If you are used to regular exercise and have been injured there is not much that is more frustrating than feeling better but not being quite ready to get back to your normal exercise routine. When is it ok to get back to exercising and how do you know how much you can do? We take a quick look at the basics in this month’s article to help all those of you dealing with an injury to get back to working out safely.
Listen to the experts’ advice
This could be your doctor or your physio if your injury was such that you needed to seek advice. Whatever your injury, your body needs the right amount of time to heal and this could range from a few days to a few months. Pushing your body beyond its limits will only lead to more or worse damage, so take the experts’ advice seriously no matter how much better you may feel.
Start slow
Once you are ready to get started again, don’t go all out like you would have done before. Start slow, take it easy, and slowly build your strength and stamina back up. It won’t happen overnight, so don’t force it.
Listen to your body
It will tell you how it’s feeling. It will give you an indication of whether or not you’ve tried too hard, or too quickly. It is normal to feel some muscle stiffness for a couple of days after getting back to exercising, but if you are in some serious discomfort or pain then your body is telling you that you’ve gone too far.
Lighten the load
If weight training is your thing, don’t go straight back to the weight you were working with before your injury. Nor should you do as many reps or sets as you did before. How light you do go will depend on the type of injury you had and it is always wise to get the all-clear from a doctor before going back to it. Now could be the time to seek advice from a personal trainer about the level you should be starting at or how to build back up to where you were before.
Work on your core
Your core is what will help you stay strong and well balanced. It will keep you from injuring yourself further and will improve your posture – all of which will help you get back up to your normal routine sooner rather than later.
Eat well and rest up
Good advice whether you are returning from injury or not, but particularly important if you are. Give your body a chance to recover from the return to exercise. Take three days off instead of one. Get plenty of sleep – nature’s way of healing the body – and eat well to give yourself the nourishment and fuel that will help you get back to up to your peak condition.
For advice on how to get back to training after an injury or for a tailored programme to get you back into shape, talk to us at Valkyrie Personal Training & Massage on 07973 483314. We’ll get you fit again in no time!
