Monday 12 April saw gyms reopen as the restrictions are eased in accordance with the government’s roadmap out of lockdown. However, gym-goers are being advised to take it easy on their return to the gym.
As many people rush to get a spot in their local gyms, it’s important to re-learn how to read your body to be able to tell the difference between good pain and bad. While it is good for both the mind and body to be able to get out and indulge in exercise again, you may be less supple than you were before the lockdown, and injuries can potentially occur if you’re not careful.
If you experience some pain and discomfort after exercising, you need to be able to identify whether it is exercise-related muscular soreness or if it is pain, as the two things are very different, and continuing to exercise when in pain can ultimately cause real damage.
Understanding personal pain is particularly helpful in managing it, as different levels of pain tolerance and fitness, age, baseline strength, etc, mean the degree of an injury does not always reflect the same degree of pain.
But learning to read your body and identify what type of pain you have may take some time. If you are unsure what type of pain you are experiencing, then it is important to seek medical advice, as you may be suffering from an injury and need help with recovery.
Even if you have bad pain you can usually still exercise in some form or other, and you should, but if you are not confident about it, your Maidenhead physiotherapist can help identify what is and what is not suitable for you, so get in touch today.
