It isn't always easy to hit the gym after an accident. Not only do you have to cope with things like pain, stiffness and muscular degeneration, but you might also struggle to complete the same workouts that you did before your injury. If you find yourself needing new exercises and fresh routines to accommodate your changed circumstances, here are just a few activities worth trying:
Neck and Back Exercises
Neck and back injuries are sometimes called "soft tissue injuries" because they affect the soft parts of your body like tendons and ligaments. Your focus should be on stretching and soothing these areas with chin tucks, shoulder rolls and neck rotations. You can also utilize specific stretches like the "levator scapulae stretch" that will relieve stiffness from whiplash.
Brain Injury Exercises
Exercise after a brain injury will depend on how much damage was done and what kind of impact it had on your range of motion. Speaking very generally, however, you might appreciate control- and endurance-based exercises like dips and planks. You might also use weights and resistance bands to increase their level of difficulty. The longer that you can hold yourself in difficult positions, the more strength that you'll recover in the long run.
Spine Exercises
Swimming is the best way to regain strength after a spinal cord injury. It won't put any undue pressure on your muscles, and floating and paddling will allow you to regain some of the mobility that you lost. As for specific exercises, think about things like water aerobics that will get your heart racing and your blood pumping. If you're in physical therapy, you can also ask your trainers about doing your regular reps in the water.
Arm and Leg Exercises
These are important if you were injured in a way that left you bedridden. Without using your extremities on a daily basis, they're probably very weak and in need of some strength training. For your arms, perform increasing repetitions of chin-ups, push-ups, shoulder presses and bicep curls. For your legs, challenge yourself with squats, steps, lifts, lunges and knee extensions.
Whether you've been injured in an accident or weakened by a medical condition, these are just four types of exercise that can help you get back in the saddle. If you need to take it a step further and see a physical therapist, consider contacting a personal injury attorney and discussing compensation. You might be entitled to damages if you were injured in a way that affected your health, mobility or job prospects.