Balancing Benefits and Risks of Working Out with Injury
For anyone who leads an active lifestyle or is passionate about fitness, an injury can feel like a significant setback. Working out with injury can be a massive consideration, as an injury can disrupt a routine and create fear of losing progress. However, working out with injury can be both beneficial and dangerous, depending on how it’s managed. Understanding how to maintain physical activity safely during recovery is key to speeding up healing while avoiding further harm. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits, dangers, and strategies for working out through an injury to ensure optimal recovery.
The Benefits of Working Out with an Injury
When done correctly, working out with an injury can be highly beneficial for your body and mind. The idea isn’t to push through the pain, but rather to maintain some level of activity without aggravating the injury. Let’s look at some of the benefits.
1. Maintaining Fitness Levels
Injuries often lead to a reduction in physical activity, which can result in muscle loss, decreased cardiovascular fitness, and a general decline in conditioning. By carefully adapting your workout to avoid stressing the injured area, you can maintain much of your fitness level. For example, someone with a leg injury may still be able to engage in upper-body exercises, core workouts, or even swimming, depending on the severity of the injury.
2. Preventing Muscle Atrophy
One of the most significant risks of being sedentary after an injury is muscle atrophy, where muscles shrink and weaken due to lack of use. Continued activity, even at a reduced intensity, can help prevent this. Exercises that target unaffected muscles or use the injured muscles in non-load-bearing ways (such as isometric exercises) can maintain strength without exacerbating the injury.
3. Improving Circulation and Healing
Light, controlled exercises can promote blood circulation, which plays a critical role in the healing process. Enhanced circulation delivers oxygen and essential nutrients to the injured tissues, accelerating recovery. Gentle movement can also prevent stiffness and ensure that the muscles, ligaments, and tendons remain flexible and pliable as they heal.
4. Mental Wellbeing
Injuries can be mentally taxing, especially for those used to a regular workout routine. Exercise is well-known for its benefits to mental health, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improving mood through the release of endorphins. Staying active, even in a limited capacity, can help maintain mental wellbeing and a positive outlook during recovery.
Strategies for Safely Working Out with Injury
While the benefits are clear, working out with an injury must be approached with care. Ignoring pain or pushing through an injury without modifying your routine can lead to further damage. Here are some strategies to help ensure you exercise safely:
1. Consult a Medical Professional
Before resuming any form of exercise after an injury, it is crucial to consult with a medical professional such as a physiotherapist or sports doctor. They can assess the extent of the injury and advise on what exercises are safe. They may also provide a tailored rehabilitation plan that incorporates movement designed to aid healing.
2. Modify Your Workouts
Depending on the injury, you may need to modify your workouts significantly. Avoid exercises that directly strain the injured area. For instance, if you have a shoulder injury, avoid weightlifting movements that engage the shoulder joint and instead focus on lower-body workouts or exercises that don’t require arm movement. Using machines rather than free weights can provide more controlled movements, reducing the risk of aggravating an injury.
3. Use Active Recovery Techniques
Active recovery involves engaging in low-intensity exercises that promote healing and reduce stiffness. Activities such as swimming, walking, or cycling (if appropriate for the injury) can improve blood flow without putting undue stress on the injury. Active recovery is particularly beneficial for injuries like muscle strains, where complete rest might lead to excessive stiffness and delayed recovery.
4. Incorporate Physiotherapy Exercises
If a physiotherapist has prescribed exercises, prioritise these over regular workouts. These exercises are specifically designed to help rehabilitate the injury and should be part of your daily routine. They will help rebuild strength in the injured area, improve flexibility, and promote tissue repair.
Dangers of Working Out with an Injury
While staying active during an injury can be beneficial, it also carries risks if not managed correctly. Exercising improperly can worsen the injury and prolong recovery. It’s essential to understand these dangers and know when to stop or modify your activities.
1. Exacerbating the Injury
One of the most significant dangers is exacerbating the injury by not allowing it enough time to heal. High-impact activities or exercises that place stress on the injured area can lead to further damage. For example, continuing to run on a stress fracture in the foot or shin can worsen the fracture, leading to more severe breaks and significantly longer recovery times.
2. Creating Compensatory Injuries
When you are working out with injury, the body naturally compensates by using other muscles or joints more than usual. This overcompensation can lead to secondary injuries. For instance, a person with a knee injury might put more strain on the other leg, increasing the risk of developing tendinitis or muscle imbalances elsewhere in the body. Awareness of form and balance during exercise is crucial.
3. Delayed Recovery
Pushing too hard can slow the healing process, increasing inflammation and strain on the injured tissue. Over-exercising can lead to chronic conditions where the body is in a constant state of stress and inflammation, delaying recovery.
Conclusion: Finding the Balance
Working out with injury can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, staying active and engaging in appropriate exercise can help maintain fitness, speed up recovery, and improve mental wellbeing. On the other hand, exercising without the necessary modifications or proper guidance can exacerbate the injury and prolong the healing process.
The key to working out with an injury is to listen to your body, modify your routine based on the injury, and seek advice from medical professionals. By striking this balance, it’s possible to continue training while respecting the body’s healing process, ultimately returning to full fitness as quickly and safely as possible.
The article ‘working out with injury’ was written and first published on behalf of Bill Jones Mr Universe on Monday 23rd September 2024 at 12:00 and is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved.
For your information (and if you are getting a lot of joint inflammation/pain, you might like to read this article about high carb diets and joint inflammation. I’ve also linked to this Health and Safety article on the Gym 21 website.