Injury does not mean that you have to completely discontinue exercise. It is still possible to continue to maintain your strength and make progress towards your fitness goals. The key is to take things slowly and modify your routine to work around the injury. Do not ever fall into the trap of thinking that an injury is an excuse to stop exercising completely. There is always a way to keep active as long as you make the proper accommodations.
Depending on the area of the body that was injured and the type of injury that was incurred, the first step is to select a different type of exercise that still works the relevant muscles. For example, let’s say that you had a shoulder injury that prevents you from being able to do pushups. A suitable modification would be to lay down on your back and do a dumbbell press with lighter weight than you’re accustomed to. Depending on the extent of the injury, you may eventually decide to switch to doing pushups with your knees positioned on the floor. These exercise modifications take the load off of the injury while still allowing you to gain strength where it is needed most.
There is always another way to work out a muscle group without incurring further injury. For cardio workouts, high impact exercise such as running can be changed to elliptical training or biking. There are always equivalent cardio exercises that keep the joints from experiencing impact stress. Especially during this summer season, swimming is a bit easier on your body, but it allows you to get a great cardiovascular workout. You can still obtain all the benefits of intense cardio while also allowing any injuries to heal.
The main thing to consider while exercising with an injury is that you always want to give your body adequate time to repair and recover. If you still feel sore after three days of resting, wait a couple more days before continuing. If you experience pain or discomfort on your injury during modified workouts, this can be a signal from your body—you need to talk to a qualified professional to make sure the injury is properly managed. If you do not allow for adequate rest and recovery periods, your body will likely sustain further injury.
At the end of the day, it is about being smart, not pushing yourself too hard, and giving yourself a complete day of rest at the end of the week so you give your body the opportunity to bounce back and give 100 percent at your next workout. Remember to always closely monitor any injury and consult a medical professional if necessary.
If you would like help reaching your fitness goals or you would like to learn how to continue to exercise safely after incurring injury, Bree and the team at Tulsa Spine and Rehab can help. Contact us today or give us a call at (918) 743-3737.
Podcast: Play in new window
