Dealing with the inevitable injury
When is it a good time to get injured? Whether traumatic and major, subtle and stubborn, or pesky and constant, the body has its limits and will likely become injured at some point. Often the cause of being tired and overused, you might just need a rest and some simple adjustments to your routine. However, some injuries are sudden and come as a shock to both mind and body and need time to heal before making exercise routine adjustments.
In this blog, I’m going to discuss how to help the subtle and pesky sports injuries heal and manage the mental strain of these incidents. I’m going to help you gain control over your injury from my professional and personal experience with injuries through simple planning. Lastly, I’m also going to tell you how I cannot help you.
In my exercise programing we do warm-ups and cool downs to both prepare your body for strength training and relax your body after it’s physical demands. This lessens the risk of injury in our workout together, and can navigate current injuries while staying active. However, life still happens and can be strenuous at times even when ‘training smart.’ Through heavy lifting, time on feet walking and standing on hard surfaces, repetitive movement, existing chronic conditions, pregnancy, and over working in the gym.
How did I injure myself? A plethora of things… it was YEARS (32 years) of consistent enrollment in heavy exercise and activity, minor muscle imbalance, and an initial foolish exercise mistake on my part. I’ll admit, even as a fitness pro! I can get carried away in the gym! It’s an adult jungle gym to me and I could be there for up to two hours three times a week. It wasn’t until i injured myself that I realized I need to;
Program my own hour long workouts!
Then, after time with new programing and healing, I re-injured my knee vacuuming! Yep, vacuuming. It was just in time for Miami Art Week, Winter 2024, where I anticipated strolling art exhibits and dancing to world renowned DJ’s.
How did I deal with the injury that week?
+Before even thinking about going out I contacted my PCP for an Orthopedic referral. I set up and appointment with a professional, then decided to get a second opinion to double check suggestions and ensure I was doing the right exercises and consider surgery.
+I made sure to wear a supportive compression brace and menthol gel, sneakers, and told my friend group that I would need to sit often. I felt comfortable in my own skin and my friends were super supportive.
+Dance is one of my top favorite things to do, not just to have fun, but because music and motion ground me. I need dance. I modified and boogied from my seat. I spent a mere five minutes on my feet without discomfort and then would need to sit. These intervals were what I needed to get out and enjoy the festivities and get through the weekend caring for my injury.
+I continued with my RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) treatment at home after being out and continued with specific exercises in the morning.
Ongoing…I am opting for surgery to have the plica removed from my knee. Read more on this in my upcoming blog, Dealing with Surgery. From years of activity and an exercise incident, I’m seeking relief.
If you have an injury where the onset has just happened, the pain is a ‘4’ on a scale of 1-10 pain, you’re bruised or swollen, or you’re waking up at night due to pain, you’re in acute pain. For this, you must see a doctor, your PCP, urgent care, trusted Physical Therapist, or Orthopedic before exercise, so you know what to do to heal. You may need physical therapy and a specific exercise protocol for up to 4-6 weeks.
After that, if you’re still managing the pain, and with your Physical Therapists permission and any known contraindications (movements that are not to be done with exercise), I can help you with a workout plan to gain strength. I can also help you if you now have a chronic condition that can be managed with exercise. It’s my job as a Medical Exercise Specialist and Personal Trainer to be in contact with your Physical Therapist and support you on your pain free journey, if you’d like!
