Can I Exercise Around An Injury?

Q

"Hello!

I have a sports injury that I have been trying to work around. Do you have any advice for how to get a good workout, but without interfering with the healing process?"

- George C.

A

Hello George!

I noticed you didn't mention what type of sports injury you have, so I have provided advice below for the two most common injuries. If your injury isn't for knee or shoulder please let me know and I shall add more Do's and Don'ts for your kind of injury.

Knee Injury Do's and Don'ts

Do

-Focus on upper body in seated and standing exercises.

-Work out the lower body on the floor (glute kickbacks, inner/outer thigh raises)

-Focus on core and stretching

-Cardio only within limitations. Running is bound to be aggravating to a knee injury but perhaps the elliptical is fine. Listen to your body.

-Depending on the injury shallow squats (preferably with a stability ball) can help to strengthen the muscles, tendons and ligaments.

-Air punches for cardio can even be practiced seated.

Don't!

-Do lunges

-Do step-ups

-Run

Shoulder Injury Do's and Don'ts

Do

-Focus on lower body

-Add more core and low back exercises

-Try new cardio exercises (cycling, running)

-Stretch

Don't

-Use the arm handles on the elliptical

-Many upper body exercises use the shoulders. Listen to your body. You may be able to do bicep curls but not a triceps push down.

-Do bench press (too much weight and shoulders assist the chest and triceps and secondary working muscles)

-Do shoulder exercises unless prescribed by a physiotherapist.