How To Get Back To Fitness After An Injury
Staying fit is a great way to keep your body healthy and your mind alert. However, on your fitness journey, there may be situations where you get injured. Thankfully, that shouldn’t deter you, as it’s only a setback and not a reason to completely abandon all your fitness goals. Of course, getting back to fitness can be challenging but not impossible, depending on your injury type. The most important thing is getting your body back in shape quickly and safely without risking your physical health. If you’re still recovering from an injury, here’s how to get back to fitness.
Work around the injury
An injury can affect your joints, muscles, or even bones, depending on which part of your body it is. And this can make it very difficult to move around, not to talk about exercising. If staying indoors is not an option, you can find ways to work around the injury. With the green light from your doctor, you can work with a physio to engage in exercises that stretch, move, and strengthen other parts of your body unaffected by the injury. A physio double bay skilled in joint manual therapy and muscle release techniques can also help nurse your affected area back to health.
Take Things Slow
The last thing you want to do is rush back to the gym or your previous fitness routines, regardless of how well your injury is healing. Your fitness level and physical conditioning will have taken quite a hit, especially if you’ve been inactive for a lengthy period because of your injury. It would help if you took things slow when returning to your fitness routine. Otherwise, you may risk worsening your injury or causing further damage. Start slowly, and whenever you feel pain, stop. And speaking of starting slowly, the next point is also important.
Start by Walking
Regardless of the type of injury you suffered, walking is one of the best ways to get yourself active again. Walking is a natural movement with benefits extending to every body part. Once you feel ready to move again, start walking slowly for a few minutes each day. Doing this will not only keep you active but can also help improve your physical condition. Swimming after a while is another gentle exercise that can help during any recovery stage. Consider increasing the intensity and length as you heal.
Prep Yourself Mentally
Sometimes, your mental state is the biggest barrier to fitness after an injury. Even after your doctor and physiotherapist have given you the OK, fear can keep you from going back to an active lifestyle. Fear can also make you believe you may not return to your active lifestyle again. So, prep yourself mentally. Accept that the journey back to fitness may be challenging but not impossible. Also, find ways to stay positive. Most injuries are only temporary, no matter how long they last. It helps to remind yourself that you can return to your previous lifestyle if only you remain positive.
