Disclosure-I am NOT a medical professional. Always seek advice from a medical professional when dealing with any injury
You have been training hard, working towards your fitness goals, and you start to feel a nagging ache somewhere; or when you are out on a run you trip and fall and the result is an ache that just won’t go away. One of the most frustrating aspects of fitness can be dealing with injury. Below you will find some advice for dealing with fitness related inury:
-R.I.C.E -If you have been at all involved in sports, you have likely heard this method of dealing with injury:
R-Rest is key to recovery. You have to allow your body time to heal
I-Ice- Grab a bag of corn or peas from the freezer or bag of crushed ice to ice the injured area. This helps to reduce swelling
C-Compression- Compression also helps to minimize swelling. You can use a simple ace wrap to provide this compression
E-Elevation- Again, to help control swelling, elevate the injured body part.
–See an exercise or fitness specific medical professional- If your fitness goal is to complete a half marathon, a bike race, or some other endurance event, it can be incredibly frustrating to see your family doctor and be told, “If it hurts, stop doing it.” Many athletes have walked away frustrated from these appointments. Sports medicine doctors and other similar physicians (like a physical therapist) are trained to help you with fitness specific injuries and will know how much you can do without causing further injury.
-Listen to your doctor- After seeing a sports medicine doctor, listen to what they say. DO NOT start back too soon, or you could be out for much longer.
-Start Back Slow- It can be so hard to hold back when you get the green light to begin exercising again. Especially if you had made significant progress toward your goals before the injury occurred. But remember that your ultimate goal is to be able to come back and remain injury free. Don’t jump back in right where you left off, step back a bit and ease your way back in.
Soon you will be back, working towards your goals and loving it even more than you did before. It is amazing how an injury can help you realize how much you appreciate your body and the amazing things it can do.
