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4 Ways To Keep Healthy Whilst Injured

Being injured can be extremely frustrating when you’re a fitness lover. When you’re told you can’t do what you love, it can be difficult to accept. Yet, ignoring medical advice and doing it anyway could make your injury much more severe, so you have to take things slowly when recovering.

This doesn’t mean that there aren’t other things you can do to keep healthy whilst your body recovers. The more patient you are, the quicker you will recover, so here are a few tips to help keep you sane whilst you’re not able to train as you usually would! Of course, whether or not you can do all of these things will depend on your injury, so follow medical advice and listen to your body.

Try Something You Usually Neglect

If you have injured a particular part of your body, this could be the perfect time to focus on an area of your fitness that is usually neglected. If you’re a runner and you’ve injured your ankle, this could be a great time to work on your upper body strength. Maybe you’re a weightlifter with broken fingers, so you could spend time building up your cardiovascular fitness.

Use this opportunity to work towards your overall strength and fitness by trying something new. You might end up falling in love with it!

Go For a Swim

If you have been given the go ahead for light exercise, a gentle swim can do wonders. You could try actually swimming or just walk in the pool. The impact on your body will be minimal, but it will provide some resistance to help activate your muscles.

Whilst swimming is good for rehabilitation, it is also a great activity for your health and fitness overall. It can help to improve your mood and reduce stress. It is also the perfect opportunity for some ‘me’ time. Making a habit of incorporating a swim into your fitness regime will be great for your physical and mental health.

Eat a Balanced Diet

The best thing you can do to help your body recover is to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Your body will need plenty of protein to help to minimise loss of tissue. It is also vital that you consume a wide range of vitamins and minerals to keep your body functioning properly as it adjusts to less exercise.

Healthy Whilst Injured

Whilst supplements shouldn’t replace a healthy diet, they can be useful to give you a much needed boost when you are recovering from an injury. For surgery recovery, zinc supplements are fantastic for healing wounds. For muscular injuries, go for magnesium supplements which help with flexibility and loosening muscles.

Take Time For Self-Care

If you usually spend lots of time working out as a means of relaxing and relieving stress, you should replace that time with other things you enjoy whilst you recover. You could have a go at a DIY project you’ve been meaning to get round to, spend more time at the cinema or learn new recipes to cook for your loved ones.

When your hobby is temporarily taken away, it is more important than ever to make time for the things you love to protect your mental health.