When to Resume Training... by: George Parigian Jr.
Hi Lois,
As for strength training advice, I cannot give you precise instruction because I do not know your medical history, and cannot evaluate your condition in person. However, I will give you some general and safe guidelines.
First, you need to be evaluated by a doctor to ensure that you do not have internal injuries that have not healed yet. When your doctor indicates to you that it should be safe to start exercising, you should begin by doing gentle stretches for a while and progress to some exercise where you use just your own bodyweight.
Modified pushups, situps, squats, and other such exercises would be examples of bodyweight exercises that you could use. Kettlebell training is also a possibility, however as I said before, go slow and easy, and do NOT train through any acute pain!
This is the most important strength training advice I can give you. Stop and evaluate any pain you get, to make sure it is not due to injury.
When I say modified, I mean that you should do the exercises in a way that does not cause you pain or discomfort, and then as you become stronger, you can make them more challenging.
Strength training, by which I mean training with weights or other types of resistance beyond your own body, is something you can gradually add as you feel stronger and more confident.
Remember that actual pain is always a signal that something is wrong and you should stop what you are doing, and not try to continue to train through it. Always be cautious and conservative with your exercise so you will not get hurt.
Slow and steady progress in your exercises is much better than getting hurt trying to do too much and then having to stop and heal all over again.
So as far as knowing when to resume training, let a qualified person such as a doctor tell you when it is safe.
Feel free to write to me through my contact page and I will direct you to sources of information and strength training advice that will answer your questions in detail and provide a safe solution for you.
