04 Sep Four tips to keep working out while dealing with injury

Getting injured is never any fun, but it can be especially frustrating if it messes up your workout routine.
Nothing slows up a fitness enthusiast like being hampered by problems such as pulled or strained muscles or ligaments.
If you are smart and know a few simple tips, though, often times you can work through the pain of an injury.
Here are four tips to keep working out while dealing with an injury.
Ice is nice — Keep the inflammation down with ice after exercising. I like to use reusable ice packs that can be kept in the freezer.
Get creative with ART – A physical therapy technique known as Active Release Technique (ART) breaks up knots and scar tissue in the soft tissues of the muscles that give you pain and restrict movement.
After even one or two ART sessions a patient often finds relief. Talk to a sports trainer or massage therapist for more information on ART.
Warm up smarter – If you are having injury problems, you may need to tweak your warmup routine.
Muscles perform better when the blood flow is really moving and this can also limber up joints and ligaments.
Start with a light walk, jog or bike ride and then use higher reps with lower weights when strength training.
Don’t do exercises that you think will directly aggravate your injury. Maybe you can work around the problem area, or go very easy if, for instance, your shoulder is hurting.
Use cables or bands to gently stretch the injured area if needed for a few weeks as it heals.
This will at least get blood flowing to the injured area. And, remember to ice afterward.
Be patient – Remember there is no quick fix. Be diligent with your rehab, work with a trainer if needed and don’t try to come back too fast. You don’t want a small injury to become a big problem.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. Consult a doctor before making any significant changes in your exercise routine or diet. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com