Exercise After Injury: A Medical Trainers Guide to Coming Back Safely

The road back to your normal gym routine after an injury is never easy no matter if you sprained your ankle or even worse, ruptured a tendon or had surgery. Of course, you are itching to get back in the gym right away, but before you re-injure yourself, check out some of these tips from our medical trainers at Dynamic Fitness on how to properly come back to the gym safely after an injury.  

Rest Your Body 

Many injuries in the fitness world are the result of overtraining and working out too much. In a nutshell, when you over train you apply too much stress to your body and aren’t giving it enough time to recover. 

If you get injured, do yourself a favor and relax a bit. If you are suffering from symptoms like fatigue, lack of sleep, increased heart rate, or a lack of mental focus, then it is very likely that you aren’t giving your body enough time to recover. You have to let your body recuperate and get the rest that it needs.  

Exercising after a sports injury or accident is not the time to try to DIY your recovery. Get back to optimal health and experience our holistic approach to healthcare. Call (813) 422-5671 to MAT® consultation today or to learn about our nutrition, massage, and mental health counseling services! Schedule your physical therapy or MAT® consultation! 

Start Slow 

Although you may feel like you are ready to get back to the gym, that doesn’t mean that your body is ready. When you do get back to the gym take it slow. If you are used to lifting heavy, take it easier on your healing body.  

Consider taking it at half the pace that you normally do, and slowly reintroduce your body to working out again. Working with a personal trainer either in-person or virtually will help you do exercises that make sense for your healing.  

Over time, your body will adjust and you will be able to increase the intensity of your workout as your body heals and recovers. Be sure to hydrate and fuel up with a snack before and after your workout!  

Ready to get back into the gym? Our physical therapist and medical personal trainer can help you rebuild and regain strength so you can get back to it! Call (813) 422-5671 today! 

Listen to Your Pain 

Listen to your pain at any time during your recovery and get back into the gym. Pain felt during a workout will help you to understand when your body has had enough, and the limits that your injury might have. 

Some pain is fine, but you should NEVER feel complete discomfort or sharp pains when working out.  If you do feel pain as you recover from an injury, your trainer may recommend you decrease the weight that you might be using or use modifications as you gain your strength back. Bottom line: listen to your pain.  

Follow Your Physical Therapist’s Advice 

Sadly, people get injured every day. When it comes to your fitness, it is beneficial for you to discuss going back to the gym with your doctor or physical therapist before jumping back in at the gym.  

If your medical professional has outlined exercises to get you back on track, make sure to do them, even if it’s hard. Everyone’s journey to recovery will be different, and seeking the advice of a trained physical therapist can help you get back into the gym (working with M.A.T. certified trainer) sooner! 

Stay Positive 

It’s easy to feel discouraged during the recovery process after an injury, especially if you are an athlete, or are used to working out consistently.  

Recovering from an injury can be just as tough mentally as it can be physically. Stay positive and set small goals for yourself to give you a boost of self-esteem that you are making progress.  Seeing these small steps towards progress will help you keep a positive mindset.  

 Recover After Injury with Dynamic Fitness 

After an injury, it is best to focus on healing before throwing yourself back into the gym. The best way to avoid re-injuring yourself is to focus on rebuilding your strength both physically and mentally.  

If you have recently been injured or discharged from a physical therapist and are ready to take the next steps in your recovery and fitness journey, schedule a consultation with MAT® specialist and personal trainer, Maurice Harden at Dynamic Fitness & Rehabilitation. We are also proud to offer a full range of medical services to ensure every client reaches their full level of recovery and performance, even after an injury.  

Get back to optimal health! Contact us today; we can help your journey to health and wellness:  (813) 422-5671!