Injuries can happen to the best of us. Whether you’ve fallen from a ladder or sprained a muscle, an injury is definitely something that requires you to take off time from your exercise routine. But it shouldn’t be the reason for you to get rid of your healthy habits. It is possible to start exercising again after an injury. However, it is necessary to take note of the following steps to make sure it won’t interfere with your recovery.
5 Gs to Remember Before Hitting the Personal Fitness Studio After an Injury
1 – Get a Green Light from Your Physician
No matter how fit and healthy you are, you still need to take the necessary precautions when exercising during recovery. Seniors, in particular, need to be careful, as injuries from a fall can damage soft tissues that need six weeks or more to heal completely.
Consult your doctors and physical therapists before setting up an appointment with your fitness studio. Ask them when the perfect time would be to start exercising again, what workouts they recommend you can start with, and which parts of your routine you need to tweak or lay off for a while.
2 – Give Your Personal Trainer a Head’s Up
Once your doctor gives you the go signal, the next person you need to help you ease back into your routine is your personal trainer. Fitness experts have the skills and knowledge to design a custom training program for you that suits your current state. They are also often experienced and well-trained in helping seniors address specific issues and can help re-strengthen the areas affected by the injury.
3 – Gradually Get Back into It
As important as it is to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, healing has to be the priority during this time. Pushing yourself too far can affect your recovery and may even worsen your current condition.
Here are three tips to get back into your flow.
- Try starting at a 50 percent capacity to get a feel of things. You can slowly increase the intensity of your workout as things get easier.
- Include a three- to five-minute warm-up and cool-down exercise routine. Warm-ups raise your body temperature, increase blood flow, and lowers the risk of injury. Cool-downs slow things down to get your heart rate back to normal.
- Listen to your trainer and take your doctor’s orders to heart. Follow all of their recommendations to ensure you heal right while maintaining your fitness and lifestyle.
4 – Guide Your Body and Mind
It’s definitely fine if you feel a bit of strain and discomfort exercising after breaking away from it. Pushing through that burn is actually a key component in exercising post-injury. However, sharp and intense pains are certainly not normal and should not be ignored. It is important to have a mindset to push boundaries, but it is also crucial for you to listen to your body.
Be transparent with your personal trainer about the things you’re feeling. They will not push you to do anything that might affect your recovery. If the pain is severe, you would most likely need to stop and take an extended rest.
5 – Guard Yourself
Be mindful to avoid activities that could worsen your injury or cause another. Resistance training may prove effective for you, as it can help re-strengthen the foundations of your muscles. Your trainer can help develop a routine that you can follow while you recover.
Conclusion
Getting back into exercising after an injury is not easy, but it is a great step to recover both physically and mentally after such an incident. As long as you listen to health experts, like your physician and your trainer, you will have little to no trouble getting back into shape.
Get a custom training program in Wellesley curated by professional fitness experts at The Fit Factor. This personal fitness studio provides you with personal trainers who can help guide you properly and ensure you exercise safely. Contact us today to learn more.
Chad has been my personal trainer for over 10 years. He is very dedicated and resourceful as a trainer. I would highly recommend Chad. He has kept my body healthy through all these years and in my 50s. Chad is also very accommodating to working with your schedule. Wouldn't go anywhere else.
I love working out with Chad! I have been working out with him for the past year and a half and have had the best results compared with other trainers. Chad’s dedication to his clients, humor, warmth and expertise are a winning combination. I look forward to our sessions and always leave feeling stronger, more flexible and energetic. I highly recommend Chad.
I have been working with Chad (the trainer) for almost three years now and have gone through an amazing transformation! He bonds greatly with his clients and is a very qualified trainer. He tailors workouts to individual clients and has helped me perform better as an equestrian and achieve my physique goals. If you are looking for a great one-on-one trainer, I would highly recommend.
When I started going to the fit factor I went in thinking I had a pretty good knowledge of weight lifting and exercise without having much to improve. I was so wrong! Chad was incredible and really took the time to explain and show proper technique as well as a variety of different exercises that I had never done before. I now have much more confidence in my form and have a really great and well rounded routine. Additionally, Chad catered to my personal goals and really listened to what I wanted to accomplish. I cannot recommend The fit factor and Chad enough!
I have been weight lifting for over five years but have never had dedicated instruction from a trainer. Chad was able to notice where my form was failing and correct it immediately. He also guided me towards effective exercises so that I could keep achieving my goals and moving up. After a couple of months of working with him I was able to see some great results. Chad knows his stuff!
Chad has been great with not only the types of specialized workouts each session but also with checking in after the sessions. He has a real passion for seeing people make big health changes; which makes it fun. Would highly recommend!
I went to Chad looking to get back in shape and lose weight, which had crept up from working long hours. Chad was super patient and non-judgmental. We started at a level where I would see results but not get so sore or so disappointed at what I could not do it. He focused on what I could do if I pushed myself hard and taught me that step/skill building was an integral part of the process. We also talked about nutrition and self-care. As other reviews have mentioned, he cares about his clients beyond the appointment time, and wants them to make positive change to their lives that will stick. I lost 30+ pounds and I am in the best shape of my life. I have been able to maintain this for 2 years. He taught me how to create a sustainable workout plan. Even during the pandemic I was able to maintain my weight and my fitness level thanks for his frequent check-ins and the solid fitness base we created through his work and fitness mentorship. I highly recommend him!
I started with Chad in August 2020, my first semester of college was cancelled and i needed something active to do. At that point I was a small underweight kid looking to gain muscle and gain weight. I went to Chad 3 times a week until late January 2021. Those 5 months were great, I really enjoyed going to chad and it was the highlight of my week and something I would look forward to going to 3 times every week. Throughout this time Chad has perfected my form on workouts and had a great and unique workout for me everytime. I went in weighing 125 pounds at 5’10 and now I weigh 150 pounds after the five months. Not only did Chad give workouts but he also gave me a diet for me to follow so I could maximize my time with him. He really personalizes workouts for each person. Currently i’m in the best shape of my life and am super confident in my body. GO TO FIT-FACTOR!!