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| Thursday, August 06, 2009 |
| Down for the Count |
Injuries can happen anytime, anywhere. Sometimes an injury can put you down for the count and derail your whole fitness plan. You should always visit your doctor when you have any injury. However, you may not be doomed to months of being a couch potato. Doing the right exercises during your injury may even help it heal faster.
The most important thing to remember is to stop if it hurts. Whether you have a sprained ankle or bad back, if you feel pain during any exercise, stop! Many times people “work through the pain” but this can make your injury worse or even create a new one. The best rule of thumb is to stop if you feel any amount of pain.
Next, find a workout that works with your injury. If you have pain in your knee when you run or jump, try Pilates or a toning class. If you go to a gym, look for a rowing machine. You can get a great cardiovascular and toning workout on this machine. If your injury is associated with your shoulder, you may not be able to lift weights, but you can try walking or biking. Not everyone has access to a pool year round, but swimming is a great exercise for people with almost any kind of injury. Swimming puts no impact on your joints while giving you a great upper body, lower body and core workout. If you have an injury that will take a long time to fully heal, you may want to invest in a membership at a fitness center that has a pool.
I always recommend stretching after exercise, but it’s even more important to stretch if you have an injury. Often times we put extra stress on other muscles if we have an injury because we are compensating. For example, if you have a pulled muscle in your right hamstring, your left leg will do a lot of extra work. Make sure you do a complete body stretch before and after any workout.
Always follow your doctor’s recommendations. Your doctor may be able to give you a list of exercises that are appropriate or they may refer you to a physical therapist for rehabilitation. A physical therapist can assess an injury and show you effective exercises for your injured body part and supporting muscles. After a few visits with a physical therapist, you will probably be able to complete the exercises on your own.
Be aware of symptoms that may indicate that your injury is getting worse. Symptoms such as pain, swelling, numbness or tingling should be discussed with your doctor. Don’t assume that these symptoms are normal. Check with your doctor to find out what is considered normal with your specific injury.
In the end, you may need to take a few weeks off. However, depending on the severity of your injury, you will probably be able to find some forms of exercise that you can do during your recovery. Don’t give up! Once you get out of the habit of exercising, it may be hard to get back into it.
- Jennifer
Labels: Exercise, Fitness, healthy tips, Jennifer, Physical Activity
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posted by My Sensei @ Thursday, August 06, 2009   |
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| 3 Comments: |
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concur! Especially with the note about stopping when you feel ANY pain. People always want to push through it.
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Great advice! I am so bad about this cause I am a workout horse!!! BUT, when I have been injured, like you mentioned, I have found ways to work around it per doc instructions.
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I did that..I was a fool! My thighs hurt, but I still ran for miles and miles...I couldn't walk for months after that!
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concur! Especially with the note about stopping when you feel ANY pain. People always want to push through it.