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Cardio Exercise Helps To Overcome Hamstring Injury
By
Patricia | November 20, 2008
What Is Hamstring
Hamstring injuries are painful (as you already know) and take time to heal. First and foremost, do consult a good doctor. Even if there is a mild sprain, it is a good idea to get it checked up just in case there is a muscle tear. You could seriously injure your hamstring if such a condition were left untreated. So first and foremost, if you haven’t already done so, please consult a good doctor. If it’s just a pull, good for you, but it’s best to be certain that it’s not something more serious.
Whatever the verdict, high impact sports such as running, tennis, soccer, and basketball are out of the question for the next couple of weeks. You should also avoid climbing up and down flights of stairs. However, a hamstring injury does not mean that you have to sit and vegetate. IF you are a physically active person, there is nothing more irritating than having to sit around because of a stupid injury.
Some Good Cardio Exercises When You Recently Pulled A Hamstring
One of the best cardio exercises that you can engage in when recovering from a hamstring injury is swimming. Due to the cushioning effect of water, swimming is considered to be a low impact exercise. It is also one of the best forms of cardio exercises. Swimming exercises the entire body and burns more calories than other forms of cardio. The added resistance of water means that swimming actually gives the benefits of cardio and weight training. Another advantage of swimming is that it teaches you to breathe properly, in tandem with your movements.
If you are not very confident in the water, there is another excellent cardio activity that you can engage in – water aerobics. Water aerobics consists of aerobics movements that are performed while half-submerged in a pool of water. You can even use floatation devices if you are not comfortable being in the water. Water aerobics will allow you to gently exercise your injured hamstring while being cushioned by water.
If you are not fond of water at all, you can always try Yoga. Although it is not normally considered to be a form of cardio, the long stretches that are an integral part of Yoga, will ensure that the recovery process is speeded up. Yoga is also an excellent way of staying fit. In fact, certain forms of Yoga, such as Bikram Yoga and Power Yoga burn as many calories as the most cardio exercises.