Easing into post-injury exercise with mindful movement, new milestones, and expert guidance.
Maybe you broke your arm trying roller skating, or tore your ACL playing with your friend’s dog. No matter the injury, getting back into your regular movement routine can feel scary and frustrating. But your journey back to fitness can, and probably should, take time. Here are some tips to get back into fitness after an injury.
Before doing anything else, get the OK to resume exercise from your healthcare provider. While it can be tempting to get back to physical activity as soon as possible, rushing the process is a quick trip back to square one, or worse.
Be sure to leave your healthcare provider’s office with a rough timeline for easing back into movement, as well as a plan if pain emerges. This will give you peace of mind to begin, and confidence that you’ll know what to do if things are feeling not-so-nice.
Mindful movement will be your BFF as you begin your recovery. Essentially, mindful movement is the practice of paying close attention to the sensations you feel in your body during exercise.
It’s common to become hypervigilant about pain and discomfort after an injury. This is why mindful movement is essential for recovery, because it allows you a space to re-learn the difference between sensations like tightness, ease, discomfort, and pain. If you want to learn more about mindful movement, check out this article.
As you get back into movement, make note of the sensations in your body, both in the present moment, and afterwards in your notes app or a journal. This will allow you to track your progress, and to have a timeline to refer to if you notice any pain arising.
As you embark on your journey back into movement, set new goals, no matter what your goals looked before. This will keep you motivated, and excited to hit the rest of your milestones.
On this note, be prepared to approach movement differently than you did prior to your injury. This might include cross-training, such as low-impact movement like swimming or walking. It also may include lower-impact variations of movements that allow you to get a solid workout session in without aggravating your freshly healed injury.
If you aren’t sure where to begin, a private class with a certified personal trainer can be the perfect place to test the waters. You’ll receive personalized adjustments, thoughtful variations, and a plan of action that works for you, your body, and your injury.