Lessons from injuries and recovery

I have been injured before, and I rushed back. That is the lesson — when you rush an injury, you are not getting back to the game faster. You are setting up a long-term problem.

Right now I am recovering from an ankle sprain. I have done everything the right way: the recovery work, the patience, not pushing past what the ankle can handle. And because of that I came back sooner than I ever have from an injury.

I missed part of my first MLS Next season. That is not nothing. But the trade-off is that I am healthy now and I am building toward what actually matters.

Recovery is not something you do after training. It is part of training. If you are not sleeping, mobilizing, and managing soreness, you are not actually training — you are just accumulating damage.

I keep a small recovery kit with me so I have the tools to handle soreness before it becomes a problem. Massage ball, mini band, stretch strap, ice pack — small things that make a big difference over a season.

Every recovery decision goes through one filter: does this help me be ready for France? If the answer is no, it does not happen.

If you want to see how I lock in mentally before a match, read How I lock in for match day.