It can happen to anyone even you. Your fitness routine is created and you are seeing real results. Your muscle strength and tone are improving and you’re dropping serious pounds. Everything’s going great! Then an injury occurs and staying on your intended course seems next to impossible.
There’s good news though. Depending on your injury in question, there may not be a reason to derail your workout plan. Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have discovered that people can still gain benefits from modified workouts even if they’ve suffered an injury.
Oklahoma’s researchers focused on people with arm injuries. Let’s say the right arm is hurt, but the left arm still goes through the workout routine on a regular basis. Believe it or not, researchers discovered that benefits can extend to both arms even if only one is put through the paces.
Researchers looked at people who only trained one arm for two weeks. They found that strength in the “off arm” increased up to 10 percent despite the injury. The reason for this is that exercising one arm can stimulate muscle nerve fibers in the opposite arm. That means even if one arm isn’t put through the paces, it can benefit in movement in the other.
What to Do Before Trying This
While the University of Oklahoma’s research is great news for those who don’t want to let injury sideline their fitness routine like you, it’s still important to exercise caution. Before trying to work out when you have an injury, be sure to:
- Consult your physician – It’s always a good idea to check with a physician to determine if working out with a specific injury is a good idea. Your doctor might have compelling reasons why your fitness plan should be tabled for a time. It’s also possible the doctor will have some insights on what should be done and what should be avoided.
- Work with a trainer or rehab specialist – Trainers and exercise specialists can offer some very good insights on creating modified exercise plans to use while you are recovering from injury. It’s best to get professional advice and make any modifications that are recommended for the duration of your recovery. For more insight on how a health and fitness professional can benefit you and get you the results you seek click here; What Can A Health and Fitness Professional Do For You?
- Stay positive – Even if your fitness plan has to be completely derailed due to your injury, try to keep a positive attitude. Get right back on track as soon as the recovery period has passed. Don’t push too hard either. It may take time to get back up to full speed after an injury. That where working with an exercise professional can really benefit you in finding the appropriate workload.
Working out even when there’s an injury present is often possible and it can produce real benefits. The diversity of movements and exercise allows so many options to keep you moving even through an injury or setback. Just remember to get medical clearance and proceed with care.
Marin health and fitness expert, John Spongberg is the founder of Personal Training in Marin as well as an accomplished author, speaker and life coach. He is dedicated to helping people reach their optimum level of fitness, health and body satisfaction through a unique, comprehensive whole-person approach, customized to each client.
Mr. Spongberg creates a successful experience for individuals who are ready to take the next step to, once and for all, achieve the extraordinary health, vitality and body they’ve long been dreaming of. Your satisfaction is personally guaranteed 100% or your money back!
If you’re ready, you can reach Mr. Spongberg at (415) 322-7033 or visit his website at www.PersonalTrainingInMarin.com where you can download your free copy of his special health and fitness report, The Truth About Losing Weight
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