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Should I stop coming to the gym if I am injured?

The short answer: No! Read on to learn why you should continue exercise even during an injury.

Emma Gronholz

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Injuries are a part of life. It is how we deal with them that matters. 

For most of us, when we get injured, we want to just rest and wait it out. But is that really the best thing to do? No, not always.

Many of the common injuries that occur happen to just one specific part of the body. When one part of the body is hurting, it can be easy to want to give up completely, but what about the rest of your body? It is still able to workout, and it's important to continue moving.

At Rise, our personal training programs are able to be modified for any injury you may be dealing with, and our coaches are able to guide you every step of the way.

Here are some common injuries we see and ways we can modify workouts for your injury:

Common Lower Body Injuries

  • Ankle

  • Knee

  • Hip

Common Modifications for Lower Body Injuries

  • Do upper body exercises seated so there is no pressure on the lower body

  • Use TRX straps to help support body

  • Reduce range of motion in movements to rebuild strength in non-painful areas

  • Do isometric exercises to build strength without causing excess stress in joint

  • Elevate one foot or leg

  • Use bands for resistance instead of dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells

  • Use only body weight or light weight to rebuild strength without excess pressure

  • Incorporate mobility, stretching, and range of motion activities

  • If really severe, remove all lower body movements until cleared by physical therapist or doctor

Common Upper Body Injuries

  • Shoulder/Rotator Cuff

  • Tennis/Golfers Elbow 

  • Wrist

Common Modifications for Upper Body Injuries

  • Do isometric exercises to build strength without causing excess stress in joint

  • Reduce range of motion in movements to rebuild strength in non-painful areas

  • Elevate hands so there is less pressure on joints

  • Use bands for resistance instead of dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells

  • Use only body weight or light weight to rebuild strength without excess pressure

  • Incorporate mobility, stretching, and range of motion activities

  • If really severe, remove all upper body until cleared by physical therapist or doctor

As you can see, many of the modifications we use are similar for both upper and lower body injuries. With such a range of modifications to implement, we can adjust almost any exercise movements to match where you and your pain levels are at.

If you're battling an injury, the best thing you can do is let your coach know about the injury right away so we can help you in the best way possible. If it is a small injury that is just slightly bothering you, let us know when you come in for your workout and we can make adjustments on the fly. If it is a larger injury, for example, something that you need to go to the doctor for, please send a message to our Rise phone to allow our team time to make modifications to your overall training program before you come in for a workout. If you are dealing with an injury and are interested in learning more about exercise while rehabbing an injury, we'd love to chat with you. You can set up a Free Fitness Consultation here to meet with one of our expert Rise coaches.