Even at a gym with incredible coaching and mindful athletes like Renew, acute injuries can happen. Recently I experienced an unfortunate accident in the gym where I misstepped and tore a ligament in my ankle. I was doing a movement I’ve done a thousand times, but something about the way I stepped this one time ended with an injury. It’s never fun to get hurt. I’ve had a few experiences in the past where I’ve had to take a break from the gym. I spent a lot of that time being miserable that I couldn’t work out or move like I wanted to, but I also learned a few things along the way that have helped me cope in a healthier way this time around. Here are some of my lessons in hopes they will be helpful if you ever (and I hope you don’t) find yourself in a similar situation. Before we get into it, just remember that everyone is different. Be sure to work with your preferred healthcare pros to determine what’s appropriate for you because I’m the furthest thing from a doctor.
1. Give your body what it needs
Something I’ve told myself a lot in this latest injury is that my body is made to heal itself. It’s wild that in general we don’t have to tell our bodies what to do to get us back to wellness, they are just wired to do it. From the moment I sustained my injury, my body began the healing process by swelling and bruising, and it continued in phases from there.
So the question I have continued asking is: how can I help that healing and not hinder it? The answer has evolved. At first that meant a lot of elevation, gentle movement, and making sure I was getting the nutrition my body needed for healing. I prioritized my mental health. Then I added the unglamorous work of PT exercises to restore range of motion and stability and went to the chiropractor weekly. I tried to appreciate how my body was healing and did all I could to push forward within my capacity each day.
2. Focus on what you can control
Of course no one, including myself, would choose to get injured. It’s normal to be sad and frustrated. I was disappointed that I had experienced a setback and would have to back off my normal intensity. But I’ve learned the faster I can accept my circumstances, the faster I can reset expectations and move forward. In this instance, where it usually said CrossFit at X time on my calendar was replaced by the simple goal of “move my body”. I set attainable goals like “go to the post office” and “walk my dog around the block”. When I started feeling a little more mobile, I went up to the gym (thankfully I did not injure my driving foot) and did seated upper body movements and built from there. I put an even greater emphasis on good nutrition to fuel my recovery.
I also used my injury time to learn new fitness skills. In the wise words of our own Tim Dancy, “maximize your injured time by building capacity in new areas”. For me that meant taking Reframe classes and adding in rotational movement and flow to my workout repertoire. Tim helped me scale the movements to work with my limitations, including a medical boot. I plan to continue those classes to help build better flexibility and movement in my ankle (and whole body) as it heals. However it looks for you in this season, I lovingly urge you to continue pursuing health and wellness, even if it looks wildly different than your norm.
3. Ask for help
Reach out to people for encouragement and physical needs. One of our core values at the gym is being for the whole person, and our gym members truly shine in times of need. I asked for words of wisdom and advice from folks who had gone through similar injuries. It was hard for me to bear weight even in the boot at first, so I asked a friend to include me in her weekly meal prep. I had friends to come over to walk my dog and and hang out while I was confined to the couch. I reached out to coaches for workouts that I could do from the seated position. It’s humbling but in my experience, people will come through if you give them a chance. And remember, asking for help doesn’t mean you’re helpless. Quite the opposite in fact. Taking the initiative to reach out and voice your needs to others is something empowered, self-assured people do.
4. Play the long game
I don’t know about you, but I want to be healthy and active well into old age. In the grand scheme of things, a few weeks or months of being sidelined and limited is not going to set you back in the long run, but rushing recovery certainly can. It’s not worth shortchanging the healing process to get back in the gym faster. I started doing modified workouts about a week after my injury, but I worked with my medical providers to understand my limitations. I was thoughtful and extremely careful in my movements and scaling, and if something didn’t feel right, I listened to my body and backed off. I took a lot of rest days. I reminded myself that there would be a time when things had improved and I could get back to intensity. That doesn’t mean I didn’t struggle with impatience and frustration, but when that happened, I focused on the big picture of recovery.
5. Practice gratitude
I know this sounds trite. I get it. But there’s a reason this is common advice when dealing with adversity in life. It helps immensely to focus on the good things you get to experience each day. The more you do it, the more your brain is wired to look for the positives. This doesn’t mean you can’t be frustrated, like I said before. Feel your feelings, but make it a habit to spend some mental energy on gratitude for what you CAN do, no matter how inconsequential it seems.
One of my favorite soccer players, Christen Press, likes to say that “progress isn’t perfect”. If you’re dealing with an injury, it’s not a linear process. There will be setbacks, but if we can embrace our new reality, champion our own healing process, and surround ourselves with a like-minded community, we can squeeze some character-building out of tough circumstances. I’m still in the middle of my recovery and have a lot of physical and mental work to do to build confidence in my movements again. Right now I can’t imagine jumping or running, but I know the day will come. My ankle (and my mind) will eventually heal and likely be stronger than ever because of the work I’m putting in today. If you’re dealing with an injury too, I’m sorry that happened, you’re doing great, keep taking it day by day. Trust me, you are becoming a more resilient human, and that will serve you beyond your fitness when you deal with adversity in the future.
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