Is It Smart To Exercise After Getting Injured?

We have all heard that exercise is a good thing.  Just turn on your TV and you’ll see shows that indicate the importance of exercise.  Go to any department store and there is an entire section dedicated to fitness.  Involve yourself in a conversation with a neighbor, and they’ll likely bring up all of their awesomeness and how you should get into the act.

You heard the saying “No Pain, No Gain”.  I like to subscribe to the saying, “No Pain, No Pain”.  But what if you are hurt?  Is it smart to exercise after getting injured?  Contrary to popular thought, Yes, it is!  However, I am going to throw out a caveat.  If you are to exercise after an injury, you need to be extremely careful in how you do it because it can and will lead to greater injury if done incorrectly.

What if you are REALLY hurt, such as injuries related to a car crash?  Are you supposed to exercise?  Barring a few exceptions, yes.  But this is where you need to be really careful about the intensity and quality of exercise.

Should You Exercise at Home or at the Gym?

Do you actually need to listen to what the ER said about physical therapy?  I guess that depends on what results you want.  There was a study recently done that compared exercising by yourself on a general exercise plan versus exercising under the direction of a trained professional or physician.

This study covered a period of time of six months.  Those individuals that followed a specified program, did improve dramatically.  In fact, 28% had a significant reduction of pain.  Pretty impressive.  I imagine that those who were part of the individualized program were also dedicated and motivated.

But, when you compare these  individual results to the group that was under the direction of a trained professional, the individual results aren’t actually that impressive.  The professionally coached group showed a 39-44% improvement.

Can You Recover on Your Own?

Of course, but 28% are not the odds that I would want if I was injured in a car crash.  Especially when you take into account that this is a pain that you could suffer from for the rest of your life.  If it was my neck or back that was injured, I would do everything that I could to change the odds to be more in my favor.  I would use the trained professional.

The Whiplash Center of Utah is Southern Utah’s premiere choice for car crash injuries.  Why? Because we are the only office that is certified to treat the neck as well as certified to treat car crash injuries.  Whiplash is a neck condition; would you want a plumber fixing an electrical problem? Trust the trained professionals.  If you have been involved in a car crash, call 435-674-7515 immediately and start the process back to better health.