Injuries happen. We all wish they didn’t, but injuries can sneak up on the best of us, no matter ranking or strength. Sometimes they are blunt and traumatic, and sometimes a simple overuse injury can take you out of the game for months. Women in strength sports report their 7 biggest tricks to getting through an injury.

1. PRACTICE PATIENCE + GRATITUDE

The time you take off from your sport to heal will not hurt your career.
Patience and rehab are crucial, something you can’t cheat.
Be grateful for every day you can train!
Patience, gratitude for health.
The barbell will be waiting for me when I get better; it’s not going to disappear.
Patience! And gratitude for what my healthy body is capable of!
Be kind to yourself on the road to recovery! And listen to your PT! Patience is huge!
To appreciate that I get to do this sport in the first place.

2. ADDRESS THE ISSUE

Have a plan- get your coach and health providers (doctor, PT, chiro, whoever) connected. Team!
Small injuries turn into big ones that can affect you for years if you don’t take care of them.
If it hurts now, it’s going to hurt again if you keep going.
Imbalances are real and corrective exercises really work if you put in the effort.
You are in control of getting who and what you need to actively manage your recovery.

3. REMEMBER THAT LONGEVITY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME

Never call it quits, you can get back to where you were. Hard work and dedication!
Quality over quantity training.
It’s not the end.
I learned to never quit doing something I love!
IT’S OK TO TAKE TIME OFF
No competition is worth a lifetime of aches and pains.
Injuries taught me how to take care of myself and how to be tough.

4. LEARN TO SLOW YOUR ROLL

Injuries = my body telling me it needs some extra love, care, and attention.
Sometimes taking it easy is more productive than grinding at all times.
Recovery is a rollercoaster- you can’t get too aggressive on good days, or freak out on bad days.
Rest is not optional!
Give yourself at least a few days/weeks of feeling “normal” to going back to your usual workouts!
Resting is way more important than your kneecap almost falling apart.
It’s worth the time to heal instead of always grinding through it.
“Progressive” overload, not “aggressive” overload. Take rest days!

5. DON’T FORGET TO DO YOUR PREHAB

I learned that I need to mobilize every day and listen to my body. I was out for a year and it sucked.
I have to be intentional with my time. Can’t just show up and lift and leave. Gotta do the pre-work!
Build a strong damn base. GPP is important!
Take the time to prepare your body for what you are demanding of it.
Injuries taught me to focus on mobility!
Fundamentals over EVERYTHING. And accessory work is necessary.
I tore my VMO doing bodyweight lunges- you can get f*cked up without heavy weights.

6. TRY OUT SOME NEW PERSPECTIVES

Progress is measured in a lot more than kilos.
I learned to appreciate movement, in any and all directions and at any and all scales.
You feel changed when you come back. Maybe for the better physically/mentally, maybe worse.
Turning negative self talk into positive self talk! No one beats us up more than our damn selves.
Don’t wear it as an identifier. “Oh, I’m an injured lifter.”
Focus on what you CAN do, not what you can’t.
I rely on the gym as a stress relief a little too much
Appreciation for where I was prior to the injury. We tend to forget how far we’ve come.

7. REMEMBER THAT THERE’S MORE TO YOU THAN LIFTING

Learn. Something. New.
You are more than just your ability to lift heavy, cultivate that part too!
A setback can become an opportunity!
I learned that I’m more than just an athlete. I have so many facets and talents.

7 Ways to Deal With AND Learn From Your Injury

"An Ode to Social Media and Weightlifting"

Is Your Birth Control Messing with Your Training?