What should I do if I injure myself during my regimen?

What should I do if I injure myself during my regimen?

John Spencer Ellis (Author, TV Show Host, Trainer and CEO, National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association) gives expert video advice on: What questions should I ask my doctor before starting an exercise program?; How do I know if I'm out of shape?; How do I know if I'm obese? and more...

Many years ago, we thought that people should absolutely just rest if you have an injury. Don't do anything. Just put an icepack on it, compress it, elevate it, and do nothing. Although, it's still important to do what's call “PRICE” – pressure, rest, ice, compression, elevation – that's important to do for an acute injury. However, what we're learning, you know, post-surgery or soon after the initial swelling and trauma has taken place, it's good to get active again – sparingly, appropriately, and progressively, according to your doctor's guidelines, and athletic trainer, and/or a physical therapist, and then, down to your personal trainer as well. So, we have to respect the injury. We have to respect the body. And yet, if you just sit there, you lose joint mobility, there's more atrophy that will take place in the muscle so the muscle will just shrink, and you lose the neural stimulation to that area. So, your recovery, your road back, will take longer. So, as long as you're not doing something that will aggravate it – for example, if you turned your ankle, I wouldn't go and play tennis in a tournament where you'll have to go and stop suddenly again. However, if you are walking on a treadmill, or riding a bike, or getting a massage on your ankle, and doing those sorts of things, that's smart and you should do that as soon as you're physically able to and your doctor or your physical therapist says it's okay to. Absolutely.