I seriously, seriously appreciate the honesty that athletes approach me with when they want advice on injuries. I can hear the genuine fear of falling behind in their voices. Having faced that same fear myself, I want to offer insight into the proactive steps athletes can take, even when it’s tempting to sit on the sidelines and wait for clearance to wrestle again.

A month after becoming the 2016 Olympic Trials Runner-up, I was home and injured. I discovered I had a herniated disc in my low back and the symptoms were so intense, it hurt to sit or carry my laundry. It was scary not knowing anything about the recovery process, or if it was even possible. I was eager to return to training and thus worsened my situation. Fortunately, I was able to recover from this injury with the help of my family and medical staff, and was able to continue my competitive wrestling career. This is how I overcame the biggest injury of my career, and how you can hopefully avoid the the same fate.

When injuries push your goals up against the wall, how do you keep from giving in to the disappointment? How do you make proper decisions about your health when you’re not sure which path to take? It felt like the wind was taken out my sails when I went from being the previous year’s University World Champion, to ending my first match at the qualifying national tournament due to an elbow injury. However, with the support of high level medical teams, family, and teammates, I got through a tough part of my career and was able to continue wrestling. This is my story about the first major injury of my wrestling career.

In 2012, shortly after qualifying for my first Olympic team, I began to feel a pop in my collar bone area while wrestling. Training at that point was specific and tailored to the olympic team. I was constantly aware of this injury, but didn't have the luxury of taking time to address the problem. It eventually went from discomfort to sharp pain. I would drill with someone much lighter than me, and just grabbing my normal standing single, I would literally see red. It wasn’t really a time to panic and true to my nature, I really didn’t discuss it outside of Terry Steiner, Kim Martori of Sunkist, and my physical trainers at the Training Center.

Kelsey Campbell has been a pillar in the sport of women's wrestling. From famously beginning her wrestling career late in high school, becoming ASU's first female wrestler ever, and making the 2012 Olympic team in historic fashion, Kelsey has had a long and full career. But it hasn't been without setbacks. She has continued to find a way to make it look easy to someone on the outside, but is able to reveal the hard work and resiliency that is the backbone of her career. Kelsey brings us up close and personal with her injuries in sport and how they have made her tougher.

As wrestlers, we get into extreme positions. If you have knee instability, you are putting yourself at risk for tweaks, sprains, or the worst: ACL tears. The first gif shows a position I often see female wrestlers in. The knees rock in, out, or a combination of the two. This indicates that the muscles of the leg and surrounding tendons (connects muscle to bone) and ligaments (connects bone to bone) which support the knee joint are weak and compromised. If this improper knee position continues while doing jumps, weight lifting, stance drills and wrestling, you can often expect injuries.

We are often our own worst enemies with healed injuries. When we start noticing the inevitable progression towards competition nears closer and closer, and we start loosing our heads. Those last, critical steps towards a full recovery are missed, and we become anxious and over focused on being back to sport in full. What we don't realize is, we already have the tools in our pocket to be ready for competition. It is not the first time we are competing! But are our bodies ready to adapt to the demands we must place on it? 

So far, I have had a lot of ups and downs typical of surgery. My last update focused on the the types of workouts I was able to maintain while I was living in a sling. The next phase has been working on increasing my range of motion (ROM) as well as adding band strength rehab. I have also been cleared to do some light swimming, which has been an awesome and freeing feeling for my shoulder!

My husband is into podcasts and videos which emphasize self improvement. He loves thinking outside the box, so we really get to share the intricacies of how the mind works as an athlete and in everyday life.  He was watching a video about cold showers and how they can be just the beginning of helping you get out of your comfort zone. It inspired me to write about comfort zones and why it has made a difference in my sport and life!