When Injury Hampers Fitness
I thought my days of being injured were behind me when I recovered completely from my ACL reconstruction in just over 8 months and was back on the racquetball court in a year or so, playing much better than I had before because all that physiotherapy during my rehab had made me fitter and stronger than before. But then, two years later, it was almost back to square one when I felt a nagging pain in my knee and knew that things were not alright. My doctor and an MRI confirmed that this time, it was a meniscus tear, a small one at that. But it was still enough to put me out of action for three months.
My orthopedic advised me to stop playing racquet games because my instability could hamper reflexive movements and aggravate my injury, but he did say I could continue to jog and cycle to stay fit. Alas, even jogging proved to be too painful as I discovered to my dismay when I stepped out into the park one morning. So I had to be content with walking, and what a poor substitute it turned out to be.
I hate the fact that injury is hampering my fitness regimen and preventing me from exercising the way I want to. But then, I realized that three months is not a long time and that I could take this positively and find a way to stay fit in spite of my restrictions. So here’s what I’m doing now as I wait for my meniscus to heal and hopefully avoid another surgery:
- Strength training: I went back to my squats and other strength training exercises to sweat it out. I increased the intensity of my routine, and even thought it took me just 15 or 20 minutes to complete, I would be sweating profusely by the time I was done. For me, this is what I look forward to in exercise – I need to feel that I’ve done enough to stay fit and not that I’ve just gone through the motions.
- Cycling: I think the stationary bike was one of the best investments I’ve ever made health-wise. Since I work from home, it’s easy enough to spare half an hour at two or three points of the day, hop on to the bike and pedal away. It relaxes and rejuvenates me, but more than that, it’s a welcome break from the monotony of work. I find that cycling is a safe exercise for any knee injury because it’s non weight bearing. But even so, it’s better to check with your doctor before you start a cycling routine because your injury may be different.
- Dieting: And finally, after all my friends started telling me that I was adding on the pounds because of those few months I’d neglected to exercise, I began to diet again, something I thought I wouldn’t have to do because I worked out so much. But I began to eat sensibly – breakfast like a king, lunch like a common man, and dinner like a pauper. The only concession I made towards snacking was to eat fruits whenever I felt hungry in between meal times.
