A few words come to mind when thinking about physical rehabilitation: minor setback, modification, training, and consistency to name a few.
Minor setback – Depending on the severity of the injury, the setback may last for 24 hours, one month, one year, or other. The good news says that every injury can be managed.
Modification – During post-rehabilitation of an injury, you may have to adjust how you perform. For example, instead of performing squats through its full range of motion, which may aggravate your injured knee, performing squats with a yoga block on top of a chair aids in range of motion, strength, and proprioception. Also, instead of doing crunches to come back from an abdominal injury sustained while running you may have to perform isometric abs exercises while standing to re-emphasize the muscular patterns around the abdominal region in a functional manner.
Training – But never stop training. Training is not simply physical. It is mental as well. Imagine yourself returning from your injury stronger than before. More flexible than before. Of course, all of this shall come gradually and in due time. If you cannot take direct impact to your joints as in a lower body injury, then certain cardiovascular exercises are important. The bicycle, heavy ropes, and swimming are helpful.
Consistency – Skipping out on rehabilitation work puts you further back in your comeback. Many rehabilitation protocols can be carried out at home. Of course, it helps to get out to a gym with a rehab program in hand. But, with the correct amount of space, knowledge, and exercise “toys”, some sound physical rehabilitation can be accomplished on a consistent basis.
As the summer approaches, hopefully everyone can free themselves of injuries. If you are nursing one now. Stay with the program. Then, build upon it.
Purpose and Development,
Derek
Derek Arledge, CSCS TEEM Performance Training www.teempt.com
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