How to Return to Exercise After An Injury
If a recent injury has stopped you from exercising, you might be eager to return. Of course, you can’t just jump in and pick up where you left off. Depending on your injuries, you may need physical therapy or at least a staggered process. If you’re planning a return to exercise after an injury, reading through this guide can help prevent any additional issues.
Consulting Healthcare Professionals Before Resuming Activity
Before you resume any type of exercise, we strongly recommend that you consult with healthcare professionals. Seeking medical advice can help determine whether or not you’re able to return to exercise and the extent you can exercise.
For example, if your injury resulted from a cycling incident, discussing your situation with specialised healthcare providers is crucial. You may have sustained serious injuries which require specific treatment and rehabilitation and can sometimes be very costly. If that’s the case, you may want to find out if you have a cycling accident claim and the support this can offer.
While sticking to this advice may feel frustrating, especially if you’re not healing as quickly as you’d like, it will prevent further injury. In turn, this can prevent you from developing chronic pain issues as a result of your injuries, which may indefinitely prevent you from exercising to your full ability.
Implementing a Gradual Return to Exercise
When restarting your exercise regime, the most important thing to remember is that you need to gradually reintroduce your body to exercise. Whether it’s weightlifting, cycling, or a sport like football and rugby, your body needs time to heal and adapt.
Start with low-intensity exercises to help build musical strength and endurance. Swimming, aqua aerobics, and other gentle water-based exercises are perfect, as the water reduces the stress on your body.
Once you feel your strength recover, consult your physical therapist about increasing the intensity.
Incorporating Rehabilitation and Strengthening Exercises
Depending on your injuries, there may be specific rehabilitation exercises that will help to develop and strengthen the damaged areas. A physical therapist may create a structured and personalised recovery plan to address any muscle imbalances and reduce the risk of another injury.
Various strengthening exercises to adopt when planning a return to exercise have also been shown to accelerate tissue repair and recovery. That’s because as you exercise, you increase blood flow to the muscles, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to targeted areas.
Listening to Your Body and Recognising Warning Signs
During your progression, you must listen to your body and pay attention to any warning signs. There is a clear difference between regular discomfort and pain that indicates a potential issue.
If you’re eager to return to form, you might be tempted to ignore your body and push through the pain. However, this will likely cause you further injury and might even reset any progress you’ve made.
Preventing Future Injuries by Ensuring Proper Techniques and Equipment
Even when you’re fully healed, there are several steps you should incorporate into your workout to prevent further injuries. Proper warm-ups and cool-downs help to prepare your body for exercise, making your muscles more elastic and reducing the chances of injury.
Additionally, you should always focus on maintaining proper technique. For example, lifting awkwardly can cause significant injury to your back, even if it’s a much lighter weight than normal.
If you are planning a return to exercise, you may prefer some gentle exercises at home rather than going to the gym. That can be an excellent approach providing you do consider all the points above, espcially listening to your body and technique.