For millions of gym enthusiasts around the world, car accidents can be a horrible thing to experience. Not only because it is an unwanted catastrophe in one’s life but also because being in a car can accident disturb your entire routine.
Even though getting treatment for your car accident injuries is quite important, you must also know that taking a break can disturb your gym routine and get seriously deviated from their track. Many people hate this because being at home and doing nothing during the recovery process can cause you to eat loads of foods, lie around the entire day and simply do all those things that you have been running away from your whole life.
Now, you wouldn’t want that, would you?
In this article, we will talk about some of the major precautions you can take to return to the gym after being in an accident.
Getting Back to the Gym after an Accident
No matter how big or small the injury is, you need to give it proper time; the one recommended by your doctor. Give yourself at least 2 to 3 weeks of complete rest with minimum movements. In case of minor injuries, going for a walk after 2 weeks of rest can be quite beneficial. However, if you are getting back at the gym, you need to be extra cautious and careful just in case you don’t end up making your condition even worse.
If you take your recovery process and the gym seriously, you can be strong and have a sense of being active. This can help you recover well without taking everything so seriously. Just make sure that your accident doctor is aware of your routine and they have given you a green signal.
When Will I Return To My Old Routine?
The timeline for your transition to your routine at the gym will depend greatly on the injuries, but you will be able to focus on a basic calculation to give you an indication of how long your body will take to heal from the injuries.
If you are taken out of your gym routine for two weeks, you might be aiming to return to full efficiency at the end of that period following the injury. If a big failure like an operation or fractured bone keeps you out longer, though, you’ll probably have a huge amount of work to do to get back to fitness.
Doctors recommend that you should start will smaller exercises that are manageable while you are getting accident injury treatment. Just take everything slowly until you are able to perform your regular routines without any discomfort.
Steps to Return to Your Normal Gym Routine after a Car Accident
Here are a few things that you might want to know before you hit the gym again:
Skip Intense Sessions of Workout
Don’t expect that your body will magically return to its normal stamina after the accident and you will start crushing that cardio routine immediately. Post-accident injuries take time to heal and you will start losing muscle mass and stamina due to lesser diet and lack of activity.
The effect is great if you take more than 2 weeks of bed rest with no physical activity. You will experience a noticeable decrease in your potential to workout effectively. Therefore, it is suggested that you start with low to moderate-impact injuries and take plenty of rest and fluids with the routine.
It doesn’t matter whether you are taking two hours to complete a circuit or nothing at all. For example, if you are unable to do your extra hard HIIT routine, you can head out for a brisk walk and get that blood pumping. It will also allow you to move your body and get that heart rate up.
Decrease the Load of Weights
If you are a fan of strength training, it is quite a trick for you to return to your regular routine after the injury. Physical trainers always recommend that you be at your optimal health before lifting weights. To get at optimal health, it is important that you get clear by your doctor and alternate care therapist.
If they clear you, you should return to your lifting routine with much lighter weights. How much lighter should one go is a question for many people. It is a smart decision that you go 75% lighter than what you were lifting prior to the accident.
The reason behind this is that the nervous system loses the ability to adapt weight lifting if you leave it for a month. Going back to the same weights will actually cause you soreness and even muscle injuries if they are not handled properly.
Maintain Low-Intensity Workouts
We understand that you worked hard to top your HIIT class or be the best CrossFit trained in your gym. But, if you are on your feet, you need to hit the brakes a bit and hold off the pumping and sweating. This can be a challenge for competitive people because who likes to lose after working so hard. Right?
However, physical trainers and health care experts recommend that you avoid these classes and build your stamina by brisk walking or walking on the treadmill first. If you push yourself too hard, your body will sustain injuries that will get difficult to treat.
Tips to Take Care of Yourself after a Car Accident
Resting is not the only thing you need to do if you are suffering from car accident injuries. There are a few steps you need to take in order to recover fully and remove all possibilities of developing chronic pain.
Here are a few things you need to look after:
- Stay completely hydrated. Drink loads and loads of fluids like water and fresh juices. Taking a solid intake of 2 to 3 liters of water every day will help you keep the toxins out of your body.
- Eat fresh fruits and take soup and plenty of vegetables to stay at optimal health.
- Take plenty of rest and make sure that you are visiting the doctor on regular appointments.
- There are plenty of alternate care methods like chiropractic care and physical therapy to help you get better.
- In the case of a major crash and an illness that causes you to quit a job or renders you unable to do assignments, seek help from the support team for assistance. Friends and relatives will also be more than willing to take dinner, cover your shift, or make a wash if you can’t do it quickly after an injury. Your social team is also a vital way of supporting your mental health following an injury.
Conclusion
Getting a car crash is normal. You need to understand that your gym routine will be affected greatly. However, make sure that you seek professional accident injury treatment before returning to your regular routine. When you go back, just don’t resume your routine with the same power at which you left it. In fact, go 75% lighter and start with some low-impact activities to build that lost endurance. People who resume from where they left are more prone to developing injuries that lead to chronic pain and other health-related issues.