It takes just a second to injure your body; however, recovery takes time.
You may have over-exerted yourself and sprained your back, slipped and broke your leg, suffered a stress injury, or perhaps a collision may have left you with a concussion.
Injuries are annoying, and you may be itching to get moving again, but you need a comeback plan.
Returning to exercise after an injury is not always easy. You will experience pain, which is your body’s way of conveying the message; something is not right.
Your comeback requires you to adopt a gradual approach to prevent further accelerating the injuries.
In this article we will explore a recovery plan to return to exercise after an injury.
Talk to your healthcare team
Talk to our healthcare team, from your doctor to your therapist when you feel ready to start exercising again.
Remember that every person’s injury is different and unique; thus, your healthy team needs to customize your workout schedule.
Avoid going back into training without your doctor’s approval to avoid reinjuring yourself, thus prolonging recovery.
Listen to your body
Our bodies talk differently, especially after an injury. Learn to listen to how your body feels and trust it.
Trusting your body will guide you in getting back to doing certain things without pressuring it, thus achieving your desired goals.
Listening to your body may be as simple as pausing for a moment and evaluating how you feel. For example, if seated down, ask yourself which muscles feel tighter.
Keeping this mindfulness even when returning to exercise will prevent further injuries and enable you to progress towards your goals.
Take it slow
After recovery for a while, you should return to doing the kind of workout you used before the injury, but gently.
If you return to your original exercise routine, you may risk exerting all your energy, thus making yourself weaker and exposing you to further injury.
If all is not good, stop, readjust your workout. However, if the pain is persistent, stop.
Begin with simple exercises
Simple exercises like walking are the body’s most natural type of movement, and when recovering from injury, taking a walk becomes the best way of keeping active.
Swimming is another gentle exercise you can try. Start slow and gradually increase as your body adapts.
Yoga and any form of stretching activity works magic. Stretching helps to;
- Elongate your muscles, thus preventing further strain and injuries
- Ease muscle stiffness and sores
- Decrease tension headaches
- Calm your mind, thus reducing stress
- Increases blood flow to the muscles
Remember to wear protective gear, not push yourself too hard, and take enough rest between workouts.
Don’t ignore pain
Keep in mind pain is pain. Some exercise enthusiasts may ignore pain and embrace the ” no pain, no gain” motto, but when it comes to body injury that motto is not applicable.
In this case, pain signifies that you have pushed your body too much.
Resting and recovering after feeling pain is vital when reintroducing exercise after an injury.
Work on your balance
Balance is vital in ensuring your body posture is correct when working out.
A balanced body improves your body posture, strengthens your core and makes your exercise routine powerful and less risky.
Poor body balance increases the risk of more injuries, especially to your ankles and feet. Embrace balance training exercises like TaiChi and one leg stands.
Focus on nutrition
Eating well and staying hydrated plays a significant role in recovery and strength.
Eat nutrient dense meals, avoid caffeine and alcohol, rest well, and make water your friend.
Prepare yourself mentally
Once your therapist and doctor give you a greenlight to start exercising, it’s time to sit down and evaluate your mental state.
Take mental notes on what caused the injuries and refrain from repeating the same.
Cultivate mental practices such as mindfulness, gratitude and staying positive. Keep in mind most injuries are temporary, and remind yourself that often.
Share your training exciting progress
Regardless of how small the progress may seem, sharing your milestones will motivate you to look past your injuries and work towards your goals.
Additionally, such information may enable your doctor/therapist/chiropractor to determine the best cause of action in case of pain or inflammation. The physical therapist may use the progress report as a roadmap on which muscle to receive particular exercise and which to avoid.
If your injuries were caused by an automobile accident, the progress report will enable your car accident lawyer to determine how to handle your compensation package.
Change your routine
It’s hard for workout lovers to adjust their workout routine; however, this is highly advisable after an injury.
Instead of a daily routine focused on intensity, you may choose a 2 times a week schedule that is focused on duration.
Remember that impact workouts help protect against further injuries while building muscle strength.
Get creative, embrace your new routine, and take comfort in knowing it’s only temporary.
Get a trainer
Working with a personal trainer to guide you is advisable.
Look for an experienced trainer who has handled injured clients before and fully understands their needs.
Final thoughts on returning to exercise after an injury
An injury especially to exercise lovers may seem like a significant setback. However, with a solid plan, you can eventually get back to your prior form.
Returning to fitness after recovering from an injury is a slow process. The above tips will help you to get back to exercising while eliminating the risk of reinjury.
