
Q: It seems as though whenever I start to get into a groove with working out, something happens to set me back. Most recently, I sustained an injury to my knee. Is it possible to keep exercising?
A: Okay, so you're injured — don't despair! With care and knowledge, chances are you can still exercise safely.
But before we get into that, I need to stress that I am not a doctor. I get so many questions from people about specific injuries, and it would be very irresponsible of me to diagnose your ailment and prescribe a course of treatment. I strongly recommend that anyone with an injury consult a physical therapist or physiatrist (sports medicine doctor) before beginning any exercise program.
While I can't speak about your specific injury, there are some tips you can keep in mind when planning your fitness routine. If your injury is in your lower extremities — knees, ankles, feet, shins, or calves — try low-impact forms of cardio, such as swimming, recumbent biking, rowing, and shadowboxing with light weights in each hand. You can also continue to do resistance-training moves for your upper body, such as back, chest, abs, and arm exercises.
If you've sustained an injury in your upper body, such as a rotator-cuff injury or torn biceps, for example, you can do high-intensity lower body cardio like running, step aerobics, jumping rope, elliptical machine, spinning, and so on. You can also continue to do exercises for your lower body, such as lunges, squats, leg presses, and dead lifts.
Keep in mind that many injuries stem from lack of conditioning and poor health in the first place. As you get healthier, you should begin to feel those sore knees getting better with every workout. No matter what, don't give up! As long as you are watching what you eat and following the tips mentioned above, you will continue to get healthy and lose weight. You may not be moving at the most accelerated pace, but you are moving forward, not backward. That's something to celebrate!
Losing It With Jillian - Jillian Michaels Newsletter Sunday, August 18
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