Find out how your favorite stars stay well when you subscribe to The Healthy newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n The Healthy: You\u2019ve partnered with Advil to talk about managing pain. What\u2019s something about pain\u2014physical or mental\u2014that people misunderstand, especially when it comes to elite athletes like yourself?<\/p>\n Karl-Anthony Towns: When you don\u2019t feel your best physically, it can affect you mentally. It\u2019s amazing to be working with Advil, an anti-inflammatory that\u2019s helped me not only as a professional athlete, but even when I was a kid growing up in Jersey playing basketball, baseball, and soccer. I was growing at a faster rate than other kids, dealing with growing pains, and being able to stay healthier physically led to better performances because my mental was intact. Even now, 11 years in the NBA, it\u2019s something I still rely on.<\/p>\n The Healthy: Can you talk a bit more about working through pain as part of your job\u2014how it affects your focus on the court, and how you decide when to push through versus when to step away for long-term health?<\/p>\n Karl-Anthony Towns: For me, not playing in an NBA game means I\u2019m unable to do my job. Recently, I had a right elbow impingement\u2014I couldn\u2019t shoot or pass a basketball, so I couldn\u2019t play. Once the inflammation went down\u2014again, shout out to Advil\u2014I was able to get back out there the next game. My threshold for playing might be higher than most, but as long as I can play, I\u2019m going to. Even sometimes when I probably shouldn\u2019t, because I\u2019m not at my best, I still feel like I can go out there and help the team.<\/p>\n The Healthy: Pain management is often framed as reactive. What does a proactive approach to staying healthy look like for you, both during the season and off?<\/p>\n Karl-Anthony Towns: We could go down the list of devices, red light therapy<\/a>, sauna, but at the end of the day, the best way to be proactive is lifting. I\u2019m a big believer in strength training. Lifting prepares your body for the stress of playing basketball and training to be your best. It\u2019s the best way to prevent inflammation<\/a> and injuries, and honestly, it\u2019s the cheapest compared to all the other stuff.<\/p>\n The Healthy: You mentioned some of those wellness tools. So when we\u2019re talking about cold therapy, red light, hyperbaric, and more. What is the one piece of \u201cextreme wellness\u201d you\u2019ve tried that actually lived up to the hype?<\/p>\n Karl-Anthony Towns: I\u2019m a big fan of infrared sauna. Cold therapy is great. I\u2019ve done cold plunges<\/a> for a couple weeks. It gives you mental clarity and that feeling, especially if you start your day with it, like you can take on anything. It\u2019s like coffee without the coffee. Sauna<\/a> is at the top of my list\u2014I like infrared but dry is good too, any way to sweat. Strength training is always number one. Stretching too, simple stretching.<\/p>\n Hyperbaric [oxygen therapy], I need more time with. I do like red light therapy\u2014I used a red light bed in Minnesota and really believe in that. IVs too, I like IVs more than vitamins. But honestly, the best things are usually the cheapest. Go back to what humans have always done: strength training<\/a>, getting sunlight. It\u2019s crazy\u2014we get caught up thinking expensive things are better, but sometimes the simplest answer is the best one.<\/p>\n The Healthy: Strength training sounds like one physical thing you\u2019ll never stop doing, but how about one self-care ritual you refuse to skip? Everyone from Shaq<\/a> to Angela Bassett has been sharing theirs.<\/p>\n![\"Karl-Anthony](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Karl-Anthony-Towns_GettyImages-2264783137.jpg\")
Dustin Satloff\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
![\"Karl-Anthony](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Karl-Anthony-Towns_GettyImages-2214893640.jpg\")
Elsa\/Getty ImagesKarl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks celebrates with his fianc\u00e9e Jordyn Woods<\/p>\n