Pain Free Movement: Can you still exercise with an injury?
- May 28
- 3 min read
So, you’ve been in the groove: working out regularly, staying active, and feeling strong. Then it happens. Maybe it’s an ankle sprain, or a thrown out back, a broken arm, or a muscle strain. You know you’re going to be out of the game for a while, and losing the progress you’ve made can add insult to injury.
What can you do?
First things first… GO TO THE DOCTOR! If you’re dealing with a major injury, don’t just tough it out. Get checked out by a doctor, find out the extent of your injury, and start the recovery process with the support of trained professionals. At Psoas we have a trusted referral network of Orthopedic Doctors, Physical Therapists, Osteopaths, Podiatrists, and General Practitioners. We can help guide you to the right professional.
Seeing the right Doctor right away will help you understand your injury and what you can and can’t do while you recover. The painful truth is, you might lose some progress, but if you take an active role in your recovery you can regain that lost progress faster.
Get back to basics.
Use your recovery time to strip things back to basics and perfect your form. This is an opportunity to deepen your mind-body connection, develop awareness of all the different layers of your core muscles, and to focus on breath-work and its connection to your strength.
Stick to the exercises that don’t cause pain. That may mean all you do is practice core engagement and breathing exercises without movement. You might be surprised at how much you can challenge your core without introducing much movement.
Start by finding your neutral spine:
Progress to simple exercises that you can do without causing pain to your injury. Use tools like yoga balls and resistance bands to simplify exercises as much as possible. The intention isn’t to make the exercise “easier” but to take the distraction of extra weight out of the equation so you have more energy to focus on form.
These practices of proper form and core engagement can be especially helpful to manage compensation patterns if your injury has you on crutches or in a boot.
Add in Restorative Practices.
If your doctor has cleared you for some exercise, the number one thing to look out for is what I like to call “enthusiasm injuries.” That’s when you feel recovered enough to go back to your regular activities, but dive in too hard too fast and flare up the freshly recovered injury. Post injury is a perfect time to take a more critical look at your overall routine. Were you too focused on strength, and endurance, but not enough on mobility? Or maybe the other way around? It might be time to add in more restorative practices.
Restorative Yoga (also called Yin Yoga) is a gentle style of yoga that uses props to support the body in a pose passively and can be a helpful practice in the recovery process. Pilates was originally designed as rehabilitative, and many Physical Therapists use Pilates exercises in their recovery programs. A good Pilates instructor will know how to modify exercises for any injury, and we have some great Pilates studios on our referral list as well.
We All Need Support.
Of course orthopedic massage is a useful tool in the recovery process, and we are passionate about working collaboratively with the practitioners you see outside of our clinic.
And we have tools beyond bodywork available at Psoas.
Like our Infrared Therapy Unit which Can help relieve pain, speed up muscle recovery, and detoxify the body.
Recovery Products Available at Psoas:
Injury doesn't have to mean a complete disruption to your workout routine, and very often exercise is a key component of the recovery process. If you're ever feeling lost on how to proceed after an injury check in with the massage therapists at Psoas Massage + Bodywork and we'll guide you back to your regular exercise!
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