Did you hurt your ankle, leg, arm or knees? There are ways to achieve workouts with an injury. Even more serious injuries that involve the whole body can be achieved, but only when your physician says it’s safe. Skipping your workout because of a injury isn’t justified, especially if you have a trainer. A personal trainer, like those at Gym Slayer, can design a workout that doesn’t exasperate the injury, yet gives you the exercise you need. While you might not workout at a 100%, it doesn’t mean you stop working out completely. You can still maintain your base fitness level while you recover.
Your workout can be adjusted to your injury.
You won’t be able to go at 100%, but that doesn’t mean to stop it completely. If your injury is on your lower body, doing upper body workouts don’t have to stop. Always get clearance from your doctor first. If your injury is an ankle or foot injury, one of the most common, keep your weight off the foot. Do exercises like the chest press, lateral pulldown, overhead press and seated cable rows.
Knee and leg injuries are more difficult.
For these types of injuries, swimming with a buoy to avoid kicking and aerobic exercises like rowing that don’t require pressure on the leg or knee are good, but tough to find. Focus more on seated exercises and stretching. Try pull-ups, chest presses, lateral pulldown and overhead press. Strength training exercises should also be accompanied by flexibility training for the upper body. If you’re working with a physical therapist or other health care professional, check with them first.
Upper body injuries shouldn’t affect a cardio workout or lower body strength training.
Leg presses, walking lunge, lower back extensions, treadmill walking and ab crunch are just a few of the exercises you can do with upper body injuries, like arms and shoulders. If you have a back injury, some of these won’t do. Simple aerobic workouts, such as walking and swimming. Based on the location of the back injury, other exercises can be added, which can bring relief. Hip bridge, leg slides, bird dog, partial crunches and the easiest of all, walking, can help increase circulation and bring relief.
- Don’t let your injury cause you to lose all your fitness gains, particularly the older you are, when it occurs faster. A personal trainer can modify most exercises to help you until it’s safe for you to do a full workout.
- Even though working out is healthy and encouraged, don’t overdo it. Your body needs time to rest and heal, too.
- You can use isometric exercises if you’re unable to get up and be active. Isometric exercises are muscular contractions, without any weight put on the area injured. They’re good to use after surgery, to build weak muscles, maintaining muscle control and when other types of exercise are impossible.
- Stretching exercises that don’t put undo pressure on the area injured or cause pain can also help heal that area. Back pain and often shoulder pain can benefit from stretching style exercises.
For more information, contact us today at Gym Slayer