Common Mistakes to Avoid When Exercising With Injuries

Exercising with injuries can be difficult, but it is also important not to completely forget 
about fitness until you’re recovered. That also doesn’t mean you should continue 
working out, ignoring the pain and making the injury worse. Here are some common 
mistakes people tend to make when they are exercising after getting an injury.

Being Unrealistic About What You Can Do

This is a very common mistake people tend to make after getting an injury. You have 
been working out hard for months or even years, and now you have a sprained ankle or 
blew out your knee. But because you work out so hard, you think you can still do it, and 
just put up with the pain. That pain you feel is a warning sign that there is something 
wrong; it is not the same discomfort you get when you work harder. If you try to do too 
much and are unreasonable about your abilities with an injury, you are not only slowing 
down the healing process, but could make the injury worse.

Ignoring the Pain and Warning Signs

Naturally, this brings us to the next mistake people sometimes make with injuries. This 
is when you feel pain or have other warning signs while exercising with injuries, but you 
choose to ignore it. As mentioned, this can hurt you more than help. While you don’t 
want to remain sedentary, you need to add exercise gradually and only after your doctor 
has approved it. If you ignore the pain, you are putting yourself at a lot of risk, possibly 
even leading to a permanent injury.

Assuming the Internet Can Answer All Your Problems

While the internet has a lot of great answers, it isn’t the same as going to your doctor. If 
you are concerned about something, want help with healing your injured body, or are 
curious if you have rested long enough, you should really talk to your doctor. They can 
perform x-rays and run tests to see if you are ready to put weight on that part of your 
body or to get back to your normal fitness routine. They also ensure you don’t make the 
injury worse. This is important to keep in mind because you definitely don’t want to 
prolong the healing process.

As long as you listen to your body and know when something is too difficult, you should 
be able to get back to exercising after an injury.
