No matter what kind of physical shape you are in, you just can’t escape injury from exercise. Yes, you can minimize the possibility but really the important thing is how you respond when it happens. This is especially true as we as we get to be old guys like me. If your injury is the result of working out and it’s been determined by a professional that there is no need for surgical intervention, you can still workout if you are careful.
The saying No Pain, No Gain is a myth. Injury pain, which is often sharp and intense, is a warning. Deep muscle burn is another thing altogether and can be worked through. Most pain resulting from torn tissue fibers should be avoided. Just stop doing what makes it hurt. Just that simple. For example, if you’ve injured a shoulder find exactly what motion hurts and stay away from it. You can still experiment with non-painful exercises of the shoulder. There will usually be some things you can do. Why not just lay off completely? You might have to but keep in mind joints heal better when therapy involves mobility and injured tissues heal with increased blood flow. That comes from working the muscle. Trying to exercise injured tissue is a bad idea. With pain comes a release of histamine in the surrounding tissue. This constricts the blood vessels, limits blood flow and slows the healing process. Ignoring the pain will lead to greater damage if you keep pushing.
So alter your exercise program for awhile. Cut back and go for less intensity if you must. I know, sometimes it will make for a less satisfying workout and it’s a bit disappointing. At least you may not have to stop completely. It’s tough starting a program from square one. We’ve all done it and we hate it. It’s like pushing a car. It’s all about momentum. You don’t have to let your 3500 pounds of exercise progress come to a halt.
