Written by Menswear Style in Cars on the 13th July 2022

If you had a car crash, you probably suffered several injuries that make your recovery long and complicated. Some of the most common injuries associated with auto accidents are joint injuries, sprains, strains, head injuries, broken bones, and spinal injuries. If you have experienced any of these, you may find it challenging to come back to your day-to-day life because they impact your functionality and ability. It’s paramount to focus on how you can quickly recover from the car crash and follow your doctor’s recommendations regarding the activities you can engage in. The treatment and therapy they recommend ensure you can return to a healthy life after the accident. Get immediate medical care for your injuries because it’s essential to a quick and successful recovery. Once healthcare specialists assess your state and establish the nature of your mental and physical injuries, they create a recovery plan to restore your health. Exercising regularly during rehabilitation can speed up your recovery, heal your injuries, and lower your pain. This article includes some recommendations to help you get back to your active life and even exercise in the gym while recovering from a car crash injury.

Discuss with your doctor to make a game plan 

Before paying for a gym subscription, visit your doctor and inform them you intend to start working out again. After experiencing injuries due to a car crash, the most important thing is to get the right diagnosis and treatment and a recovery plan that helps you come back to your life as soon as possible. Your doctor will most likely customise your treatment and recovery program based on your injuries and physical activities of choice. All injuries are unique and damage the patient’s body in a different way, so it’s crucial to engage in activities based on your aptitudes and health state. Your doctor most likely won’t offer you the same advice as to another patient, even if you have the same type of injury.

Take it slow 

It’s understandable to miss your fitness routine and want to go back to your exact program, but you cannot do it so quickly. If you go back to lifting weights or running as you did before suffering the accident, you may exert your energy or worsen your injuries. Which is not good for your recovery. Remember that your body has been out of exercise for a while, and it’s weaker than before the accident. It’s best to go back to exercising gradually, and if you feel pain, stop and adjust your exercises. Doctors state that the recovery should last twice as long as the period your injuries kept you away from the gym. The period in which you took a break from being active affected more than your injured area. You lost part of your flexibility, coordination, and strength, not only in the parts where you were injured but also in the rest of your body. It’s common for car crash victims to get injured in a different spot when they return to exercising in the gym because they try to adjust their movements to compensate for their painful or weaker areas. 

Work with a personal trainer 

After the accident, you probably sought the help of a personal injury solicitor to claim compensation. It’s good that you did it because road traffic accident claims probably brought you a sense of peace and improved your mental health. However, finding a personal trainer who can help you start working out again is as important as recovering damages. If your doctor clears you to return to the gym and exercise again, the key to remaining consistent and focused is to hire a personal trainer to help you achieve your fitness goals. A trainer has the needed knowledge and experience to help you engage in the correct exercises and ensure you suffer no injuries. They’ll create a set of exercises customised to your needs to help you regain the flexibility and physical movement you might have lost due to the auto accident.

Establish some small goals 

Do yourself a favour and start your new journey in the fitness world with small steps. Aim for small goals and go gradually to prevent further injuries and get back to your normal routine. Do some strength training and stretching during the first workout session to help your body get back on track. You can do several exercises and activities to regain your range of motion and flexibility. Your personal trainer may recommend you try some yoga and Pilates at home to improve your flexibility. Light weights, cable machines, band exercises, and bodyweight exercises are your best friends for the following period. Avoid bench press and Olympic weights for a while because they can cause extensive injuries. Add extra weight gradually to increase your strength. 

Don’t ignore the pain 

If you’re a fitness enthusiast, you may enjoy the mental and physical challenges of being uncomfortable when exercising. However, the post-injury period isn’t the ideal time to push through pain because it may signal that you’re worsening your state. Don’t try to be a hero because rehab isn’t the right moment to do it. Don’t ignore the discomfort, pain, or other reactions you may experience. Check in with your body before hitting the gym. It’s recommended to restore normal function for daily activities before working out in the gym. If it still hurts to complete some usual activities like walking down stairs or walking with your dog in the park, you shouldn’t push yourself to restart your fitness routine. Ensure you feel no pain and your full range of motion is restored before you stress your body with exercises. Also, suppose you feel discomfort a couple of days after exercising, or your pain persists through exercises, you probably pushed your body too hard, and you need to adjust the effort. Get back to working out and being physically active again, but only after, you’re ready.

Discuss with your doctor to make a game plan, Take it slow, Work with a personal trainer, Establish some small goals, and Don’t ignore the pain.