Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 27th March 2015

Rehabilitation from any injury can be a challenging journey. There are steps in healing to make sure the body returns to peak condition. It’s important to properly recover and gain full range of motion to the injury before moving on to the next step in the rehabilitation process. Exercise and stretches should be implemented to regain range of motion using proper gym equipment to help in the injury recovery process. We speak to Fitness Mad who advises “professional products should be used to gain great results during the healing and recovery process.” There are some needs that are appropriate to a specific stage of recovery. Rushing the recovery process can highly increase the chances of repeated injury.

Stretching & Resistance 

Yoga Mats - a necessary piece of equipment that can be used at home or the gym to help prevent further damage from injuries and protection from hard surfaces. These mats come in various lengths for children and adults. Choose a firm and stable Yoga Mat to fit the occasion or a soft surface for ease on the joints.

Resistance Bands - a very important piece of gym equipment to help in the injury recovery process. Resistance bands can be useful to those in recovery who desire better range of motion strength. They are also easier to carry around compared to free weights. 

Foam Rollers - used to enhance balance, muscular flexibility, and perform self massage. Through a range of exercises, foam rollers can also be used to aid with sore tense muscles and injury recovery.

Strength

Strength training is a vital part in the rehabilitation process. It helps build a stronger heart and skeletal muscles. Strength training helps the body demand less oxygen and nutrients with the capability to perform at maximum levels. There are also weight-training exercises used to increase skills and confidence.

Barbells and Weight Plates - used to improve posture and muscle imbalance. Another important step of the rehabilitation process is to regain muscle strength, while increasing overall endurance. Using barbells and weight plates happen to be a vital part of improving posture while rebuilding worn, weak muscles.

Medicine Ball - exercise using the Medicine Ball is an important part of regaining core strength and stability. Medicine balls can work every part of the body especially the hips, abs and thighs. 

Wrist and Ankle Weights - body conditioning can be used for exercises to build the core and also strengthen exercises. They can be used to increase intensity during a walk, run or any other rehabilitation exercise. 

Balance Board - regular use of a Wobble board is a great way to improve balance, increase core strength and is used in the rehabilitation of ankle injuries. Those that would like to strengthen the ankles and muscles of the lower legs should also use this piece of gym equipment.

Pull up Bars - build a portable exercise area in a doorway at home or simply head to the gym. It makes workouts easier, fun and more accessible. 

Kettlebells - challenge the entire muscular and cardiovascular system. The Kettlebell is a great tool if the goal is to improve agility, balance, and core strength. They're excellent for weight training and toning, and are offered in a range of different weights from 4kg to 24 kg.

*Stretch band, Barbell, Medicine ball, Pull ups, Kettlebell, Yoga mat images via Shutterstock

We feature foam rollers, resistance bands, medicine balls and kettlebells in our guide to Gym Equipment to Help in the Injury Recovery Process.