Hi guys, Kris from Custom Fitness here, your personal trainer in Amarillo. So you’ve injured yourself, but you’re ready to get back in the studio or on the field or going outside for a workout. Today we are looking at the fitness things to do and not do after an injury. If you have a question about this article or would like some advice for your personal situation, give us a call and our trainers would be happy to help: 806-322-3188.
There are few things worse than getting injured, especially when you have found a training flow. You have the momentum, you’re seeing results and then, usually from nowhere, an injury throws you out of commission for days to months. Not only is it frustrating, but it can be extremely demoralizing. This feeling of annoyance at ourselves can lead us to hitting the gym long before our body gives the okay.
Once your medical specialist has diagnosed your injury, they will often recommend stretches or lite exercises to help the muscles and joints heal without losing too much of the work you had already put into it. The specialist may recommend seeing a rehabilitation specialist for more recovery care. Keep in mind, the doctor’s orders here need to be followed. If you brush it off, it could keep you from returning to exercise for a very, very long time.
Thankfully, there are safe means to get you back to full health, be that sports therapy, pain treatments, myofascial release (we have a great stick for that; ask our Amarillo personal trainers about it), or physiotherapy. Rehabbing an injury can sometimes take as much focus and dedication as a workout program, but this also means the results carry the same sense of pride – you had a goal and you achieved it. The next step is returning to your fitness regime of choice and making sure you do so in a safe and smart way.
Easy Does It
The first thing to keep in mind is that even after you’ve recovered from an injury, you still need to ease yourself back into your training. Your body may not be prepared for the strain exercise puts on it, so attacking with the same intensity you had before taking some time off isn’t a good idea.
Pay Attention to What Your Body Says
It’s always important to push yourself, but do so in a way that’s sensible and doesn’t feel uncomfortable. You’d be surprised how many people ignore little aches and pains assuming it’s fallout from their recovery. Listen to your body: if it hurts, don’t do it!
Paying attention to the knots you get in your muscles around the area can tell you a lot about what you are straining when performing the exercises. If you notice you have “deep knots” or you just feel really tight, don’t work out. First, calm the muscle with a myofascial release — relax the muscle so the knot can be worked out. Then you can perform your routine. Working out with a knot near the injured area can only increase your recovery time.
Injury Rehabilitation
Don’t assume being given the all-clear by your injury specialist is a reason to stop doing any rehab exercises either. Hurting a particular area of your body usually leaves it weaker than it was, even after nursing it back to health. Much like you wouldn’t put a toddler in the Olympics, your body needs to retrain the injured area to perform the functions it once had. Following the rehabilitation exercises prescribed by your health practitioner will keep you from damaging the area before it is ready to fully perform. The best way to prevent issues happening again, and to continue the strengthening process after you return to your chosen activity, is to continually focus on it. You’ll stop the injury returning and will get your body back to where it was before an issue was present.
Warm Up
Make sure to warm up the area before training, too. It’s all well and good jumping on a treadmill for a few minutes to get the blood circulating, but finding out how to directly focus on a weak spot will help no end while you get on with what matters: working out.
Post Recovery Care
Taking care of yourself even after you’ve recovered is a must to avoid falling foul of the same injury and allowing you to train in the way you want. If half your mind is occupied with what could happen, you’re not going to be getting the most out of your workout and, worst of all, you’re not going to be enjoying it. So be smart, take care of yourself, and take a little bit of extra time to make sure you’re good to go, regardless of any previous ailments.
Cross Train with a Professional
The most likely time for a person to become injured when working out is when they are by themselves and not paying attention. Hiring a personal trainer will allow you to keep your head in the game while someone else spots your form. Ask your personal trainer about cross training exercises to strengthen the injured areas in different ways. Cross training includes extra exercises you can perform to achieve total conditioning.
You’ve probably heard of Steve McLendon, a nose tackle for the NY Jets. He shows up to football practice, runs drills until sweat pours off his face, a lifts astronomical amounts of iron in the weight room, but when he’s finished? He hits up a ballet class. Why? Cross training. He is using the same muscle set not to take the other team’s giants to the ground, but teaching his muscles to be strong, agile, and support his professional movements. McLendon admitted that his cross-training actually straightened out his knees and feet. Now he feels that he can actually balance and run better than when he only went to football practice.
As always, if you have any questions about our personal training, nutrition counseling, or group classes and programs, please contact us at: info@customfitness.biz or 806-322-3188. At Custom Fitness we are YOUR personal trainers in Amarillo, Texas. Have a great day everybody.