If you have a sports injury, you will likely need to take time off to rest, recover, and regroup. There are ways to maintain your fitness and endurance levels while you're sidelined from intense exercise.
Read on for a lower-body workout while working through shoulder injuries and upper-body training plans for ankle, knee, and leg injuries.
Maintaining Your Fitness Base
Injured athletes often worry about their fitness levels waning during recovery time. Detraining or deconditioning is a fact of life when you stop exercising, but if you want to maintain your fitness base, there are ways to stay active.
You can maintain your fitness level even if you need to modify or scale back your exercise for several months. You'll need to exercise at about 70% of your VO2 max at least once per week.
Before you exercise after injury, get your doctor's approval. Follow their recommendations about when you can resume exercise, how much, and which exercise is best.
Even if one body part or joint is immobilized, you can find new ways to stay fit while rehabilitating by using the principles of cross-training. It may take creativity and the flexibility to try new things, but most athletes find training through injury is possible and not difficult.
The key is to have the right attitude and remain active within your tolerance until your injury is healed. Here are ways to continue working out while recovering from four common injuries.
Ankle and Foot Injuries
If your ankle or foot is injured, you have many exercise options. If your doctor approves it, use a rowing machine or a stationary bike with one leg, or swim some laps. Work with your doctor or personal trainer to find other non-weight-bearing cardio exercises for 30 to 60 minutes, three times weekly. You may also need an ankle brace or other support, as recommended by your doctor or physical therapist.
Circuit training is a great choice for exercising through injuries. Here is one sample workout to try in your local gym:
- Schedule the following circuit workout Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds with 15 seconds rest between stations.
- Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
- Warm up thoroughly before exercise.
- Leg Extension Machine
- Chest Press
- Lat Pulldown
- Overhead Press
- Seated Cable Rows
- Incline Push-Up
- Bicycle Crunches
- Hanging Leg Raise
Leg and Knee Injuries
Leg and knee injuries can be fairly limiting for most athletes. Most endurance exercise requires flexion and extension of the knee joint, so developing a new routine may be frustrating. One-legged cycling, kayaking, or using an upper-body ergometer (handcycle) are options. Swimming may be possible if you use a pull buoy to keep you from kicking or using your legs.
Here are two circuit training routines to try:
Circuit 1:
- Perform this workout on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds—allow 15 seconds of rest between stations.
- Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
- Warm up thoroughly before exercise.
Circuit 2:
- Perform this workout on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
- Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds with 15 seconds of rest between stations.
- Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
- Warm up thoroughly before exercise.
Elbow and Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder or other upper body injuries often allow the most possibility for continuing traditional cardio exercise because the lower body can be exercised fully. Walking, stair climbing, stationary cycling (such as with an under-desk bike), and the elliptical trainer are all possibilities. There are plenty of lower-body workouts when dealing with a shoulder injury.
In addition, circuit training routines will maintain strength and power in the non-injured muscles and joints. Consider performing the following circuit routine four to five times weekly.
- Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds, unless otherwise noted, allowing 15 seconds of rest between stations.
- Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
- Warm up thoroughly before exercise.
- Stationary cycling for two minutes at a moderate pace and two minutes at a higher intensity
- Leg Press
- Elliptical trainer for two minutes at a moderate pace and two minutes at a higher intensity
- Ab Crunch
- Walking Lunge
- Low Back Extensions
- Treadmill walking for two minutes at a moderate pace and two minutes at a higher intensity (or incline)
- Wall sits
Lower Back Injuries
Talk with your doctor to understand your exercise limitations before modifying your workouts.
Walking, swimming, or recumbent cycling are generally safe for those with lower back pain. This workout can help you maintain cardiovascular fitness during recovery.
Get your doctor or physical therapist to sign off before trying the following circuit.
- Perform the following circuit workout on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds with 15 seconds of rest between stations.
- Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
- Warm up thoroughly before exercise.
- Complete 30 to 60 minutes of non-weight-bearing cardio on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
- Chest Press
- Lat Pulldown
- Overhead Press
- Leg Extension Machine
- Wall Sit
A Word From Verywell
When you are injured, it isn't a given that you have to lose all of the fitness gains you have made. You can do modified workouts or work with a personal trainer to design an alternate fitness routine while you recover. It is also important to do the exercises prescribed by your physical therapist during rehab. Remember you may need significant rest time to heal properly, so check in with your doctor on the best balance of rest and training.
You also may want to try coping strategies to address any emotional effects of having an injury so that you don't ignore the mental toll of your physical setback. With proper healing time and rehabilitation, you might even return to your favorite sports or fitness activities stronger than ever.