Exercising after a leg injury can be very challenging. This is especially true when the injury has not yet healed. However, exercise is still required so that the muscles can heal. Once the leg has recuperated, normal leg motion will be restored. Before you start working out, always consult a medical practitioner for advice. Read on for more tips.
Get Permission to Exercise
Healing usually depends on the injury type and severity. Some injuries may take a longer time period to heal than others. Exercising too soon can cause more harm than good by inhibiting the recovery process. After your doctor has examined the leg injury, he’ll decide whether or not (and when) exercise should commence.
Increase Circulation
Small movements are vital in increasing blood circulation. In addition, you’ll also be able to prevent the occurrence of blood clots this way. These are actually basic exercises that you can perform even when lying on the bed.
The leg injury will heal definitely heal faster when you do the following:
- Rotate the ankle in a circular motion in order to enhance circulation.
- Contract the muscles at the thighs and buttocks for a while. Release them and repeat the process for several times. This exercise helps improve circulation in these specific areas.
- Bend knees towards the chest in a slow motion and open them up again. Repeat several times.
Increase Motion Range
Regular motion of the leg is restored by focusing on flexibility. There are numerous therapy programs that stretch the injured area in a gentle manner. In order to increase motion range, you’ll need to do the following:
- Move the ankle towards your body’s direction and then away from it. When you do this several times, you’ll benefit greatly from this simple leg injury exercise technique.
- Take a pen, place it between your toes and begin to write with the injured leg. You can write anything like your name or letters of the alphabet. This will improve flexibility and motion.
Improve Balance
Stability when standing, walking or running is as a result of balance. After the leg injury, you’ll probably not be able to balance yourself for a while. It’s important to perform exercise routines that will improve coordination and posture. Furthermore, these are techniques that will enhance your stability when you get older. Stand on the injured foot and try to balance on it for as long as you can.
Strengthen Muscles
Legs are normally strong enough to hold the rest of the body. Therefore, you’ll need to place weight on the injured leg so that the muscles can be strengthened. If you don’t succeed at the initial trial, try again. Support yourself against a wall until you’re capable of standing alone.
In general, always be attentive to pain as this is an indication that you may be pushing it too far. Stop exercising in case the pain becomes too severe as this may worsen the leg injury. Get sufficient rest so that you can get well quickly.