After an accident, when is it safe to exercise? How much time do u take off for your body to heal??
Well these are the questions I found hard to understand and too get answered.
After 2 years post accident and physical therapy, weekly injections to minimize the pain, weekly chiropractic apptâs it still couldnât help get my body back on track too a healthy lifestyle. This blog I hope, will help u (if stuck d/t physical ailments) get back to living a healthy, pain free, life.
In 2014, while away on a get away with my husband, a drunk driver ran into the back of our park vehicle.. while stopped at a red light. The driver was charged with impaired driving and (later found out) spent time in jail. Nothing prepared me for the next 4 yearsâŠ.post accident. The next 2 weeks the pain started amping. Even being a certifird practical nurseâŠI HAD NO CLUE OF WHAT WAS INSTORE !! I worked with physio 2x weekly, chiropractic for accupuncture. Massage biweekly to help relax the muscles. Meeting new pain Dr to help control the pain. Then body went into full fight and flight mode. Following up with pain Dr getting weekly injections through whole back with Lidocaine (the numbing medicine u get at dentist for freezing). Still nothing controlled the level of pain I was going through. After 2years of injections I couldnât do it anymore. It became to painfull.
After switching pain meds till something helped.. (still nothing fully controlled the sharp stab like pains ) and amount of differnt nerve blocking drugs to block painfull stimuli signals yet still worried as the amount of different medication that I was put on. With ALL of this happening, I still was worried about being a good parent (4 kids) A good wifeâŠemotionally i did well, till i couldnât take it any more. I felt like my medical system failed me. I started seeing it through a patients eyes and how patients are viewed. I will later write about that experience. I new after 2 years, now after dropping 25lbs (muscle).. I needed something different. I was following all steps but felt like i was drowning. I couldnât control my bodyâŠlike I was driving a car without a steering wheel.
So I reached out with a local trainer, @Dan & Michelle Kennedy #elitephysique and asked if they new of someone that they trusted that could work with me to build my muscle back up. Thatâs when my life.. I believe was saved.
Above pic: trainer Heather king and I
âMy next journey took me 1year 10months to be where I am now. The first 6 months, all my trainer @heatherking could do was stretching and massaging my body. Then implementing small core exercises to build back up my core. Felt like the process was so slow and would NEVER be free of it. Some small exercises she implemented were: Superman exercises with leg raises and trainer stretching me. This journey with her wasnât easy but I saw what life wouldâve been like if i stayed doing physio. Also working with my new chiropractor who implemented his martial arts into his therapy with stretching..I have Never met anyone like him. With #tmchiro @DrMarkButkus chiropractic I promise uâŠI was determined to get my life back. So the fight in me stirred. With me picking my team who was going to bring my life back too meâŠhope is restored.â
Muscles contract & relax as part of your systemgoverned by your nervous system. Muscle pain is a range of minor injuries to serious diseases. If tou donât engage &work your muscles they gradually decrease as a natural part of the aging process if nothing is done to counteract this trend. This was where I found myself after 2 yrs post accident. Listening to the medical system, that my muscles and nerves still needed to relax enough to build the small muscles back up.
Yet What if time against you??
This vicious cycle & where I was at, you avoid activity due to weakness or Fear of re-injuring yourself. Yet being inactive causes further frailty. When you add diseases in the mix (scoliosis, Fibromyelgia, nerve damage, disc issues). Makes it seem and feels impossible. I am here to tell u..
There are 600 skeletal muscles throughout your body, accounting approx 40% of your weight. These skeletal muscles are part of musculoskeletal system. Resposible for producing movement. Providing form & stability. These skeletal muscles are surrounded and seperated by connective tissue called: Fascia. Also the Nervous system is controlled by thinking (thatâs why mindful thinking, yoga is extremely important). NERVE impulses provide signal for muscle fibres to contract.
So what if you feel stuck?? Unable to relax these muscles enough to be painfree?? Â
What if your injury is within the fascia and constantly painfull? Injuries, tension, Stress and over use, are causes of some minor localized muscle pain. Then can cause severe pain through your body (systematic pain) or long lasting muscle pain also known as Chronic Pain. At this point it is important to do muscle strengthening. Gentle Yoga is recommended and pool exercises arr less traumatic on the body.
