Training injuries are inevitable when pushing yourself to take your fitness level up a notch. Nevertheless, it’s never easy dealing with the injury and staying on a bench for a while. The process can be complicated and lengthy.
Most people get eager and itching to get back with their regular exercise routine. However, no matter how strong you feel, rushing into activities isn’t always the wisest idea.
Before jumping back in full force, make sure to consult medical experts first. Also, it is crucial to follow the steps listed below to strengthen the muscles and prepare your body for the comeback.
When your doctor gives you the green light, it’s time to begin with the exercises to fully recover and regain full functional mobility again.
1. Always Consult Medical Experts Before Getting Back on Track
You may be itching to get back to running or weight lifting as soon as possible, but even if you feel you are ready, make sure to consult your physician before getting back into your old routine. Physical therapists and other sports medicine professionals will be able to give you expert advice on when and how to ease into the activities after recovering from an injury.
If you push yourself before the pain and the swelling have improved significantly, you may end up prolonging the recovery, or even worse – make your injury more difficult to handle. This is where experts come in – they will help you come back slowly and safely, preventing a recurring injury.
2. Utilize Medicine Balls to Improve Rehabilitation Efforts
Medicine balls are very useful in helping patients recover from injuries, especially from knee, shoulder, and spinal injuries. They help in restoring your body’s endurance. Start with lightweight balls at first, and gradually increase the ball’s weight as you regrow your strength and endurance. You can get a medicine ball and use it to get a full-body workout and rebuild your strength.
Exercising with medicine balls is more than just fun and versatile – they also help you improve balance, flexibility, and coordination. Their usage in your post-recovery process also ensures safe workouts since they contribute to building stronger back and better core stability.
3. Include Stretch Exercises
Sometimes you will need to be completely immobilized to recover from the injury, which leads to static and stiff muscles. To avoid this, talk to your physician about incorporating stretching exercises into your recovery process.
Stretch exercises and slow yoga moves will keep your muscles engaged while you are healing. This may help you with easing into regular activities when your healing is done.
However, it is important to bear in mind that not every injury should be stretched. A torn or pulled muscle is better left alone. If you stretch it, you will only aggravate the issue. As mentioned before, consulting an expert is a must before incorporating stretch exercises in your recovery process. The right program during your recovery process is also important. Many people like to implement wobble board exercises as they help the body stretch in all directions. The device is a simple but effective tool that improves balance, coordination, and core strength.
4. Active Recovery Is the Key
If you are recovering from injury, doing nothing isn’t a great idea. Active recovery is the key to getting back on track as quickly as possible. When your doctor gives the heads up, it’s time to begin with physical activities.
A gentle walk and swimming are some of the best ways to ease you back into your regular fitness regimen. Cycling and swimming are both recommended when healing due to their low impact on ankles, knees, and hips. Swimming is especially beneficial since it takes the pressure off injured tissue.
Include seated exercises and concentrate on the muscle groups that haven’t been injured. Non-weight bearing and contraction exercises are recommended for starters. Strength training with very light weights is also an option.
Whatever feels good while you’re recovering can be included in the post-injury workout. If you feel pain at any point, it is a warning to stop with what you are doing immediately.
5. Ease Back Into the Activities
Whether you are a professional bodybuilder, tennis player, or a runner, getting back into your old routine has to be slow-paced. It is necessary to consult your doctor or physical therapist about the recommended level of activity given your injury. Experts advise starting slowly and doing only the quarter of the usual regimen to avoid pain, swelling, and other side effects. For instance, if you usually work out for a couple of hours in the gym, start with just one 30 minute session with light weights for a couple of weeks.
It is essential to listen to your body carefully and to start at a slow pace. Make sure not to push your body’s boundaries too far, but instead slowly build your strength and flexibility. Your task at this point is to ease back into exercise and enjoy moving again.
Go outside for an easy workout with your friend or go for a swim. This will help you recover from the setback emotionally as well. Bear in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all injury recovery exercise program. It has to be adapted to best suit your unique diagnosis and issues.