Yes! You can absolutely still workout through almost any injury.
Don’t sit home and get weaker, strengthen what you can and keep your mind working too. You’ll be happier!
On April 24, 2016 my boys had a ski race. That day changed my life in so many ways. I headed up the lift and met my oldest at the start line and wished him good luck. I skied down to get a better viewpoint to video his race. The conditions that day were wet with heavy snow, a typical Spring day of skiing on Mount Bachelor. As I skied down, just right of the race course before hitting the cat track where I planned on taking video of his race I remember my right ski feeling heavy with snow. I kept trying to lift my leg up and before I knew it I felt it deep into my core, like an internal ratchet. I knew my leg was broken.
I laid on my back, put my leg up the mountain and packed snow around it, then called for help. The ski patrol team at Mount bachelor responded quickly and I can’t thank them enough or be any more appreciative of their kindness.
Before I knew it I was on the operating table under the skilled hands of Dr. Hall at The Center. That afternoon a rod was Inserted through by patella tendon, into my tibia. I had a fairly traumatic spiral fracture on both tibia and fibula. Time to start the healing process.
My reality was clear, I would be non weight bearing on my right leg for the next 8 weeks. Obviously no one plans for an accident like this. My house was a mess and I had no food in the fridge. Luckily my community in Bend quickly stepped up and supported me over the next several months in countless ways.
Owning Bend Pilates, and being a mover all of my life, I was eager to begin my journey to recovery with the intention to get stronger than before. Within days of surgery I was able to start doing core work, upper body strengthening and moving my spine again. Although, I had to be very body aware to make sure I wasn’t engaging my leg during these initial movements. It simply felt good to get my circulation going, and move my body in ways that it was used to. I was also hopeful it progressed my healing process.
Within a week of surgery I was back in the studio strengthening my upper leg (quads, hamstrings, and glutes). Even though my lower leg was broken I was able to maintain as much strength as possible in my upper thigh so that when I was weight-bearing again I was starting from a stronger position than if I had just truly let my body atrophy. I remember feeling so grateful that I had the skills to know what would benefit me the most during my healing journey.
Now I share it with others. I’ve had numerous clients come into the studio over the years, non weight bearing or broken in some other way, it’s so fun helping them through their own healing journeys.
At Bend Pilates we have the skills to keep people safe where they need to heal while allowing them to progress in other areas.