ALL ABOUT SPORTS INJURY
Dealing with an injury caused by exercising is not easy at all. I have to admit, for me personally, this is one of the most challenging situations. It only happened to me two times to be in this situation. The first time I had tendinitis on my right foot and the doctor recommended staying away from the gym for 3 weeks straight. Back then I was very eager to progress (I was a beginner) so after two weeks and a half, I felt that I am 80% healed so I went to the gym earlier, did some squats, and had an easy run (with no incline) at the end. Terrible mistake. My tendinitis got back immediately and I had to wait for another 3 weeks until I was fully healed.
The second time I had a back muscle rupture from leg-pressing 160 kg because I did not rest enough time between sets. I was in a rush on that day and I thought my body is strong enough to tolerate shorter breaks. I was wrong. It only takes one time of not doing the right thing and you can get injured. This time I spend 2 months away from the gym. And when I got back I did the right thing. When you have an injury it’s essential to follow the doctor’s instructions and stay away from the gym as long as you need.
Mistakes to avoid when you get back to the gym after an injury:
❌Lifting the same weight as you used to lift before you had the injury.
👉Since you took a break from exercising your body is no longer used to the level of training you used to do before. As little as 10 days of rest will have an impact on your performance in the gym (not on your physical appearance, but on your ability to lift a certain weight). You need to lower your weight and start slowly.
❌Going straight away to the same volume of training.
👉It would be a big shock for the body to put it back on the exact same training you used to do before you had your injury. Start small and gradually increase the volume. If you used to do 4 sets, start with 2 sets per exercise. And make sure you rest properly between sets.
❌Ignore your body.
👉It’s absolutely essential to listen to your body and assess when you need to take a break or stop. Be really mindful of your recently healed area and do not force anything. Your muscles have memory and eventually, you’ll manage to get back to your level achieved in the past and also progress further so long you do not rush.
What to do
✅Rest as much as needed and don’t overthink this. If your body needs a break you must give it a break.
✅Think of the big picture – in the long run this is a very short period of time (a few weeks or months, depending on the injury type and how severe it is) in your life and you take this opportunity and learn from the experience.
✅Use the time to focus on a different skill you always wanted to achieve, it can be learning a new language or reading that personal development book that is sitting on your desk for so long.
✅The recovery period recommended is an estimation. If you go to the gym and you still feel it, wait a little bit more time. Prioritize healing.
✅ Do recovery exercises. You can always consult with a specialist in order to find out what are the most appropriate exercises you should do after an injury.