Training while injured
If you have an active injury, pain, or pelvic floor symptoms here is how I like to help athlete’s continue to train without having to take complete rest. We know that complete rest from training is not the best approach; in fact, most people who rest for a period of time and then return to training a week or two later will find their pain comes back.
It’s important to find a provider who can help you determine a good approach to training while injured
Rest + soft tissue work is generally not the answer to long-term pain relief (ie. rest + foam roller), but soft tissue work can be great for decreasing tissue-generated pain
Active approaches are most effective in long-term improvement (ie. progressive tissue loading via prescribed therapeutic exercise)
My approach to treatment starts off with the following 3 steps:
Coach the movement - dial in on points of performance and technique, bracing strategies, breathing, sequencing, etc
Modify the movement - see below
Provide accessory exercises and progressions - rehab exercises based on evaluation findings
When modifying movement, I usually start with the first item in the list below, then move my way down. Sometimes it ends up being a combination of more than 1 approach. Decisions take into account an individual’s specific symptoms and what is working well for them.
Reduce load on the aggravating movement, but keep full range of motion
Reduce range of motion to stay in a comfortable zone during the aggravating movement
Find an alternative movement that is a similar stimulus but is more comfortable
Reduce volume (reps/sets/duration) if symptoms are provoked at a certain volume
Reduce intensity - less focus on speed, greater focus on quality of movement
Reduce impact - finding ways to modify the impact of things such as running, jumping
Only if we cannot find ways to work with a movement do we choose to temporarily eliminate a movement until it can be resumed more comfortably
this generally means that an athlete’s pain is highly irritable and needs some calming techniques to restore more comfortable movement
As mentioned above, this approach can be used for pain and injury, but also for pelvic floor symptoms! Call or email if you have questions about the “what” and the “how” of training while injured.
TLDR: Resting due to pain/injury is not the answer. Active approaches with progressive loading will help you achieve long-term relief. BUT, navigating the “what” and “how” requires thoughtful analysis of the symptoms to coach your movement, modify your movement, and prescribe accessory exercises. Call/email us if you need help! We can work with you virtually!
