My Back Is Feeling Better... Can I Just Jump Back Into My Normal Exercise Again?
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I had an injury but I'm feeling better, that means I can go back to exercising right?
This is a question that arrises very frequently and there is no concrete yes or no answer. It depends on each individual and the circumstances. Some key factors that we want to keep in mind when we return to activity is the intensity of the activity, what was the injury, and how long you have not been exercising for.
When we stop working out or exercising because of injury, lack of time, or any other reason we start to lose some of our overall fitness level. The longer we are not being active the harder it becomes to return to activity at the same level. This is pretty common with the “weekend warriors”. Generally these people don’t do much in the world of exercise with the exception of a random half marathon, touch football game, or mud run. When we exercise in this manner it actually sets us up for injury because our bodies are not conditioned and ready to handle that level of exercise.
This is the exact reason why we return to activity at a lower intensity level. One of the worst things that can happen is that toward the end of your recovery you push it too hard because you weren't in pain and then you become injured again. This also comes to common sense, if you haven’t been running for 2 months because of a knee injury it may not be the best decision to have your first run back be 16 miles.
Some of the best strategies when returning to activity is to work under supervision so that your training and activity can be tailored to you and gradually increase back to your previous intensity.
