patience, rest and sense of humor. And Ed powers through, planning his next adventure.

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Newport Beach resident CARRIE LUGER SLAYBACK is a 72-year-old marathoner who brought home first places in LA Marathons 2013 and 2014 and the Carlsbad Marathon 2015. She lives in Newport Beach.