Using Exercise as a Way to Recover From Your Injury
Posted on: 7 February 2019
Suffering from an injury of any kind can leave you feeling as though life is difficult. Whether it's the pain or a reduction in mobility, having to shape your life around an unwanted change is frustrating. Many people find that doing physio is an excellent way to recover. If this is an avenue you're considering, you may want to open up to the possibility of exercise too. Before you do, it's worth learning some tips for success.
Recognise that pain isn't useful
Although some fitness fanatics may advocate working through pain to see the benefits of working out, this isn't advisable when you're recovering from an injury. Pain is your body's way of alerting you to the fact that something isn't right. There's also a chance that pain will prevent you from using your muscles to their optimal level, which is counterproductive during the recovery process.
With that said, it's also important to recognise that there's a difference between pain and discomfort. Moving through discomfort is okay, but you should seek guidance from a physiotherapist while trying to do so.
Target the muscles that are weak
As specialists who have an expert-level of knowledge about the musculoskeletal system, physiotherapists can soon identify weak muscles. Wherever appropriate, you should engage in exercises that strengthen the muscles surrounding your injury.
One example of this is following an exercise plan that strengthens your knee ligaments. Knee pain occurs for lots of reasons, and it's often a lack of stability around the joint that allows it to continue. Your physiotherapist may prescribe gentle strengthening exercises you can try at home, as well as fitness routines that'll make the pain better.
Turn to hydrotherapy for an easier recovery
Hydrotherapy can prove useful when the pain from your injury makes you worry about exercising and exacerbating it. Even if the pain isn't significant, you might find that using a hydropool allows you to relax your muscles while you follow the exercises your physiotherapist prescribes.
Always ask your physiotherapist before using a hydrotherapy pool, as they may want to make small adaptations to the movements you're using. If they're happy for you to go ahead, you should find that the buoyancy from the water takes the strain from your joints, which then makes certain movements easier. From there, consider slowly transitioning your exercises into a dry environment so that you can rebuild your muscle strength.
With the right advice, exercising is an excellent way to promote injury recovery. In addition to regaining your previous range of movement, you may find that your overall health improves.
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