Made up of muscles, bones, blood vessels and connective tissues, the legs are one of the most important parts of the body; they support us on our feet and allow us to move and walk around. You can suffer a leg injury in a variety of ways, playing sports, falling down stairs, having an accident, etc. and the injury can have serious effects and consequences on the feet, ankles, knees or hips. Frequent injuries consist of tears, strains, sprains, sprains, fractures and dislocations. Some leg injuries require surgery to fix while others heal relatively quickly and on their own. Depending on the type of injury suffered, the recovery, healing and rehabilitation time can vary from a few days to several months; Exercising after injury can greatly improve the flexibility, strength, and joint capacity of the leg. However, it is imperative to start slowly, so as not to aggravate the injury, and consult your doctor before doing any type of exercise. Use and follow these tips for exercising after a leg injury.
Steps
Method 1 of 6: See Your Doctor
Step 1. Get a positive opinion from your doctor before starting to exercise
Before trying any type of exercise after a leg injury, consult your doctor. Recovery times will depend a lot on the type of injury you have suffered; some take much longer than others. If you start doing rehabilitation exercises too early, however, you could cause additional damage to your leg and increase the recovery time needed.
Method 2 of 6: Increase Blood Circulation
Step 1. Increase blood circulation in your legs after injury
Simple exercises consisting of small movements can increase circulation and prevent blood clots and clots, especially immediately after the surgery. You can do these exercises lying on your stomach on your stomach.
- Rotate your ankle or move your foot up and down to increase circulation.
- Contract your glute and / or thigh muscles for a few seconds before releasing the contraction. You will make the blood flow more in those areas.
- Slowly bring your knees to your chest.
- Lift your leg a few inches above the bed or floor. Keep it straight and move it gently to avoid further injury.
Method 3 of 6: Increase Joint Mobility
Step 1. Increase joint mobility and range of motion after injury
Most lower limb injury rehabilitation programs focus particularly on flexibility and recovery of joint mobility. Stretching gently is the best and most effective way to increase the range of motion (the so-called range of motion) and flexibility of the injured limb.
- Increase the flexibility of your ankle by moving it towards you and then moving it back away.
- Write the alphabet with your foot on the floor, you will make a complete movement in both the leg and the ankle.
- Lean forward and try to slowly reach your toes with your fingers or palms. If you can't bend to the ends, simply stretch as far as you feel comfortable. The joint mobility and flexibility of the injured limb will only improve by continuing to stretch with the necessary precautions.
Method 4 of 6: Improve Balance
Step 1. Do exercises to improve balance
Balance exercises also improve posture, athletic ability, and coordination, resulting in better stability and a lower risk of injury as you age.
- Balance on one foot. When you are already able to bear the weight of your body on your legs, try to balance on one foot. Stand on the injured leg for as long as possible and try to increase the duration each day.
- Put one foot in front of the other, as if you were walking on an equilibrist beam or a hypothetical tightrope walker.
Method 5 of 6: Strengthen Muscles
Step 1. Strengthen your muscles after injury
When you have enough strength to stand on your own and put weight on your injured leg, try some exercises to build muscle strength. When you first try to do standing exercises after an injury, hold on to a solid object or flat surface such as a wall or piece of furniture to act as an accessory support.
- Raise your knees trying to bring them towards your chest, no higher than the level of the waist. Repeat the exercise several times.
- Strengthen your hips and legs. Pointing forward with the foot, knee and hips, and keeping the knee straight, lift the leg to the side and very slowly lower the foot towards the floor.
- Lift the tips. Climb up and down with your weight on your metatarsus so that you remain standing on your toes. Hold the position for a few seconds and return to the ground on your heels.
- Sit with your back against the wall, and slide along the wall so that your thighs are at a 45 ° angle. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds.
- Do mini squats. With your feet in line with your shoulders, slowly bend down until your knees reach an angle of 60 to 90 degrees, then slowly return to standing.
- Use weights to build muscle strength. To increase your leg muscle strength more, try doing simple squats and lunges while holding additional weights over your natural load. Start with very light weights and gradually increase as you begin to feel the muscle building.
- Use an elastic band to strengthen the injured leg. The piston rings are very light and consist of different levels of resistance. Exercises performed with elastic bands can be very helpful in focusing on specific muscles, such as thighs, calves or buttocks. For example, you can wrap an elastic band around your ankles, lift one leg to the side and then bring it back down to ground level. The additional resistance provided by the band will help strengthen the ankle and lower leg. Always ask your doctor for advice on the right exercises to perform with elastic bands for your specific injury.
Method 6 of 6: Resume the Mild Contact Exercises
Step 1. Resume doing mild contact exercises only after a positive opinion from your doctor
Whichever type of exercise you choose, it is very important to start slowly and gradually to bring the leg back to the level of activity before the injury.
- Choose walking as an effective mild contact exercise. Not bringing excessive pressure on the leg such as running or other aerobic exercises, simple walking is often suggested as a rehabilitative exercise option after a leg injury. Start walking slowly and lightly, and only gradually get back to a normal pace. Increase the distances of your walks as your healing allows.
- Go for swimming. Renowned for being one of the most complete sports with the least traumatic impact on joints and ligaments, swimming and water aerobics are excellent light exercises to strengthen muscles throughout the body.
- Use the exercise bike. Classic pedaling greatly strengthens the leg muscles and increases the mobility of the hips. Not being able to ride a bicycle for obvious reasons related to the risk of falling, go to a gym or to the home of a friend who has an exercise bike. As you get stronger and are able to pedal for at least 15 minutes, gradually increase the "gears" and resistance of the exercise bike.
- Only resume running once you can walk for at least 3-4 km without pain. Rather than immediately resume running long distances, first try to increase the pace of your walk and slowly transform it into running. Using brisk walking mixed with running, you will need to walk briskly for a few minutes, take a short light jog, and then start walking again. By continuing to alternate fast and progressive walking with light jogging, you will slowly rebuild all the strength, endurance and fitness level of the injured leg.
Warnings
- Pay attention to leg pain after injury. If you feel pain all the time while exercising, slow down, lower your pace, and if the pain continues, stop immediately. See your doctor as the pain increases, becomes more acute, or even just persists over time.
- Consult your doctor before starting any regular exercise after a leg injury. Clarify the type of exercise you will have to perform and how it will be carried out. Your doctor should be able to recommend several specific exercises to strengthen your legs depending on the type of injury you have sustained.
