Exercises You Can Do While Healing From Injury
By Genevieve Cunningham
For those who love working out, injury is the worst. While you were once incredibly active, you're suddenly sidelined -- twiddling your thumbs and waiting for the time to pass and your body to heal. This can really make the time drag and cause a decline in motivation. So what can we do to keep up our exercise motivation while waiting out injury? If you're sitting out and anxious to get moving, take a look at these exercise that you can do throughout your wait.
Stretching or Yoga
Stretching or yoga can be an incredibly gentle way to move your body, which makes it a good choice while your body is healing. You’ll want to choose a routine wisely, as it will depend heavily on your particular injury. A more severe injury will need a softer approach, while a mild injury may be able to handle a more intense stretching routine. Just be sure to listen to your body as it heals and grows stronger.
Walking
If you’ve broken a leg, you may not be able to do this one just yet. But most injuries allow for a little bit of walking. Even sprained ankles can handle weight relatively quickly. As soon as you’re able (and your doctor allows it), get in a short walking routine. Don’t push it too far. Go slowly and choose shorter distances and slower paces until you’re strong enough and healed enough to handle a harder task.
Water Aerobics
Water can be an excellent choice for almost anyone who is in pain. Why? Because water can ease the tension and pressure that comes with injury. You can swim, walk in shallow water, tread, or join a class of some kind. Go slowly and don’t push your body too far. Because the water can temporarily take away the pain, it’s easy to go overboard. But if you’re careful, slow, and deliberate about your water routine, it might help you heal your body and keep the motivation alive.
Not all injuries allow you to jump right back into exercise. In fact, make sure that you’re getting enough rest to let your body properly heal. But when you’re feeling up to it, these exercise are great places to start. They’re gentle, effective, and can help keep the motivation alive. Injury doesn’t have to completely derail your plans. Go easy on yourself, but stay with it for the best and most lasting results.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in South Gate, Calif.
