Have you ever started an exercise program, and just as you were getting into the zone and seeing progress happen, you get injured? You step off a curb and sprain your ankle. You tweak your back doing yard work. Now you have to step back from all of your progress to heal. It’s frustrating. I know all too well.
As I am writing this, I am healing from ulna shortening surgery. Strange right? I never heard of ulna issues until I had one. But that’s a story for another day.
This time, it wasn’t a sprain or strain from an accident. It was a scheduled setback. But the feeling is the same. I was feeling strong pre-surgery. Now, as per the doctor’s orders, I am unable to lift or carry anything as my ulna heals.
As a person who is used to training and moving, being unable to train as normal is incredibly frustrating. It feels like the muscles I was building are melting away. And if I’m being honest, I’ve also found myself in a bit of a funk mentally.
We all go through some sort of setback, whether it’s an injury, an illness, or just life getting in the way. Here’s what’s helping me get through this one.
Remember this is temporary
Setbacks feel permanent when you’re in the middle of them, but they’re not. Strength doesn’t vanish as fast as it feels like it does, and most of what you lose during time off comes back quicker than yo’d expect once you’re cleared to train again. This is a chapter in your journey, not the whole story.
Work with what you have
Injured your upper body? Train your legs. Injured your lower body? Train your upper body and core. Whatever movement you can do safely, do it. It keeps you moving forward, – physically and mentally – even when it’s not the training you wish you were doing.
I’m struggling with this one. I’m doing what I can, but it’s not inspiring to me. I have to keep reminding myself that even a lighter, scaled-back workout is still moving forward.
Give yourself permission to be frustrated
It’s okay to be in a funk. Losing your routine, your strength, or your sense of progress is a real loss, even if it’s temporary. Don’t pretend you’re fine if you’re not. Acknowledging the frustration, instead of pushing it down, makes it easier to move through it instead of getting sticky in it. And remember, resting and healing are also forms of productivity when you’re injured.
Go to physical therapy
I am a huge proponent of physical therapy. PT’s do more than give you simple exercises to do. Therapists manipulate the injured area and the surrounding area to make sure your nerves stay mobile rather than getting stuck. They use massage and techniques like Graston to break up scar tissue that could otherwise hinder your recovery and movement.
Physical therapy isn’t just about rehabbing the injury, either. It gives you structure. When your normal routine disappears, physical therapy becomes something to show up for – a new routine that keeps you engaged and moving toward recovery instead of just waiting it out.
Follow a regular sleep schedule and eat well
It’s easy to let your normal eating and sleeping routines slip when you’re injured, but they matter more than ever. Your body does its healing while you sleep. Cells regenerate. Stress hormones drop. Inflammation gets brought under control.
What you eat matters, too. Focus on protein (i.e. lean meats, eggs), healthy fats (i.e. fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil), vitamin C (i.e. oranges, bell peppers), calcium and vitamin D (i.e. milk, leafy greens), and zinc (i.e. lean beef, pumpkin seeds, lentils) – all of which help repair tissue, heal bone, and reduce inflammation.
Setbacks are part of the process, not the end of it. Whatever you’re recovering from right now, be kind and patient with yourself. You’ll get back to it.
If you need help during your recovery and beyond, contact us. We are always here to help.
