Modern sports medicine has flipped the old advice about resting when injured. Here’s what actually helps you heal faster, plus the modifications to keep training safely.
Listen to the episode here…
Rest Isn’t Always the Answer
Someone sent in a question that deserved its own episode. What do you do when you still want to work out but you have an injury?
This is timely for me because I actually dealt with a pretty painful injury recently. I bruised my tailbone.
Let me tell you, that was brutal. The most painful situation I’ve dealt with in a while.
And the entire time I had that injury, I did one thing over and over. I modified. Modified. Modified.
That’s my best answer. But I wanted to give you more than just that, so I did some research.
The Old Advice Is Wrong
Let’s bust a big myth first. Rest is not always the complete answer to dealing with an injury.
According to Yale Medicine, the old recommendation to avoid all activity has changed. Today’s approach is called load management. It focuses on protecting the injured area while still incorporating appropriate movement.
Johns Hopkins Medicine emphasizes that exercise actually helps your healing process. You just need to protect the injured area while keeping the rest of your body moving.
Think about it this way. If you have a shoulder injury, your legs don’t need a vacation.
Maybe you’re not moving your arm as much. But you’re still doing all the other movements. Your body can handle that.
The RICE Method Still Works (For the First Few Days)
For acute injuries like sprains or strains, Cleveland Clinic still recommends the RICE method for the first 48 to 72 hours.
Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation.
But here’s what a lot of people don’t talk about. After those first few days, gentle movement actually becomes your friend.
Harvard Health notes that after the initial rest period, appropriate movement helps healing. WebMD says if pain and swelling haven’t improved in five to seven days, you might need to see a doctor.
But if you just have a sprain or strain, after 48 to 72 hours you might actually want to start reincorporating movement.
Four Key Modifications for Training With an Injury
If you have an injury but still want to get your workouts in, there are four modifications you can use.
Modification One: Reduce Your Load
Lower the weight. I do this all the time.
Anytime I feel like I’m risking an injury or I’ve already hurt myself, I go lighter. When I wasn’t feeling well, I dropped from eights and fifteens down to fives and tens.
You’re still getting the reps in. You’re still training. You’re just not working quite as hard. And that gives your body a chance to recover while you’re still moving.
Modification Two: Limit Your Range of Motion
Physical therapy research shows that most pain occurs at the end ranges of movement.
If squats hurt at the bottom, try box squats to three-quarters depth. You’re still training. You’re still getting the movement pattern in. But you’re not aggravating your injury.
Modification Three: Adjust Your Tempo
Slow down movements instead of having those explosive forces on your tissues.
According to rehabilitation specialists, this also improves your form and muscle memory. If fast movements hurt, slow them down.
Modification Four: Change the Exercise
You need to understand what you’re training, not just the exercise itself.
If you can’t do back squats, try split squats or lunges or step-ups. They train the same muscle groups and movement patterns. But they’re not aggravating your injury as much.
If you can’t do overhead presses, try landmine presses or incline pressing variations.
The point is to work the same muscles in a different way.
Tell Your Instructor
If you’re working out with someone, tell them about your injury. If you have an instructor or personal trainer, they should be qualified enough to give you modifications.
There’s one woman in my classes who can’t get down and do plank jacks. During plank jacks, the instructor tells her to do wall sits instead.
If I can’t do my squats, she’ll tell me to do a wall sit or some other exercise that still works those same muscle groups without making my injury worse.
It doesn’t mean you can’t keep working out. It just means you need to modify what you’re doing.
Movement Supports Healing
Here’s what the research shows. Maintaining appropriate physical activity during recovery actually supports your healing.
It improves blood flow. It helps you maintain muscle function. It keeps you from losing all your progress while you heal.
The key is to train around your injury, not through it.
Modification isn’t weakness. It’s smart training. Your goal during injury recovery is to maintain your gains while creating the best environment for healing.
When to Get Professional Help
When in doubt, consult your instructor, personal trainer, or physical therapist. They can create an individualized program based on your specific injury.
If pain isn’t improving after five to seven days, see a doctor. If it’s getting worse, see a doctor. If you’re not sure whether you should be working out at all, ask a professional.
But for most minor injuries, appropriate modification lets you keep training safely.
My Tailbone Experience
When I bruised my tailbone, I modified everything that put pressure on that area. Anything that required me to sit directly on it got changed.
I did more standing exercises. More wall work. More modified versions of floor exercises.
It sucked. But I still got my workouts in. And by modifying instead of stopping completely, I maintained my routine and my momentum.
That’s what matters. Stay active. Train smart. Give your body what it needs to heal.
Action Items
- For acute injuries, use RICE for the first 48-72 hours
- After initial rest, start incorporating gentle movement
- Use the four modifications: reduce load, limit range of motion, adjust tempo, change exercises
- Tell your instructor or trainer about any injuries so they can provide modifications
- See a doctor if pain doesn’t improve in 5-7 days or gets worse
