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The Smart Way to Return After an Exercise Injury

“Coming back from an injury requires more than just physical healing,” says Michele Bond, M.S., whose groundbreaking research in the International Journal of Exercise Science has transformed rehabilitation approaches. As a contributing author to “Fascia, The Tensional Network of the Human Body – 2nd Edition” and a Kinesiologist with over two decades of experience, Bond has developed a comprehensive strategy for returning to exercise after injury.

“The biggest mistake people make isn’t coming back too slowly – it’s rushing back without a proper plan,” Bond explains. Through her proprietary assessment system, The Kinesiogram™, she’s identified that successful injury recovery demands a strategic approach that goes beyond just waiting for pain to subside.

The conventional wisdom of “give it time” often falls short. Bond’s research into fascial tissue response shows that recovery requires active engagement with movement patterns, not just passive waiting. “The body is constantly adapting,” she notes. “During recovery, we have a unique opportunity to rebuild movement patterns properly.”

Drawing from extensive clinical experience, Bond has developed a sophisticated return-to-exercise protocol that emphasizes quality over quantity. “When returning from injury, every movement matters,” she explains. “It’s about rebuilding movement confidence while ensuring proper patterns are established.”

Through The Kinesiogram™ assessment, Bond identifies not just the injury site, but the entire movement pattern that may have contributed to the injury. “Often, the location of pain isn’t the source of the problem,” she reveals. “We need to understand the whole movement story to prevent reinjury.”

A recent client case perfectly illustrates this approach. After a shoulder injury, they had followed traditional recovery advice but continued to experience discomfort when returning to exercise. Through Bond’s assessment, it became clear that their shoulder issues stemmed from core timing and scapular positioning problems. Addressing these underlying patterns proved key to successful recovery.

“Recovery is an opportunity for movement education,” Bond emphasizes. “When we take time to understand and correct movement patterns during recovery, we often see performance improvements beyond pre-injury levels.”

The psychological aspect of injury recovery plays a crucial role in Bond’s approach. “Fear of reinjury can be as limiting as the physical injury itself,” she explains. “Building movement confidence through proper progression is essential.”

Bond’s research has shown that successful injury recovery requires attention to several key areas. First, accentuating small improvements helps build confidence and maintains motivation. Second, careful progress tracking ensures steady advancement without overwhelming recovering tissues. Third, mental rehearsal and movement visualization support physical recovery. Fourth, maintaining connection with supportive individuals helps navigate recovery challenges. Fifth, strategic rest periods allow proper adaptation. Finally, careful attention to form prevents compensatory patterns from developing.

“One of the most powerful aspects of proper recovery is the opportunity to rebuild movement patterns from the ground up,” Bond shares. “When we take this approach, clients often find they move better than they did before their injury.”

Through The Kinesiogram™ system, Bond creates individualized recovery progressions that respect both physical and psychological healing. “Each person’s recovery journey is unique,” she explains. “We need to honor that while ensuring fundamental movement principles are addressed.”

The impact of this approach extends beyond just returning to exercise. Bond’s research indicates that proper recovery protocols can enhance overall movement quality, improve tissue resilience, and reduce future injury risk. “Recovery done right is an investment in future performance,” she notes.

Success stories from Bond’s practice demonstrate the effectiveness of this comprehensive approach. “When clients follow this strategic recovery protocol, they not only return to their previous activities but often discover new levels of movement awareness and control,” she shares.

Perhaps most importantly, Bond’s approach helps people maintain perspective during recovery. “An injury setback doesn’t mean the end of your fitness journey,” she emphasizes. “With the right approach, it can become a stepping stone to better movement patterns and enhanced performance.”

Ready to transform your injury recovery into an opportunity for improvement? Visit www.michelebond.com and sign up for the mailing list to learn about strategic recovery protocols and receive notification about the upcoming online training community launching in early 2025. Turn your setback into a comeback with proven recovery strategies.

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