You know, people often ask what to do when they suffer an injury either during training or while participating in a sport they love. Heck, as we get older, it just seems that getting out of bed can come with its own risk of injury. Ever get out of bed and wonder what the HECK happened while you were asleep? Again, we all know laughter is great medicine, so I sure hope you’re laughing here. However, truthfully speaking, it does happen doesn’t it? You know, the alarm goes off, you go to jump out of bed and instead, you end up bent over with a kink in you neck that feels like the knot in your garden hose? Stuff happens. SO, the question…”How do you know when you can, can't , or even if maybe you shouldn't work through it coach”? Oh I really don’t like this question. I don’t like it because, it all depends and that’s not much of an answer now is it! The down and dirty is, research is showing us that if at all possible, you should. Of course the phrase, “if at all possible” is better answered by your doctor. Want a hint? I seek out doctors who are athletes themselves. Why? Well, because they get “It” of course. They want to help you get back out there and doing what you love as soon as they can. They know the benefits of exercise during your recovery or rehab and in many cases; with a little creativity and a stubborn spirit, it is more than possible to do so. You just need to stay away form engaging the site of your injury. For example, for impact-related injuries, such as a stress fracture or sprained ankle, etc., swimming may be just the right choice because it’s non-weight bearing, just as long as it doesn’t hurt the site of your injury when you do it. Alternatively, if you hurt your lower half, work your upper body, and vice versa but remember before doing so, SPEAK WITH YOUR DOCTOR (have I said that enough yet? …GOOD). If you’re injured and can’t do your favorite exercise, try to find another activity that won’t exacerbate the problem and swimming isn’t necessarily your only choice. There are a myriad of alternatives out there to choose from and speaking from experience, if you’re stubborn enough, you’ll ultimately find one or two that will work. When you do, the benefits of being able to exercise while healing from injury are immense. If you have read many of my blog posts, you may remember that about 2 years ago or so, because I had previously fractured my neck, I finally had to have surgery to help hold it all together. This was a tough one. Plates, rods, screws and cadaver bones were placed in my neck and I had to wear a prison of a brace, for 8 long weeks during my recovery. There was to be no exercise for the majority of that time. However, I spoke to my doctor on the side (an athlete at heart), and the exercise that I did kept me emotionally UP, down right Physically fit and best of all, instead of post-operative depression….I was able to experience post operative, excise induced endorphins, (the feel good chemical produced during exercise) I won’t tell you how I did it; though I will say that we flew to Hawaii one week after my brace was removed and the second day there I mounted a road bike and did an EASY 55 miles on the IRON MAN HIGHWAY! ABC found this so interesting that they did an evening TV news segment about it. I’m sorry but I’ll have to keep what I did, to myself. I don’t want anyone to try what their doctor hasn’t approved for them…but for me, I healed faster and had a great attitude. I find it so sad that more often than not, I see folks becoming sedentary because they are injured, often resulting in atrophy, depression and inevitably weight gain…NO NO NO! I recently was working with a client who fell in the bathroom at her place of work…the floors were wet. She injured her knee badly. She called to say she was going to have to take several weeks off. I jumped to the phone and called her right back. “I have an idea…why atrophy the rest of your body and possibly end up depressed”? So, I had her speak with her doctor and with his thumbs set in the up position of approval, we just kept her fit by working around it…COMPLETELY”! Heck yeah I had to be creative but it was so worth it. She was thrilled and that was months ago. She’s stayed fit and her knee has healed in the meantime. That’s the way to do it!
Below is a list of the benefits of exercise during injury, check it out ….
PHYSICAL BENEFITS;
1) OXYGEN RICH BLOOD PROMOTES HEALING; Exercise increases the blood flow to the injury, increasing oxygen flow to promote healing.
2) CLEANS YOUR WOUNDS; Increased Oxygen rich blood flow actually SWEEPS debris away from and brings IMMUNE-SYSTEM CELLS to clean up the injured area!
3) EXERCISE PREVENTS ATROPHY; Keeping muscles around the injury stimulated through appropriate exercise, prevents muscle atrophy and scar tissue from forming and possibly anchoring a joint, often permanently, such as FROZEN SHOULDER syndrome.
EMOTIONAL BENEFITS;
1) EXERCISE releases the chemicals; endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine. Creating a MOOD –RAISING CHEMICAL HIGH!
2) POST EXERCISE mood benefits also include a real and tangible sense of accomplishment!! Often producing a “RAY OF HOPE” that greatly eases tension and elevates mood by “feeling yourself” again.
SO, though you may find yourself side lined by injury, you need not sit out the entire game!
Until next time...
Whatever you do, keep moving!
Power On,
Candace
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