WHAT Happens After Fashion Week?

After the whirlwind of a full calendar of NYFW events and shows, and then another dose of European shows and reviews, the Fall 2014 season literally affected my personal life this season. Running all around the city during NYFW (downtown, uptown, walking around), I managed to sustain an injury… um, make that a seriously painful slipped disc.  I’m sharing this with everyone because I didn’t fall on the ice, I sustained an injury from doing my normal, everyday tasks— prior, during, and after fashion week.

That “polar vortex” freeze put an additional damper on things, making this a fashion season one I will not forget…for more painful reasons. I looked to my dear friend and holistic chiropractor, Dr. Susan Eisen, who has been helping me on my road to recovery.

So, while the first few days were what seemed a fun (but messy) adventure downtown,  those ‘jerky’ losing-my-balance movements (ha ha) actually triggered the damage.  I remember the first (unofficial) day was full of slush downtown, and we were literally walking on the street in puddles to the studios and Pier 59. Little did I know, what seemed to be a reasonable walk from show to show, managed to “flex” my body right out of place.

“Back injuries, especially low back injuries are always a cocktail of events that add up to the perfect storm. It’s never just one incident that creates a severe back pain issue.” —  Dr. Susan Eisen, D.C.

The Polar Vortex freeze apparently affects us more than just ‘getting cold.’ Ok, so I had layered camis and tights under my patterned lightweight outfits almost daily, but the weather was still too cold to be navigating in. I even got away with warm fuzzy snow boots for a few days, so the shoes weren’t even an issue this season. I also had help navigating around from show-to-show. The trigger was as follows: After the shows were over (and we got a snow day), I was reviewing what seemed to be thousands of images while simultaneously working on my laptop updating the site + blogs.  I started packing NYFW loans, organizing the post-fashion week mess of papers, and as I was putting a bag on a shelf, it slipped and I reached to catch it quickly.  And that was how it all started…a painful awakening.

 “I always tell my patients to wear a warm camisole (cotton or wool) during the severe cold because it will keep the muscles warmer and prevent stiffening and tightening which can hasten an injury or make a minor injury a severe situation as in Brigitte’s case.” — Dr. Sue Eison

Here are a few habits that led to my damage, what was suggested, and what I’m doing to help my body.

– The culprit: I wasn’t eating enough protein. Now, I’m eating protein like a junky.  Did you know there is 5 grams of protein in a regular  yogurt vs. 12 in a greek yogurt? Luckily, I can handle cheese, and since i’m not traveling to shows, beans are my new food friend. (I also don’t eat meat.)

– The fashionable nuisance: Carrying a bag that is heavy (I put all the goodies and gadgets in there to prevent looking messy at shows!)  I can’t exactly fix the weight, no matter how many helpers I have around me. Most essential gadgets need to be with me, and they weight a lot!

– Mother Nature: Just being cold.   I am always colder than anyone else, so double layering, wearing any tights and skinny camis under are never enough. However, wearing the right kind to keep you warmer does help.  The ones that are working for me are ADEA, which are a thick version of silk underwear, and believe it or not, assets by SPANX tights. Both keep my body warm and ‘in place.’

– So, what should I do? Avoid the snow?  ha ha. No, but I can take my time navigating now that the shows are over. No more jerkiness.

– I need to stop slouching + crossing my legs while (doing my job) on a laptop. I’m trying to remember to put one foot forward and the other back while sitting.  It’s so hard to NOT cross your legs!

– Slouching while updating on the phone is also no-no. I can’t imaging holding the phone up to my eye level, so there needs to be another solution for this one.  And oh,   no crossing legs while sitting here either.  Dr. Sue said, “Proper standing and sitting posture – and texting – is also key. It’s the little things that we do everyday that leads to injuries or muscle weakness. For example, slouching and looking down when you text throughout the day can weaken your back over time. It can also prevent healing. Developing good habits is important.”

– Shoes that don’t work with the weather.  The weather friendly boots are too flat for my feet and don’t have enough support.  My only solution is to go outside briefly when the conditions are bad to walk.

– I skimped on my daily 15 minute routine of push ups, lunges, squats and stretches.  Fashion Week was exhausting and my legs hurt

from all the standing.  Now I have to wait to be able to do the little routine, but I do have to work on strengthening, you guessed it, my backside.

Even though I still look like a leaning tower, Dr. Eisen and I are trying to set my body back into place. I use the stim machine with heat to mildy adjust my hip placement. Even though my hips are still flexing out of place, I’m feeling better and going to less events. ‘Suffering’ for fashion, I most definitely did.  fdmLOVES what happens after fashion week commentary Brigitte Segura, written by Allison Ripa.

(photos: fdmLOVES team | fashiondailymag)

(Brigitte Segura at Maserati by Andrew Werner)