Lean muscle mass starts to decrease at age 30. You probably notice being unable to contract your muscles as soon as you used too.
So what does this mean if u sustain an injury??
If you arenât able to replace the loss of muscle, your % of fat in tour body will increase. Being inactive and Loss of lean muscle, you then feel like you are further away from starting line. Itâs almost as if we have more hurdles to overcome. â Itâ NOT Impossibleâ I am 46 and achieved my health back.
Thatâs when I knew I was in serious trouble. If i didnât pick my ass up and fightâŠi was only going to get sicker. Being told by DrâsâŠâu should learn to embrace the body u have now.â The body I have now?? The body that has no controlâŠI should EMBRACE it? But how? I didnât ask for this bodyâŠI was always 90% active. I couldnât get past the emotional part. So for the 1st 2 years I moarned the body that I had. It was dead to meâŠ.No!! I needed help so I hired a personal trainerâŠthat Changed my life! SAVED my life. Your trainer should motivate you. They should make you accountable to your fitness plan. What is Important to know about your trainer
.qualifications & years experience
.should know if your trainer can handle your health needs- such as Chronic pain (Not all trainers are the same) physiotherapy for injuries trainer should have 4 years degree in exercise, science, exercise physiology. Also years experience could meaan they are just as qualified as a 4 year graduate. You Need your trainer to not just know about exercises but how your injury effects you.
PATIENCE: must develop patience because health will not change over night.
Good news about regular exercise & strength training :Â develops strong bones- by stressing bones, strength training can help increase and maintain bone density and decrease risk of Osteoporosis
Can manage Chronic condition.Strength training can help prevent reduce the impact of many Chronic conditions (ie Arthritis, back pain, degenerative, Nerve damage, Fibromyelgia, depression.
Protect Joints. Strong muscles decrease pain, arthritis. Protect connective tissue such as cartilage that tends to become weak.
Prevent injury When muscles are strong & flexible they move more flexible in Full ROM. Also stabilize joints and with building strong core muscles& protects low back
Improve Posture Strength training will maintain proper posture which reduces pain. Decreases risk of falls & injury. Improves mood: exercise will give you sense of worth, decrease depressive mood system improving quality of life & helps u do everyday activities. It sharpens thinking skills. Regualr exercise strength training improves thinking & learning
Getting started in strength training building amd increasing core is essential. As it supports your spine, decreases weight on low back.
1. Talk to your Dr to make sure u are knowing where to start safely.
2. Start slowlyâ Not being active for a while you want to be exercising safely
3. Wear proper foot wear- for good traction so you wont slip and injury self more
4. Always warm upâ cold muscles are more prone to injury. Warm up approx 10min
6. Use proper form- poor form can lead to strains, sprains, fractures. DONâT GO ON WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING AT THE GYM, THEY MAY BE DOING IMPROPER form and could lead to serious injury. Ask questions
7. Lift appropraite wtâ start offlow wt with higher reps (usually tiring muscles after 11) If experiencing painâŠthen stop. There is good sore muscle pain or severe systematic pain- bad something more is going on. Consult your Dr
8. Breath- remeber to not hold your breath. Breath out while lifting or pushing wt up. Listen to what your body is telling you. U should feel sore in muscles worked for few days. If longer consult tour Dr.
9.Restâ your muscles need to rest in between exercises. TRACK your progress. Keeping a log with work outs, wt of what u lifted and body wt. Also track what u ate will tell u if eating properly. Looking back on log also is good for what works and what doesnât.
I PROMISE U IT WONâT BE EASY âŠBUT ITâS POSSIBLE!!
âNow I am proud to stay I am working with personal trainer 3x week and feel more like myself every day. I still have far to go but there is Hope! Ask me how I can help u get on trackâŠIT IS WORTH IT!!â â€â€
PSSS: âIâm off Ÿ of medications. Just rerurned from Jamaica and was able too climb Dunnâs river. Currently preparing training for my 1st show this fall. Follow me on instagram: spazziness or blogs at : 4healls.wordpress.com
