Injuries are inevitable, whether in the Gym or in any sporting activity. People often become unmotivated, scared and quite reluctant to set foot back into the gym as they are worried about reaggravating it again or they simply become inactive and lazy. Most people fall into the mindset that they must cease all exercise in order to heal and recover. Recovery is the priority but how long should you rest for until it becomes a habit and you’re too lazy to exercise again?
Injuries happen
Everyone gets injured and it is unavoidable at times. Whether it’s a minor or major injury, you should refrain from being sedentary as there are many alternatives that could still allow you to be active – depending on the injury and its severity. Frequent and low impact exercises such as walking, or cycling can help maintain your fitness levels without affecting your overall recovery. By doing some physical activity, you will not fall into the trap and overtime become a victim to laziness. Being lazy is a choice but choosing to make that choice becomes a habit and before you know it, you’ve lost all motivation to be the best version of yourself again. To overcome an injury, you must work around it and find ways to adapt.
The key to managing injurie
The first thing you should do when encountering an injury is seek professional advice. They will be able to provide you with a parameter to how much you can and should exercise. A key factor to dealing with injuries is to work around it by finding variations and alternatives that will not affect the injured site. This will avoid falling into the trap of being sedentary. Lifting weights is one of the best methods. What? Weights! You must be thinking how am I supposed to do weights if I’m injured? Well, continuing to do strength training will be beneficial for both preserving your muscle mass and fitness levels.
For example, you have injured your shoulder and cannot train upper body for a while. Instead of sitting at home and watching Netflix, you should take this opportunity to focus on your lower body. Whether its light intensity with resistance bands or kettle bells, you are still allowing your injury to recover but you are not allowing your mind to adapt to being sedentary.
Not only is your physical health important but so is your mental health. When working out, your body releases endorphins and other chemicals which work together to make you feel good. Most of you go to the gym to destress from a long day at work but once that outlet is taken away due to this injury, you will become frustrated. The key to recovering effectively and efficiently is to not rush the process. Staying positive will provide you with the motivation and determination to overcome this setback.
What are the key points to consider?
The first step to take is to redesign your current program to suit your needs and work around the injury. By implementing alternative exercises, you are still able to continue your progress in the gym and not become a victim to laziness. Seek medical help to know what you can and cannot do in order to nurse your injury back to full strength.
The most important take home message is to take your rehab and prevention very seriously. Most of you will jump back into the intense training you’re use to, once you feel that the pain has gone away. This is the most common mistake that people make as it will increase the risk of re-injury. Like with anything you do in the gym, the best course of action is to follow the plan. Research has shown that those who stay positive throughout their rehabilitation will increase the rate of recovery. Therefore, instead of using it as an excuse or as an obstacle, use this time to focus on any weaknesses you may have. Happy training 😊
