We all have periods in our life when we suffer from an injury, be it small or large.
And i definitely have had my fair share of them!!
16 years ago i sufferered a stress fracture in my fibula that took 18 months to recover from. This was right through the peak of my boxing career, and caused me to have to re-assess all of my training. I wasn’t able to run, i couldn’t skip, and i couldn’t do any plyometric or sprint training. BUT what could i do?
I could cycle, so i started inventing my own SPIN classes (this was before SPIN or RPM classes had become a known thing), and my goodness did i work myself hard!!! I would write out 30 minute high intensity programs, or longer 60 minute + endurance style sessions. Plus i bought a road bike and started riding as many km’s a week as i could. By chucking in lots of hills, i could change the intensity of my sessions and keep it really varied.
My stress fracture still gives me grief now and then, but i have learnt to listen to my body and know when i need to avoid anything that is putting too much pressure on it.
Fast forward 16 years and no major injuries, AND now, i’m suffering from a shoulder injury that has been confirmed as bursitis, but am awaiting an MRI next week, as after 6 months it’s no where near better yet, arghh…………….
Injuries can be frustrating and more than likey will start to wear you down after a while, if you let it.
There are so many things that you cant do, that all your focus starts to be centered around this, instead of putting all your focus and effort into the things that you can do, and how you can make the best out of a bad situation.
So how can we keep our spirits up while we are recovering from an injury?
It’s really important to set yourself some new goals, that don’t involve using your injured areas. Even if it means stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying new sports or a different way of training. Think back to the basics.
In my case, I’ve been focusing on lower body exercises, like running, road cycling and mountain biking, along with bodyweight lower body circuits and weight. This keeps my shoulder well out of the equation.
Once youv’e figured out some new ways of training, is there a goal within that, that you can aim for? Maybe do a race of some kind, be it just for fun or semi competitive. Or set yourself a goal of been able to do full pushups, when you couldn’t previously, or run 10kms etc. There are so many different ways that you can set yourself a goal, helping to keep you focused while you’re injured and take your mind of what you are currently not able to do.
The most important thing, is that you don’t fall into a depressed state, as injuries arent just going to heal themselves over night, so you have to be prepared for the long haul.
I’ve also found it great to read stories about others, who have overcome massive obstacles and come out winning and succeeding in things that no-one ever thought possible of them. 1, this reminds me that anything is possible and 2, that there is always someone out there worse of than me. Always a great way to put things in perspective thats for sure!
So get out there, set new goals, and make it happen for yourself.
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