YOU can still be making progress whilst injured
Yep, you read that right. I’m going to outline three different ways you can rehabilitate, work with and even progress whilst being injured.
Injuries are never nice even if they are minor but especially if they are fairly major. They can put you out of action for a long time. Daily routines, exercise and diets can often fall by the wayside when you’re injured… “I’m injured and can’t do anything so what’s the point?” I hear ya, I’ve been in the same position plenty of times. Partially torn hamstrings, golfers elbow, sprained or impacted ankles partially torn achilles tendon just to name a few.
Well I’m here to tell you all is not lost, there’s still plenty we can do to keep fit and active whilst injured.
So, let’s start with the “easiest” to control and do. I’ve said easiest like that because although, yes, it is the most controllable, not many people (myself included) feel like being 100% on their diet when they aren’t able to train. It’s a bit like when you’re on holiday. You get out of the rhythm, motivation drops and you just can’t be bothered. However, it is the most easily controlled variable and it will stop any needless weight gain/weight loss (if you’re trying to gain size) whilst you’re out of action from a competing/exercising point of view. I always say to my clients “control what you can control and ignore what you can’t”. If there’s nothing you can do about your injury because you are waiting for an appointment to see someone, or you have been told you just need to simply rest, get on top of your food intake and control what you can from your point of view.
Solution number two is to get a scan/see a professional. Whilst they won’t be able to cure you there and then, they will be able to give you a very good idea of what’s going on. On top of that, if you see a professional like an osteopath or a physiotherapist, they will be able to recommend what exercises you can do on the injured area, if any, to help strengthen and rehabilitate your injury. Minor tares, sprains, tendinosis, many things can be improved and even fixed with a careful and professionally devised program. All is not lost! Not only will you possibly be able to start working on the injured area with some simple bodyweight or banded exercises, many professionals will be able to give you a very rough guide as to how long the injury will take to feel better, based on the severity of what you’ve done.
Historically I have been TERRIBLE for picking up a knock or an injury and just stopping training altogether because I’m fed up and focusing on what I can’t do, rather than what I can do. So here it is, my third and final idea on how to keep working with and around injuries. As I’ve just touched on previously, work around the injured area. What, you can keep training? You sure can.
An injured ankle, although annoying and limiting doesn’t mean you have to stop training full stop and vice versa for an upper body injury. You can keep hitting the gym and working on the body parts that are uninjured. Not only will this help you to progress the areas you’re targeting, you’re more likely to do your rehabilitation exercises (if you’ve got any) because you’re staying active and you’re in the gym as well as staying on top of your diet.
For more information on how to work with, around or any advice on who to speak to if/when you pick up a minor injury, please get in touch as I know first-hand just how annoying and debilitating it can be.
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