When It Hurts

By Adrienne Vose, Owner

What to do in an exercise classes if you have an injury.
A participant in one of my classes asked me a great question. Her daughter had sprained her lower back and was in therapy, but her doctors had encouraged her to take exercise classes. The question was is there any way to know ahead of time what a class will consist of, so someone with an injury can make an informed decision on whether to participate or not?
The short answer is yes and no.
First off, let me say that you should never trust your own judgment. Your doctor must help you navigate these waters, or a one-time injury may become chronic.
That being said, many injuries do not inhibit you from exercise. You just need to know what kind of exercise will be beneficial, and what kind will be harmful.
Most facilities will provide information on classes, including whether it is a high-impact or low-impact class, whether it is for beginners or more advanced participants, whether it is aerobic or mat work, etc.
What you won't know is exactly what steps may be asked of you. Every instructor is different and many strive for variation between classes.
Some of the trademark classes like Body Pump, Zumba, or Turbo Kick have specific choreography and formats, so if you go once you can have a general idea of what to expect.
Other classes like Pilates, Yoga, step classes or bootcamps depend more on the teacher. You could go once and experience no aggravation, and find it quite the opposite next time around.
Success in any such class relies on modifications.
Be proactive with your doctor or physical therapist. If an instructor tells the class to do jumping jacks but you have a bad ankle, learn how you can modify the move to avoid aggravation. For every problem, there is a modification.
Your class instructor may not be a physical therapist, but he/she can advise modifications. Talk to them before class and inform them of your condition. Modifications may be as simple as going up on your toes instead of jumping. Or perhaps you'll lean on your elbows instead of wrists, or shorten the range of motion.
Never feel awkward asking for a modification the instructor is there to help! If some move is causing pain in a weak area, stop and ask for a modification.