Regular exercise is a critical element in maintaining a healthy weight amongst other benefits to the body. Sports individuals have strict workout plans to help them perform well in their sports. For instance, sports individuals cross-train every so often. Cross-training refers to the incorporation of secondary exercises to a regular workout plan. The primary purpose of sole training among many sports individuals is to increase the endurance levels and strength gains. Cross-training offers great results among sports individuals. But, the results are different when the individual has had knee injuries. The approach for training should also be different.
Irrespective of the injury type, you should go slow on your intensity on the exercises. It is also essential to perform the right exercises and wear knee braces as per the recommendation by a sports medicine doctor in Suwanee, GA. The steps you should follow when cross-training in this condition include:
Injury Identification
The first step is to determine the location of the injury in your knee. You also need to have the details of the events that led to the injury and when it occurred. Injuries vary in terms of the type, extent, and part of the knee they affect. Straining in the muscles, ligaments, or tendons limits the musculoskeletal ability of the knee while fractures limit the level of training.
Add New Exercises
Since cross-training involves adding tougher exercises to an existent workout routine, you can focus on adding new exercises. For example, if the knee injury is due to jogging or walking, switch to an alternative exercise such as swimming. The purpose of adding a new exercise is to protect your knee from further injury borrowing from the original cause of the injury.
Incorporate Resistance Training
There are several techniques of resistance training. Regardless of the resistance training technique you undertake, these exercises target specific body muscles and work to increase the muscle strength. If your injury happened when you were doing resistance training, opt for alternative exercises that target the same muscles.
Train within Certain Intensity
When you have knee injuries, your body is in pain and cannot perform the same way as when you are well. As a result, cross-train with a lot of moderation. That way you will protect the injured knee from further strain and build strength at the same time.
Get Supportive Equipment
You should use supportive equipment which includes braces to protect the affected knee. The brace style may vary, but the performance is the same. Some braces are wearable all the time, while you should use others only for specific training times. Either way, the braces should fit you perfectly.
Injuries are inevitable especially if you are an athlete who is always on the move. And, these injuries can vary from minor injuries to extreme cases. Minor injuries are not as acute, and one can continue with routine training activities without much straining. It is essential that you contact a sports medicine doctor for check-up and examination. Such a doctor is in the best position to advise you accordingly depending on the level of your pain and the kind of sports activity in which to engage.
