How to Train and Recover From a Sporting Injury

An effective programme to get your fitness back up

Recovering from a sporting injury can be a challenging journey, but with the right exercise programme, you can regain strength, mobility and confidence.

As a personal trainer, I aim to provide a structured and effective recovery plan that supports healing and prevents re-injury. So, here’s a comprehensive guide to the best exercise programme for those recovering from a sporting injury.

Understanding the recovery process

Before diving into specific exercises, it’s crucial to understand that recovery is a gradual process.

It typically involves several stages:

1. The Acute Phase: Focus on reducing pain and inflammation. This might involve rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE).

2. The Subacute Phase: Gentle movements and exercises to restore range of motion and begin rebuilding strength.

3. The Rehabilitation Phase: More intensive strength and flexibility exercises, along with functional movements related to your sport.

4. The Return to Activity: Gradual reintroduction to sport-specific activities with continued strength and conditioning exercises.

Always consult with a healthcare professional or physical therapist before starting any exercise programme post-injury.

Key components of a recovery exercise programme

1. Mobility and flexibility

Gentle stretching: Start with light stretching to improve flexibility and range of motion. Focus on the injured area and surrounding muscles.

Foam rolling: This can help release muscle tightness and improve blood flow to the injured area.

2. Strength training

Isometric exercises: These involve contracting the muscle without movement, which can be particularly useful in the early stages of recovery. Examples include isometric holds for the quadriceps or hamstrings.

Resistance bands: Using resistance bands can provide gentle, controlled resistance to help rebuild strength without overloading the injured area.

3. Low-impact cardiovascular exercise

Swimming or water aerobics: The buoyancy of water reduces stress on joints and muscles while providing resistance for strengthening.

Cycling: Stationary cycling can be a low-impact way to maintain cardiovascular fitness without putting too much strain on the injured area.

4. Balance and stability

Balance boards: These can help improve proprioception and stability, which are often affected by injury.

Single-leg exercises: Performing exercises on one leg can help improve balance and target stabilising muscles.

5. Functional movements

Sport-specific drills: Gradually reintroducing sport-specific movements can help prepare the body for a return to full activity. These should be done under the guidance of a professional.

A sample recovery exercise programme

Here’s a sample weekly exercise programme for someone recovering from a lower-body injury. Adjustments should be made based on the specific injury and individual progress.

Monday

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of gentle cycling

• Mobility: 10 minutes of foam rolling and dynamic stretching

• Strength: Isometric quad holds (3 sets of 30 seconds), resistance band leg presses (3 sets of 15 reps)

• Cardio: 20 minutes of swimming

Wednesday

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of brisk walking

• Mobility: 10 minutes of gentle stretching

• Strength: Single-leg balance exercises (3 sets of 10 reps each leg), resistance band hamstring curls (3 sets of 15 reps)

• Cardio: 15 minutes of stationary cycling

Friday

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of light jogging in place

• Mobility: 10 minutes of dynamic stretching

• Strength: Glute bridges (3 sets of 15 reps), resistance band lateral walks (3 sets of 10 steps in each direction)

• Functional: Light sport-specific drills (e.g., dribbling for soccer, shooting for basketball)

Saturday

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of gentle cycling

• Balance: Balance board exercises (3 sets of 1 minute each)

• Strength: Bodyweight squats (3 sets of 10 reps), calf raises (3 sets of 15 reps)

• Cardio: 20 minutes of water aerobics

Additional Resources

Mayo Clinic on Exercise for Injury Recovery

Harvard Health on Safe Exercise Post-Injury

American Council on Exercise (ACE) on Rehabilitation

Final Thoughts

Recovering from a sporting injury requires patience, consistency and the right approach to exercise.

By following a structured programme incorporating mobility, strength, cardio, balance and functional movements, you can effectively support your recovery journey and return to your sport stronger than ever.

For personalised training plans and recovery guidance, follow me on all the major socials and feel free to contact me directly.

Julien