Has that little nagging ache in your low back turned into daily discomfort? You used to notice it only when you were working out but now it seems to be there all the time—when you’re vacuuming, picking up the kiddos, or just getting out of bed in the morning. If you’re an active person, the thought of rest could feel like a major setback, especially if fitness is part of your identity, or what keeps you sane. Wondering how to stay fit while injured? I’ve got good news! There’s a safe way to stay active and not injure your body more. It’s called relative rest.
As a physical therapist, I encourage my clients to stay as active as possible and still allow time for healing. Here’s why:
- You need to stay sane. This is so real. Taking away your favorite activities, if it isn’t necessary to do so can flat out make you cranky. I’ve been there and that’s no fun, so keep a healthy amount of exercise in your life.
- Motion is lotion. Our bodies are made to move. Stopping all activity can actually do a disservice to the muscles you need to be strong to support you through the recovery process.
- Endorphins are real. Physical activity is a powerful pain reducer. When you exercise, natural endorphins are pumped through the bloodstream to make you feel good, boost your mood, and reduce pain. Our bodies are amazing, aren’t they?
What relative rest looks like
Now that we know relative rest is typically better than complete rest, how do we incorporate it? It’s going to look different for everyone depending on your current exercise or training routine, your goals, and your preferences. Here are some guidelines that will help you apply relative rest to your own life.
- Change the type of activity. Let’s say you enjoy both spinning and running. Spinning feels okay, but running tends to aggravate your back. Try taking two weeks off of running and replace those workouts with spinning.
- Reduce your volume and/or intensity. Maybe you only like to run. Other cardio like cycling, swimming, or rowing just doesn’t do it for you. That’s totally fine. Try shortening the length of your runs by 25%, doing interval training where you alternate between walking and running, or slowing your pace a bit. This way, your body still gets to move but isn’t being stressed as much so you can heal.
- Take adequate recovery. Rest days are just as important as your workouts. Try adding in some foam rolling, yoga or mobility work, and walking. These are great active recovery strategies to help your body prepare for your next workout. Don’t forget the importance of good sleep and nutrition for recovery!
- Apply the Stoplight Method. The Stoplight Method is a way of knowing if your current level of activity is appropriate for your body, or if it’s too much. You want to look at how you feel 24 hours after a workout.
- A green light means that you feel no worse 24 hours after a workout. If this is you, you know you can keep training at that level or even increase your volume or intensity.
- A yellow light means that you feel a little worse 24 hours after a workout, but not horrible. If this is you, keep your workout intensity the same or back off a bit next time.
- A red light means that you feel much worse 24 hours after a workout. If this is you, you need to back off about 50% from what you did in that workout.
When complete rest is actually necessary
There are some scenarios where you really do need to rest so your body can recover. One of the biggest examples of this is a fracture or stress fracture. Bone absolutely needs rest without weight going through it to heal, typically for about three months. Signs of a fracture include deep, aching, constant pain and pain that comes back just as strong (if not stronger) after a short period of rest (less than a month).
I hope you have a better understanding of how to stay fit when injured. If you have concerns or your pain isn’t getting better, please reach out to your favorite healthcare provider for individualized assessment and recommendations.
Questions? We would love to help you! Contact us or email stephanie@empowerphysioandwellness.com
