Strength Training While Recovering From An Upper Body Injury

Injuries can be a real setback when it comes to strength training, but there’s no need to let them completely derail your progress. Upper body injuries, like those to your arm, shoulder, or elbow, are the most common type of sports and recreation injury as they make up around 30% of incidents. Statistically, men are more prone to these injuries (around 61%), likely because they tend to engage in more high intensity or heavy-lifting workouts. If you’re dealing with an upper body injury, don’t let it get you down. You can still stay strong and fit while giving your body time to heal. Rather than pushing through the pain, focus on safe training strategies like gentle movement, strengthening the opposite arm, and building up your core. This way, you'll recover faster and return to your regular strength routine feeling strong and confident. 

 

 

If your injury’s not too severe, like a mild strain or early tendinopathy, gentle exercise can actually help with pain and speed up recovery. This is because light activity increases blood flow to the affected area and makes the muscle fibers more supple, which reduces pain and stiffness. Just be careful not to overdo it. Lift lighter weights and do fewer reps to preserve range of motion without putting too much pressure on the injury. 

 

But for severe injuries like stress fractures or muscle tears? Rest is always needed. In these cases, exercise only worsens injuries and delays healing, so take it easy and don't put any weight on the affected area. The same generally goes if you’re recovering from surgery on your rotator cuff. Now, some new research suggests that gentle movement within six to 12 weeks after surgery can actually improve range of motion and strength without putting you at risk of re-tearing, so you won’t have to wait too long to get back at it. That said, you’ll still need to wear a sling for the first four to six weeks following your rotator cuff operation to give your tendon time to heal and recover properly. As with anything, use your common sense and do what your doctor advises.  

 

You can also still train the opposite limb, and this even helps the injured side get stronger too. For example, research has found that training one arm can lead to a 9.4% strength gain in the other, untrained arm. So, continue to train the other side to build strength and prevent muscle wastage in your recovering arm. Just be careful: use lighter weights than you usually would, and focus on proper form. If your form’s off, you could end up worsening your injury and even create new ones. So, take it slow and perform each move correctly, even if that means you have to reduce the weight further. 

 

 

An arm injury is a great opportunity to work on your core strength. This will improve your posture and reduce strain on your shoulder and arm muscles, which can help you recover faster. Straight-legged raises and sit-ups, in particular, are great options for building a strong trunk (this will also give you a power boost when you’re back to your normal routine). But since you have to be careful with your injury, some core exercises will be off-limits for now. Steer clear of anything that directly uses your injured arm like planks and mountain climbers. 

 

Recovering from an upper body injury doesn’t mean you have to stop training altogether. With a positive attitude and the right approach, you can stay fit while your arm heals, and come back stronger.