Can you do sports when you are injured?

Minor injuries may be common for people who regularly exercise. For example, you may often experience knee pain when jogging in the morning or have back pain when lifting weights. Because it feels light, not a few people force themselves to keep exercising when injured. However, can it be done? Check out the full explanation below.

Can you do sports when you are injured?

Normally, people who experience sports injuries are encouraged to rest to restore their health. But in fact, not everyone is comfortable with being silent without physical activity, such as sports.

Apart from being uncomfortable at home, most people are worried that they will get sicker and not fit if they stop exercising. Usually, this is felt by athletes or people who are used to sports.

Someone who has suffered an injury is actually more advised to take breaks and avoid strenuous physical activity. This is done to prevent the injury from getting worse and speed healing.

In fact, a study reported by Verywell shows that a person's fitness level can still last even though he reduces or changes the intensity of the exercise he does. So, taking a short breath from your exercise habits doesn't just lower your fitness level, really.

However, someone who has a sports injury is still allowed to play sports. The most important thing is to do sports properly and protect the injured part until it is completely healed.

Which must be considered before deciding to exercise when injured

Before doing sports during an injury, there are several things that must be considered, including:

1. Consult a doctor

Before you decide to return to your sports routine when you are injured, you must obtain approval and recommendation from your doctor that you are allowed to exercise. The reason is, not all types of injuries are able to accept excessive pressure which can aggravate the injury.

The doctor will assess the severity of the injury, alternative types of exercise, intensity of exercise, and when you can start exercising again. Usually, your doctor will ask you to avoid cardio or other types of exercise that involve an injured limb.

If you have an injury to your knee or leg, your doctor will certainly advise you to do sports while sitting down, for example yoga. Meanwhile, if you have an injury to your upper body, you can choose a sport that only focuses on the legs.

2. Understand your body's capabilities

It is okay to exercise when you are injured. But remember, understand your body's capacity, because only you can judge how long your body can last for sports in an injured condition.

If you start to feel pain in your joints, immediately stop the exercise you are doing. This may indicate that your muscles are getting tired. So that, immediately rest your body and switch to lighter exercises or maybe end your exercise session.

3. Maintain balance and flexibility

To avoid getting worse, do a lighter type of exercise than your daily routine. The wrong type of exercise can make the muscles tense and cause the injury to continue.

In addition, keep your body balanced and flexible. When you rely a lot on your right foot, then alternate the support on your left leg. That way, you will avoid the risk of injury and speed up the recovery period.