What I Learned From an Injury

It was a Monday evening. I was changing the sheets on my bed. My son brought me the phone. There was a perky young lady on the other end telling me about all of the wonderful improvements that have been made at the university from which I graduated and suggesting that all alumni donate $200 in order that more projects on campus come to fruition. I wasn't paying attention to the large carpet rolled up at the end of my bed. I tripped on said carpet. I broke the second toe on my left foot.

Injuries, even minor ones like a broken toe, can cause disruption to our lives. I wasn't able to put weight on that foot for a day and a half. I was forced to limp for more than a week. It took me 1 hour and 40 minutes to do my grocery shopping that first week after I broke the toe. I had to cancel my Wednesday morning session with my personal trainer, Gregg.

But the upside to an injury is that you learn a lot.

I learned that what I take for granted is a blessing. If I had a permanent disability or if I were 50, 70, 100 pounds heavier, every day activity would feel like a struggle.

I learned that a injured foot isn't an excuse to stop exercising. There are alternatives. Pilates is done completely on the floor. As a matter of fact, it was developed as a form of conditioning for dancers who had suffered injuries. I dusted off an old Denise Austin Pilates workout and got to work. (Believe it or not, we still have a working VCR so I've held on to my old exercise videos.)

Used copies of the workout I use in DVD form are available at Amazon for under $6.

I learned that my trainer has the knowledge to work around my injury. There are plenty of exercises that can be done seated or on a mat.

This one is a lot harder than it looks!

I learned that riding a bike is a good form of cardio. Riding my bike through our neighborhood's bike trail and into a nearby park is not only going to raise my heart rate, but it's also a lot of fun. I may make bike riding a part of my summer fitness routine. My daughter loves riding and it would be an activity we could do together.


I learned the value of R.I.C.E. therapy after an injury. While simple, it is effective.

Most importantly, I learned that it's okay to slow down, delegate chores, and say no to requests for your time. Actually, you don't need an injury for that one.

Oh, I also learned that breaking your toe is a fan-tas-tic excuse to get rid of a telephone solicitor!

Have you ever suffered an injury? Did it teach you anything?