Training and Injuries
One thing I am grateful for is all the injuries I have had over the years. It has allowed me to be grateful of my body when it is at 100% capacity, but also grateful of the body’s ability to heal. It has also allowed me to become a lot more knowledgeable around injuries and rehab from personal experience, helping me relate to you. So, what happens if and when we get injured? What is the protocol? Do we tough it out and train through the pain, stop training altogether? Here is my input into the subject of training and injuries.
It depends.
Thank you for reading.
Ok, allow me to delve a little deeper.
Process
It really is case dependent mainly based on where your injury is and how severe it is.
1. Become Aware
The first thing to do when we have an injury is to become aware of it and notice all we can about it.
When did I do it?
What was I doing when I injured it?
What kind of pain is it? Sharp pain or aching pain?
Does it hurt all the time or only with specific movements?
These are all things to take into consideration and note down as I guarantee you will be asked these sorts of questions when you see a physiotherapist.
2. See a Physiotherapist
The next step is to see a physiotherapist as it is their job to help you. They will likely ask you questions similar to above. They will come up with a treatment plan that may consist of some rest, specific exercises, modifications to exercise etc.
3. Follow the Plan
From there, follow their guidance and the plan and you will be back to training fully in the near future – timeline will be different for everyone and every injury.
What about Training Through an Injury?
One thing I highly advise not to do is to train through your injury. Take it from someone who has done this way too many times before learning my lesson. One example is having tennis elbow numerous times over the years and deciding to play through it because “It wasn’t too sore once I warmed up,” only to cripple me for the next few days. It is best to take the time out and rest and rehab your injury.
Think about it, if you need to rest and rehab for 3 months but you will be back to 100% after that, that is worth it. However, if you continue to train through your injury, it may make it worse, elongating the recovery process or making it so you never get better because you are not taking the time your body needs to recover. Better to take the short-term option, rest/rehab and get back to your best.
How about Training Around an Injury?
With that being said, again completely dependent on your specific case, you should still be able to train somewhat. An injury should not be an excuse to completely fall off the rails.
If your shoulder is giving you issues, you can still train legs
If your knee is giving you issues, you can still train upper body
The best approach I have found is to see a physio and get a plan of attack from them. This allows you to simultaneously rehab/rest the injured body part and still train around it.
What if I Ignoring the Injury Altogether?
Another thing I know some people are guilty of is training around their injured body part but not seeing a physio. Say you get shoulder pain when doing overhead press and bench press but decide to just not do those movements and continue training around it without seeking out a physio. This is also no good as you are not making your shoulder get any better by ignoring the issue.
Conclusion
So, if and when you get injured next time or you already are injured and not sure how to approach things. Do not train through the injury, convincing yourself you are fine, because it will not go away by doing so. Same goes with ignoring the injury altogether. Instead, become aware of your injury, when it hurts, where it hurts, how much it hurts. Book in to see a physiotherapist and come up with a plan of attack. You may continue training around the injury to keep up your training, as long as it is not detrimental to your injury.