By Elizabeth Magill

Dealing with an injury that requires rest–no matter for how long–can seem like an eternity.  If you’re fitness-conscious as well, you’ll be concerned about staying in shape during your recovery. According to the International Association of Athletics Federations you can do it by focusing on strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance during your downtime.

Here are 10 tips to help you stay fit while recovering.

1. Start with R.I.C.E.

If your injury is sports-related, a sprain, strain, knee injury, fracture, dislocation, or an injury of the Achilles tendon, treatment should begin with the R.I.C.E. method, an acronym for rest, ice, compression and elevation. R.I.C.E helps to reduce swelling and relieve pain, especially during the early phase of the injury. The R.I.C.E. treatment also helps your injury heal faster, enabling you to get back to your previous fitness regime more quickly.

2. Communicate with your doctor

Whatever exercise you do, do it under your doctor’s supervision. Your physician will keep you apprised of what you’re ready for, and what you need to hold off on, so that you don’t re-injure yourself.

3. Listen to your body

In addition to listening to your doctor, listen to your body. It will let you know when you’re exercising too much or pushing too hard. Overdoing it can hinder your ability to stay in shape while recovering from an injury.
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When former professional dancer Carrie Ekins’ body was sidelined to due hip surgery and a wheel chair, her creativity kept flowing. Being restricted to arm and hand exercises only, Ekins randomly began hitting boxes in her basement. This odd development has lead to a new workout trend, Drums Alive.

Eventually Ekins grew strong enough to stand once more and moved from basement boxes to exercise balls, drum sticks, and a variety of upbeat music. Drums Alive was created and found to be more than just a a workout for fitness. Hitting the exercise balls produces immediate stress relief for starters. However, the seemingly primitive routines can also improve coordination. As drumming engages both the left and the right hemispheres of the brain, coordination can be boosted. And finally, current studies have noted that drumming can contribute to increased immune functions along with improved moods and creativity. That’s a lot of punch for one workout session.

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Historically known as the “sport for a lifetime,” tennis can be played by just about anyone, at any stage of their fitness journey. It’s a sport that can be both fiercely competitive and completely relaxing. But what are some of the benefits to the player?

• Tennis is a highly aerobic sport that burns more calories per hour than aerobic classes, cycling or skating. Men can burn over 500 calories in an hour of game play and women more than 400.

• Because it requires alertness and tactical reasoning, it may generate new connections between nerves in the brain. This, according to scientists at the University of Illinois, will promote a lifetime of continuing development of the brain. We all know that brain development is a very good thing!

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Kangoo Jumps are a new and improved way to add a different and exciting twist to your current fitness routine. Kangoo Jumps are designed to offer a trampoline-like weightlessness sensation that decreases joint stress. They are being used for jogging, home fitness, athletic training (rehab), physical education in schools, and pleasure.

Kangoo Jumps are a type of workout that is extremely low impact due to the Kangoo boots and offers endless health benefits. The boots used for Kangoo are designed with an Impact Protection System (IPS) which absorbs 80 percent of the impact and provides the best protection for the ankles, knees, hips, lower back, and spine. This type of training is ideal for the gym, home, park, beach, or even gravel roads. You can also use these throughout your normal exercise routine or indulge in one of the Kangoo Jumps fitness classes below.

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Water, water, water! How nice is it that water can offer such intense and enjoyable workouts. To me, water aerobics is defined as a non-weight bearing (easy on the joints) resistance and aerobic exercise performed in shallow water. It has since evolved from just walking or jogging forward and backward in the water to jumping jacks and popular cross-country skiing movements.

Water equipment has also become more popular. Water weights, floating belts, and other useful equipment are used to increase water resistance as well as help with flotation and balance. Water aerobics can be performed just about anywhere; from health and fitness clubs to public or private swimming pools to even shallow lakes. All you really need is the motivation and dedication to splash around a little bit (warm weather wouldn’t hurt either).
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