As with any other sport, crossfit has its share of risks. Anytime you perform complicated movements of putting heavy weight over your head, there is a possibility for injury. No one at our clinic will tell you that you are at greater risk for injury because you do crossfit. Jogging, tennis, football all have their own risk of injury. One could even hurt themselves by something as simple as going up a flight of stairs.
However, when an injury does occur, there are certain things you need to do before you get back into the box. But how do you know you are ready to complete a full WOD again. This report will go over some of the processes of returning to Crossfit following an injury.
Consult your doctor and physical therapist.
Unfortunately, not all doctors and physical therapist think alike when it comes to crossfit. You may have been told by one or the other that you should never have done crossfit to begin with. That it’s dangerous. That once you’ve had a certain type injury, you’ll never do crossfit again. Dr. Fowler and the therapist at Centex Rehabilitation will always take your safety into consideration first. But our goal is to also keep you moving and keep you doing what you love. You will never be told by us to stop doing crossfit.
Take it slow.
No matter how you’ve been hurt, your body needs time to heal and recover. There is no sense in coming back to the box and expecting to perform as you did before your injury. Going too fast is useless and will only increase your chances of sustaining another injury. As much as we hate to do it, scaling movements and WOD’s may be the best. At this point, the time, weight and reps are not as important following the injury. The goal is to get back to your pre-injury level, but at the appropriate time.
Listen to your body.
This is hard to do as we often ignore our bodies in the middle of a WOD. When you return to the box following an injury, listening to your body becomes extremely important. There are two types of pain in crossfit. One is soreness which we all experience when we start any exercise the first time or after an extended period of time out. We all know it and we’re all used to it. We just forget how sore we can get after the first WOD. The second type if sharp acute pain. If you feel this, you need to stop. If you snatch a bar and a sharp pain hits your shoulder, stop.
Listen to your coach
Your coach is there for a reason, not to simply explain the WOD to you and write down your times. They are there to make sure that athletes are safe. They are also able to provide help with modifying or scaling WOD’s, especially when you are recovering from an injury. A solid relationship with your coach is essential.
Talk to others who have had similar injuries
Most involved in crossfit have some sort of athletic background. Ask others who have suffered similar injuries to yours what steps they took during recovery. Everyone’s injury is different, however, guidance from those who have been there before is helpful.
Recovery is Essential
Mobility, proper warm up, proper cooling down, sleep and nutrition are key areas that can mean the difference between a speedy recovery or prolonged workouts with modifications and scaling. If not taken into consideration, ignoring these important factors could even mean regression in your recovery. Take the same focus toward recovery during your time with an injury as you would when you are in peak condition!
To speak with a physical therapist regarding your concerns, please call our office at 254-630-1186.
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