It’s not all doom and gloom if you’re dealing with an injury. While the sudden shock of the injury itself and the fact that our life is about to change because of it is enough to paralyse us into inactivity, that doesn’t mean we can’t move our body. Unless you’re reading this in a hospital-bound environment, I’d say that the vast majority of us could indeed find a way to work with- and not against- an injury.
Here is some advice for you. Go to a Doctor (whose name is NOT Google!), take time off and rest (as needed), ease back on your training, don’t workout knowing you have an injury, and stick to any prescribed physical therapy. But there are some extra things you can do when there’s an injury
Say your injury was in your lower body. If that’s the case, switch to upper body work on top of the physical therapy or recovery that’s prescribed. You don’t even need to stand up. If you’ve got a few heavy weights or resistance bands at home, use those. If you’ve got some mobility in you’re your lower body, you can add in pull-ups, planks, dips, and rows on top of that. Gentle walks and swimming are other activities to consider, too.
Now, if your injury is in your upper body, then switch over to your lower body. Squats, lunges, hip thrusts- if you can’t hold any weight due to the injury, then stick with your body weight, which is still a great way to train. Outdoor activities like hiking or cycling might be good too provided they don’t strain your injury. And again, there’s also swimming, which is low impact on the joints.
Perhaps your injury was only minor. You can do most of your regular training, aside from a few nagging areas in your body that were injured. If that’s the case, then modify your training as needed. If you injured a knee, it wouldn’t be wise to put on pressure or strain on it. Therefore, work around it. Provide soft cushioning, or find an alternate way to perform the exercise. I suggest doing exercises like Partial Squats, Lying Glute Work, and Standing Glute and Quad Work.
Keep the Momentum Going. It’s so easy to lose our fitness once an injury sets in. For some people, there’s no avoiding the doctor’s orders. But for those of us with options, it’s important to incorporate some movement into our day. We must know our limits, and learn to work within them. If walking is the only thing that can be done, then so be it- walk everyday. Keep the ball rolling. Your mind and body will then continue to be plugged into daily exercise like it used to before the injury. This will help once you’ve fully recovered; getting back into the swing of things won’t be as difficult since the habit has been maintained. The daily movement also promotes circulation and healing to the affected injury, too.
So what do you think? Is getting injured a death sentence when it comes to fitness? What are your tips for working around injuries?