Newstricky| You’ve been sidelined by an injury, but you’re eager to get moving again. Be patient. Learn what to do when you return to the gym after a long injury.
The first thing you have to do after you’ve been injured is get a correct diagnosis from a qualified health care professional. From there, it’s time to jump into rehabilitation mode. If your injury is minor and not so much “sports” related, rehab may only take a few days or weeks. More serious injuries may require months of physical therapy and total rest from sporting activity.
No matter what the injury, the key is to always start with the easiest level of activity that won’t cause pain or further damage and then slowly work your way back up to your pre-injury fitness level.
Here are some guidelines.
Table of Contents
Listen to your body
Your body will tell you when it’s ready to hit the gym. If you try to work out too soon after an injury, you may re-injure yourself or make the first injury worse. Instead of pushing through pain, take time off and talk with your doctor about how to prevent future injuries. You may not be able to do what you used to do right away, physically or mentally. That’s normal! Just take it one day at a time. If you feel like pushing yourself too far, listen to your body; if something hurts, stop and rest until it feels better.
Start with a warmup
Once you’re cleared to exercise, ease yourself back into things. If you were injured while running, for example, take it easy at first. Walk a bit and then run a little — and then walk some more.
Before you begin any exercise, warm up your muscles with low-intensity movements such as walking or slow jogging in place. Then follow up with dynamic stretches that target the major muscle groups you’ll be using during your workout — along with the muscles around the joint that was injured. For example, if you have an injured knee, focus on stretching your hamstrings, quadriceps, hips and calves. You can also add a few low-intensity repetitions of the movement you plan to do during your workout — for example, if you’re going to run at a moderate pace for 30 minutes, start by jogging slowly for two or three minutes. A warmup gradually increases blood flow to your muscles and raises your body temperature — preparing your body for exertion.
Talk to your doctor or physical therapist
It’s tempting to hit the gym the minute you can put weight on the injured area and bend it without pain. But before you do that, make sure it’s OK with your doctor or physical therapist – physiotherapy clinics can offer you the best solution and to help you it takes to get back in the game safely and build a program that lets you progress safely and effectively.
A professional can help you develop a safe plan for returning to the activity that minimizes risk and maximizes your results. They can show you how to do exercises safely and effectively, correct form and posture issues, ensure proper technique and guide your exercise selection based on your level of fitness and injury history.
A trainer can also help keep you motivated as you work through an exercise program designed specifically for your needs, which will help you reach your goals faster while minimizing the risk of further injuries.
Find an exercise buddy
It helps to have someone in your corner when it comes time to get back in shape, especially if you’ve had an injury that’s kept you on the sidelines for a long stretch of time. Your friend or family member can help keep you accountable and push you when you need it most — as well as celebrate with you as progress is made!
It can be tough to stick with an exercise routine if it feels like it will never end. Set small goals for yourself, like working out three times a week for two weeks straight, and then building on that success toward larger goals.
Ease back in with low-impact cardio
Assuming you’re cleared for activity, start by taking it slow with low-impact cardio. Take a spin class or walk on an incline on the treadmill — both are easy on the joints while still getting your heart rate up and helping your muscles get back in shape. If running or jumping jacks are part of your typical workout routine, concentrate on building up stamina before diving right in with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Try walking 1 minute at a time and gradually adding 2 minutes each week until you’re able to do 20 minutes straight — and then keep going!
If building muscle is more important than burning calories, try a few restorative yoga poses to get your body moving again without putting stress on bones and joints.
Returning to your fitness routine after an injury can be frustrating. You may have lost some strength during the recovery process, and you may even be a little out of shape. However, if you take things slowly, you should be able to get back to your pre-injury level of fitness in a reasonable amount of time.
If you’re injured, you may be tempted just to push through the pain and get back to your pre-injury routine. Many injuries require rest and healing, however, so you want to make sure your injury is fully healed before you start back into your regular fitness routine.
