Exercising within your limits helps maintain fitne

You’ve been working out regularly and the results are impressive. Your clothes fit better, you’re bursting with energy, and you love the compliments about your trimmer physique.

Then you’re sidelined with a muscle strain or other injury, and within weeks, all your hard work goes literally to pot.

It doesn’t have to be that way. While injury certainly limits what you can do during your recovery, you can still maintain some level of training that will help you bounce back more quickly, and not forfeit all that hard-won fitness.

“Don’t think of the body as a whole but as parts,” said Jennifer Pesce, rehabilitation director at Shore Memorial Hospital. “If your leg is injured, you can keep working on your upper body and keep your cardio fitness going. If you injure one leg, that doesn’t stop you from doing something with the other leg.” Don’t worry, she added, “You won’t end up looking like the Hulk on one side and Olive Oyl on the other.”

Muscle strains are the most common injuries among athletes and the joints that move in more than two directions – the shoulder, ankle and hip – are the first to be injured, said Pesce. Tendonitis, an inflammation of the cord-like bands that attach the bone to the muscle, is also common and can result from intense training. The condition can build up over time but present painful symptoms suddenly, possibly because the endorphins that kick in during exercise can mask the discomfort. Then, “when the activity level drops, (the pain) kicks in,” said Pesce.

So what is the best course of action when you’ve been benched by injury? First, remember the acronym RICE (for rest, ice, compression and elevation). Rest and protect a musculoskeletal injury, and apply ice or a cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes at a time, as often as once an hour, for up to three days. Compress the afflicted area by wrapping it, and try to keep it at or above the level of your heart, which will minimize swelling.

After 72 hours, it’s time to carefully stretch and move. An Ace bandage or neoprene sleeve will stabilize the injured area and also add warmth, which increases blood flow and speeds healing. After moving, return to RICE.

And yes, you can and should do a modified workout. A stationery bike is a good choice, as are aquatic exercises – anything that improves overall fitness without damaging the injured area.

Modify your diet for as long as your activity level is curtailed, added Pesce.

“Protein is a healer, especially if it’s a muscle injury. Carbs turn to sugar, and your muscles don’t need sugar if they’re not being used.” If you continue to eat carbs, the sugar goes somewhere else and parks there,” usually in “the most sedentary part of the body – your backside,” she said. Drink a lot of water too.

At night, use pain medication and ice the injury again if necessary. Also, don’t be surprised if you feel weary after an accident or injury. “The energy stores are going to the weak part to heal it,” said Pesce.

The bottom line is that while muscles can break down quickly when you stop using them, if you maintain some level of training you’ll soon be good as new.

“Don’t think you’re down for the count,” said Pesce, “because one body part is injured.”

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