Injuring your back strains far more than just your joints and muscles. If the injury is bad enough, the consequences can seep into every area of your life. That includes your fitness regime. Before, you might have enjoyed going to the gym three times a week, but now you might struggle to even get there.
The restraints you face after a back injury don’t have to result in losing your fitness levels. By creating a realistic action plan, you can stay in shape while allowing your body to heal. Read on to learn more.
Table of Contents
Seek Treatment
Before anything else, you must speak to a professional doctor or sports physician. From there, you can devise an action plan to help heal your back injury. That might involve physical therapy, medication, or, in some cases, surgery.
If you have an injury from a long time ago that’s still giving you trouble, there are still ways to seek treatment. For example, you can go to bioxcellerator.com for stem cell treatment for chronic back pain. This science-back treatment doesn’t involve surgery. Instead, a simple 90-minute session with a doctor can help your body heal itself. Even just scheduling a consultation can put you on the right path.
Go for Brisk Walks
If you struggle to jog or run, brisk walking is your friend. While your heart rate might not get as high as it does during a sprint, a long, brisk walk still does wonders for your fitness levels. If you want to push yourself further, try walking uphill. You’ll soon be out of breath!
Try Swimming
Another great form of exercise for back injuries is swimming. This low-impact aerobic exercise isn’t too hard on the back yet still provides a full-body workout. If it’s your first time swimming in a while, don’t be afraid of starting slow with a simple breaststroke.
Don’t Forget to Stretch
Stretching is an essential part of keeping fit. After every workout – no matter how short or intensive – be sure to fit stretching in. It will help your body recover after a workout while giving your joints and muscles the stretch they need to stay flexible.
Eat Well
Diet plays an enormous role in your fitness levels, which is why eating right is important even if you’re not exercising as much as you used to. Getting plenty of fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods will give you plenty of energy while keeping you trim during your time out from training.
Listen to Your Body
Last but not least, listen to your body. If you’re doing a workout that feels a little too harsh on the back or spine, stop. If you feel like you can push yourself a bit further, try doing so a little at a time. Your body will tell you what’s OK and what’s not, so don’t ignore it. Otherwise, you might make your injury worse.
It’s understandable to want to stay fit even after sustaining a back injury. Fortunately, you can. Remember to speak to your doctor, take part in low-impact exercises, and listen to your body to ensure you stay safe while working out.
