Staying active while injured can be pretty difficult to do. You’re not as mobile as you’re used to, you’re likely in pain, and for some, depression becomes a big issue. Ultimately, you might need help getting back to where you need to be. Physical activity can work wonders for the body and mind. It promotes faster recovery, it gets you active, and, in short, it helps.
So, we’re going to break it down for you. Below you will find a guide to rehab’ing the different parts of your body that might be injured. If you don’t find your match, keep searching! There are plenty exercises and methods to get you back on your feet quicker.
Staying Active While Injured: Activities to Fit Your Injuries
It’s important to remember that each injury may require different ways of staying active. So, you have to find the activities that are going to work for you and your injury. These might not be your golden ticket. But, use them as a jumping off point for your recovery plan. After all, everyone needs to start somewhere.
Lower body injuries
For lower body injuries, you should ease back into a regimen. Some good exercises to try out can be rowing, or light exercises in the pool. Resistance bands are a great way to build strength back in your legs. You can start with low resistance and continue to move to higher resistance. They offer a great range of user-friendly options.
Upper body injuries
When dealing with upper body injuries you want to minimize the amount of stress you’re putting on your joints. You can do this by using a stationary bike, or working out in the pool. Both of these options only put a small amount of stress onto your upper body. Therefore, you can control the amount of energy you’re using them for. Try light weights, maybe five pounds at a time, and build slowly. The most important thing to remember during recovery is to move slow to avoid additional injury.
Back injuries
When it comes to a back injury, things get a little more complicated. Because back injuries are much more serious and can have long-lasting effects, it’s important that you don’t try to handle this one on your own. Speak with a doctor, a physical therapist, and craft your plan of action. Light walking and daily activity are the only suggested plans of action without knowing the exact severity of your injury.
Preventing Further Injury
Staying active is necessary when suffering an injury. By not exercising, your body becomes weak, you become more susceptible to injury, health issues, and you may begin to gain weight. Ultimately, the best way to prevent further injury is to stay active. Whether that be a daily walk, stretching, a trip to the gym, or yoga. The best thing you can do for your body, is keep it moving.