Can’t exercise because of injury

[Anon285]

Hi there,

I am curious about your ideas on how to stay positive/feel good when unable to exercise - I have a hip condition caused by bone structure which cannot be fixed without a risky operation, and it flared up when I went for a cycle so I haven’t been able to exercise for about a month and feel my mood going quite downhill, and it’s not certain when I’ll be able to move normally again (a wrist injury restricts upper body exercise too). I can do a few movements (restricted) but not get my heart rate up. I don’t know when I’ll be able to do cardio exercise again or how many more times this will happen.

I’m curious what keeps your mood up when you can’t exercise, as getting your heart rate up can really help with concentration and feeling happier in general.

Thanks for reading this, I’m interested in hearing your points of view.

[missep123]

Hi Anon285!

Sorry to hear that your hip condition flared up recently which meant that you can't exercise for a while. You're right, exercise is really good for releasing endorphins! I find that some things do give me similar feelings (although maybe not exactly) but it's finding the things that give you joy or give you a noticeable change. For example I really love video games and I get excited to play! Or to read a good book. So although my heart rate isn't going up I can feel my joy go up a little bit.

Is there anything that you can think about that give you some joy?

[tranzcrybe]

Hi Anon285,

Welcome to the forums and thank you for posing this question - specifically, what substitutes for exercise to keep feeling motivated?

However, despite your restriction of movement, it is important to keep moving to avoid further complications later on - regular stretching and bending (in accordance with your consultant's advice). Swimming would also be kind to your hip and give you a good cardio burn; but that still doesn't answer your question...

You may find Yoga helpful to develop your core muscles and give you an overall sense of well being - it can be strenuous but free from impact, and you will need concentration. I know it's still 'exercise' but it also has holistic values for overall improvement of your mood.

Regards,

t.

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi Anon285,

I hope you are doing okay today and these injuries aren't causing you too much pain!

You've been given some great advice already - I just thought I'd clarify that it's not so much as getting the heart rate up but what happens in your brain when you do. MissSep asked about what gives you joy and this is definitely worth thinking about!

Something else you might like to consider is seeing a physiotherapist, as you do want to exercise and they can help you do it safely.

rt

[Anon285]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been putting extra focus into things I enjoy doing - creating music, watching funny videos and exploring new genres of music to listen to. A positive that’s coming out of this is I’m starting to making peace with things I can’t control and ‘let go’ of worries - focussing on the pain doesn’t do anything to help, but being grateful for everything else I can do does. I swam on the beach last week a couple of times and discovered how refreshing being in cold water and swimming in choppy waves is - I actually enjoyed it! It isn’t quite as much as a workout as other exercises I did but I don’t care, it’s a new thing I’ll do for enjoyment in the future, so suppose that is a positive out of this situation. Thanks again for your tips 🙂

[chloe_xx]

Hi Anon285,

That is great that you have taken the time to complete activities that you enjoy, and swimming is such a great sport. It is very therapeutic and calming being out in the water, and the waves are an extra bonus. Plus it is a great for recovery, so hopefully your hip will be right to complete some cardio activities soon enough.

Best wishes and happy swimming,

Chloe