Hello Fitness Friends! I’ve been posting this year about what I think it means to move well during different phases or situations of life. Not everyone will experience chronic illness so today’s topic is one that we’ve probably all had to ask about. How do I move well when recovering from an injury?

Most of the topics in the Move Well series have a pretty serious Mental Health undercurrent. Which, to be fair, is a big reason why I wanted to tackle some of these things. We tend to think of movement and exercise as purely physical. And certainly, our physical body is there being asked to do the actual heavy lifting, but motivation continues to be a huge topic in exercise for a reason. The mental part of the equation won’t be denied.

Injury can mean a lot of different things, but for the purpose of this discussion, let’s call an injury anything that brings enough harm to the physical body that we need to alter, change, or stop the movement habits and practices that we usually engage in. This definition can still run the gamut from a sprained ankle all the way to an amputation or paralysis.

Obviously, the more extensive the injury, the longer the recovery time. A rolled ankle is some ibuprofen, ice, and a week off. An ACL reconstruction, on the other hand, is anywhere from 6 to 12 months depending on your age, pre-injury strength level, and how quickly you progress. One of these injuries also requires a step by step rehab process, while the other may not.

If the injury you sustained is relatively minor, then you just need to follow some basic advice. First, there should be no or very minimal swelling (without meds) before you return to exercise. Bruising should be in that putrid yellowy green stage or better. Both swelling and bruising are signs that your body is still in repair mode. Don’t overtax an already broken body part. Once those boxes are checked, come back at 70%, be prepared to adjust if needed, and work your way back up slowly. Trying to push through or come back full strength right away is grounds for re-injury.

If you are on the more extensive side of the spectrum, follow doctor’s orders. Because you’ll probably be under medical care for some time, quite simply, do what they tell you. I have shocking news: physical therapists and sports medicine pros are amazing at what they do. You may hate them when you are on the leg extension machine and your patella feels like it’s about to disintegrate, but you are doing those exercises for many good reasons.

As I mentioned at the start, though, the mental aspect is a huge factor. No matter the severity of your injury, if you are older than 25 don’t expect that you are coming back rip roaring. Prepare for discomfort and set backs. You will be frustrated. But like the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race.

Depending on the injury itself and the circumstances surrounding it, you may also experience fear and trepidation. This is completely normal. Especially if the injury was fairly severe, you needed surgery or casting, or there was some additional traumatic element. Again, physical therapists are very good at what they do. And physical therapy is designed to minimize risk while maximizing gain.

If your injury is on the traumatic end of the spectrum (amputations or paralysis), you are likely to experience anger at some point. Again, totally normal. You aren’t just figuring out how to move without fear, you are relearning how to live your life. That can suck. Lots of trainers will tell you to focus on what your body can do. That’s okay advice for down the road. It’s less about moving well in the early stages than it is about letting yourself feel your feelings. Be angry, disappointed, frustrated, furious, sad, whatever. Then find yourself a mental health professional who can help you work through them. Stopping yourself from living in resentment is the best way to move well under these circumstances.

Moving well through injury recovery can be a bit like trying to learn to waltz while your partner is learning the minuet. You aren’t necessarily in sync with your body, you definitely aren’t speaking the same language, and you’ll make a whole bunch of missteps before you get it right. The point is to keep at it and it will become easier and less frustrating.

Until next time, move well friends!

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