Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are talking about one exercise topic for two minutes and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice. Now this week, we are talking to those of you who have been in a car accident and you are still experiencing some of the physical ramifications from the accident. You have been cleared for regular exercise, and now you want to know what to do when you workout.
1) Start With Controlled Resistance Training
Exercise Tip Number One If You Have Been In A Car Accident: Start with controlled resistance training. This means when you go to the gym, make sure you are moving slowly. After a car accident, your body has likely been jostled around and jarred into weird positions. So, now that you are cleared for exercise, it is important that you start teaching your body how to move appropriately and safely.
Action Step: Not sure where to start in the gym? Download our free “5-Minute Mobility Check” to give you some guidance on exercises you can incorporate into your workouts!
Related: Achy joints and muscles? Here are 3 exercise tips!
2) Connect With Your Local MAT® Specialist
Exercise Tip Number Two If You Have Been In A Car Accident: Connect with your local MAT® Specialist. Find an MAT® Specialist that you can go see after you’ve been cleared for regular exercise and once you finish physical therapy to put back together all the pieces that may still be straggling behind. A lot of times, after a traumatic incident, such as a car accident, your body needs some time to heal. Once it heals, it needs to figure out how to reuse its muscles. So, using MAT® to speed up the re-education process of your muscular system can be extremely beneficial.
Action Step: Not sure who the certified MAT® Specialists are in your area? Click here to find them!
Related: Soreness With Exercise – 3 Considerations When Feeling Sore
3) Take Enough Time To Recover Between Workouts
Exercise Tip Number Two If You Have Been In A Car Accident: Make sure you are taking enough time to recover between your workouts. This recovery time may be longer than what you were used to prior to your accident. When you go through a traumatic incident, a lot of times your nervous system and your body overall need more time to recover than it once did. So, make sure you are giving yourself ample recovery time between exercise sessions.
Action Step: Ease back into exercise slowly. Start with one day, and see how your body responds. Don’t go back to workout until you aren’t achy or sore anymore. If you are feeling beat up after your workout, cut your workout in half the next time you exercise. Keep cutting it in half until you can workout and not feel achy, beat up, or sore. Then start slowly progressing yourself from there.
