Fitness Friday: Modifying Your Workouts While Resting Injuries [VIDEO]

ST. CLOUD -- This week in our "Fitness Friday" series on WJON, we find out that pain doesn't always equal gain.

Injuries are a part of any physical activity, but just because you are injured doesn't mean you have to sit on the sidelines.

Brittney Braegelmann is the Physical Therapy Manager at Rejuv Medical. She says staying active through an injury while maintaining your pain can keep you in your routine.

"I think when you are injured it's important to try and stay as active as you can without increasing your own pain," says Braegelmann.

Many times we lose our motivation to work out while injured because we think there is nothing we can do then just sit and recover.

However, Braegelmann says there are always modifications you can do to keep yourself active.

"So say you are a runner and your knee hurt you could try swimming in a pool or doing cardio on an elliptical machine, all those modifications are actually healthier for your joints then not doing anything," says Braegelmann.

An injury may even make it difficult to lift with weights or go to a gym. Braegelmann says doing body weight exercises at home works just as well.

"Other things you could do by just sitting in a chair is marching in place, or kicking your legs out straight. Or if you have a left shoulder injury maybe you thing punch your right arm over your head but your left arm you punch in front of you," says Braegelmann.

Braegelmann says ultimately it's your choice on how you push your body through an injury but knowing your body's limits is important.

"If you are having pain you have to listen to your body and respect that. Find a modification so you can stay active and do some sort of activity but not enough where you make the injury worse," says Braegelmann.

For serious injuries or questions on how to work through an injury Braegelmann says to see your doctor or a physical therapist.