Sports injuries offer a double blow to athletes and active types: if the physical discomfort itself wasnât bad enough, there are all those lost hours at the gym, track, field or court, stretching ahead to add insult to injury.
But while your usual routine might have to be taken down a notch or two, âtake it easyâ doesnât have to mean, âhang up your trainers and spend the next few weeks wallowing in self-pity on the sofaâ.
Staying active is an essential part of injury recovery and helps prevent stiffness in the injured area. In fact, certain sports and forms of exercise can actively aid recovery.
Here are a few of the best activities for helping injured sporty types get back in the game. You never know, you might just find yourself a new sporting addiction in the process.
Pilates
Pilates has been quietly shaking off its gender stereotype and building its reputation as an effective form of injury rehabilitation over recent years. And the exercise technique, which focuses on developing a strong core, is now used by the likes of top class rugby and football players.
âPilates helps to lengthen short, tight muscles and strengthen long, weak muscles that will help get your body back into balance after injury,â explains chartered physiotherapist Sammy Margo.
âIt can be done at home or at a gym, in a mat work context, but initially, itâs always a good idea to do it with an instructor so you understand what youâre doing. Many patients who push the boundaries too much can get injured â so although itâs low impact, you do need to get some guidance before you take it upon yourself.â
Gym workouts
Recovering from injury neednât mean giving the gym a wide berth. In fact, even if you didnât use the gym before your injury, now could be a good time to sign up.
âThe great thing about the gym is that the machines are set up in such a way that you can gradually and incrementally increase your activity. Many gyms nowadays use smart technology so you can pin in your details to get a clear idea of what level you were at before and how youâre progressing â and vary your weights and repetitions, accordingly,â says Margo.
She also suggests varying the loading in different areas of the body: âYou could do five minutes on a treadmill, five on a cross trainer and five on an exercise bike. Therefore, you get 15 minutes of a variety of exercise without straining or loading any particular area.â
Swimming
Swimming is a great way to stretch and tone your muscles and give your body a full range of motion (bye-bye stiffness). Thanks to the support of the water, itâs as low-impact as you can get and makes you essentially weightless so no need to worry about putting any weight on your injury.
But itâs important to note that when it comes to swimming, good technique is everything â and choosing the right stroke and mastering the correct form is essential. Backstroke, for instance, where the back is supported may be better for lower back pain, while swimming breaststroke with your head out of the water could put pressure on your neck and shoulders.
So, before you dive in head first, always consult your doctor or physio as you would before embarking on any form of exercise while in recovery from an injury.
Yoga
âYoga is a low intensity form of exercise thatâs done carefully and with consideration, making it a very useful form of therapy to be done when returning to activity,â says Margo.
âItâs a safe and accepted way to improve your strength and flexibility and balance and can even prevent falls and help with arthritis.â
One study by the University of California found that iyengar yoga helped reduce pain in women with rheumatoid arthritis.
âFind the most suitable style of yoga for you,â suggests Margo. âThen try out at least one-to-one session with an instructor before using a DVD.â
Walking
If in doubt, walk. Unlike running, walking doesnât have the âflightâ phase when both feet are off the ground at the same time so there is far less exertion on the joints.
âThe great thing about walking is that you can do it anytime, any place, anywhere. All you need is a good pair of shoes and the right attitude,â says Margo. âAlso, you can break up your exercise into bite-sized chunks and do as little as you like, building things up gradually.â
The downside, of course, is that walking doesnât offer the same cardiovascular workout as running or other high-intensity sports. Rather than increase your speed, boost your heart rate by introducing a few hills.