Back injury: now what?

For the last couple of weeks, I have been nursing an injury in my lower back. It’s nothing major; however, it aches to bend over and stand up. When you are training for up to six days a week, injuries are almost inevitable. Unfortunately this has set me back with my progress. I can’t do certain exercises that will put pressure on my back and can’t do high intensity cardio which is very important at this stage for leaning out before competing.

Even though I have this annoying lower back pain, I am remaining positive and doing the best I can. We may not have any control over negative circumstances, but we are responsible for how we react to them. The way I see it, I want to know that I tried my hardest and did the best I could in every situation during my prep. If you make the most out of every bad situation, you will always come out of it as a winner.

Do not ever feel demotivated if you are injured after a workout. Injuries are not a sign of weakness or incompetence. Do not try to fight your body if you feel pain during your exercise. Putting more pressure on an injury will only make it worse in the long run and might require you to stop training altogether. This is exactly how I damaged my knee a few years ago. I used to feel pain running on the treadmill and tried to fight back by increasing the speed and duration. This resulted in me not being able to run at all!

Injuries are not a joke and should be taken very seriously. Regardless of how lean you want to become or how badly you want chiseled six pack abs, your health always come first. If you are ill or injured, you need to do what is necessary to recuperate, even if it means to stop training altogether. Pain is your body’s way of communicating with you and telling you that something isn’t right.

The first step is to stop putting pressure on your muscle or joint that is in pain. Do light exercise or train different muscle groups with weights. The next step is to take pain killers or anti-inflammatory medication if necessary. If the pain persists after four to five days, consult with a doctor for medical advice. Regardless of whether or not you are injured, don’t forget to rest. That’s actually part of the program!

I have six weeks of training and dieting left. Here’s to making every day count.

Learn more about sports injuries.

On the other hand, happy mother’s day any mom who is reading this blog. Here’s a photo of me, with my wonderful mom and sisters.