It’s annoying not being able to train after a car accident. You may feel as though you can run or lift again, but certain movements may still cause pain.
You may feel antsy to get back into training but that does not mean you’re ready. Going too hard could lead to more time away from working out.
There are many people injured from car accidents. The Texas Department of Transportation reports that 244,534 people were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2025.
Focus on what you are able to do right now, not what you could do before you were in a car accident.
What You’ll Learn:
- Begin with your injury
- Progression when returning to training
- Monitor your symptoms
- What to measure for progress
- Allow time for recovery
Begin With Your Injury
You could have suffered a pulled muscle, whiplash, fractured bone or even a concussion from a car accident. There are many things to consider when getting back to training.
Talk to your physician or doctor about what you can and can’t do. Ask them if they recommend physical therapy before beginning an exercise program.
Tell them how you normally train and if you lift weights ask if you can do any type of lifting. If you run you’ll want to know what you need to be able to do before running. If your doctor tells you to stay active, ask which activities are safe. Make sure your tests are completed and your doctor has released you to lift weights if that’s what you do.
Ask your doctor what you need to achieve before moving up to the next level. They may tell you that you need to be able to do x, y, and z movements with ease, stand on one foot or gain strength. Once you have that information you have something to work towards.
Just because you feel good one day does not mean you’re ready to return to training. You may feel fine but your strength or balance may not be where it needs to be to perform the task you want to do.
Write down what your doctor tells you, any changes you notice in your body and keep that information somewhere you and your doctor can reference.
This information can also be helpful if you decide to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. The Dallas firm Freese & Goss specializes in personal injury. Always make sure to follow the guidelines from your physician.
Progression When Returning to Training
When your doctor clears you to begin exercising, don’t expect to jump right into your previous routine.
Train with sessions that you can recover from. Start light and work up to heavier workouts if your goal is to build muscle. Choose an activity that you feel confident in, you don’t need to push yourself to exhaustion just to see if you can.
Here are some ideas to progress with training:
- Start with movement. Walking, stretching or other activities your doctor or PT may have instructed you to do. You don’t need to walk far, just focus on movement.
- Build endurance. If your doctor allows, start with a bike for short durations.
- Introduce strength. Start with lighter weights and focus on the movements your doctor has allowed you to do.
- Move to your normal activities. Start jogging, lifting or playing sports that you typically enjoy.
- Return to advanced training. If you lift heavy weights, do contact sports or play high intensity sports, add these activities back into your routine once your doctor clears you.
The list above can change depending on your injury and what your doctor tells you. If you broke your arm, you wouldn’t want to jump straight into heavy lifting, but even light upper-body exercise needs your doctor’s approval.
Another mistake to avoid is adding too much at once.
If you increase your time, weight and number of times you train it can be difficult to pinpoint what is causing your flare up. Increase one thing at a time and monitor your body. If you cannot complete the exercise with proper form, end your workout and don’t try to complete those last reps.
Monitor Your Symptoms
Not only should you monitor how you feel during your workout, but the next day as well.
You may feel great while working out, but have sore muscles or pain the next day. This could be a sign to decrease what you’re doing.
After your workout, see if you can perform normal tasks. Does your injury look or feel swollen? Can you do your daily tasks easier or have your symptoms gotten worse?
You may have muscle soreness, but if you experience sharp pain, swelling or cannot move the area, speak with your doctor before moving to the next stage of your training.
Watch out for concussion symptoms. Dizziness, headaches, nausea, difficulty concentrating are all signs that you should stop working out if you have experienced a concussion. Work with your doctor to determine what activities you can and can’t do after suffering a concussion.
If you experience numbness, vomiting, confusion or a severe or worsening headache, seek medical attention immediately after a car accident. Do not push through these symptoms and attempt to train.
Don’t panic if you have a flare up, just take a step back from your training, let your doctor know what is happening and continue with your plan once your doctor clears you.
What to Measure for Progress
Measuring yourself against your past self is not the best way to measure progress. You may not be ready to match your PR yet, but that’s ok.
Try to measure progress that will help you day to day. Can you walk up the stairs, complete an easy walk, etc. Once you’ve reached those goals you can start measuring yourself on workouts.
Make a note of what you do each day, time, weight, symptoms you felt that day and if anything changed the next day.
See what you are able to do without increasing your symptoms. If you can walk for a short duration, but not a long walk, your doctor can help you progress further.
Maybe your goal is to run, work on walking before jogging, write down what you can and can’t do without your symptoms acting up.
Once you can do these activities consistently, ask your doctor whether you can begin harder workouts.
Allow Time for Recovery
Your body needs to recover, not only while you’re training, but outside of training.
Sleep, eating and resting are important factors to your health. You may need more time for medical appointments or to do exercises your doctor or PT prescribed.
If you are on pain medication, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how that may affect you while training. Follow any restrictions they have told you to, even if you feel energetic that day.
If you are not feeling your best, stick with your lighter workouts or take the day off. Give yourself time between hard workouts and allow time to do your prescribed exercises.
Everyone heals differently. Don’t compare yourself to others who have been in car accidents.
Final Thoughts
There is no rush to get back to training. Follow your doctor’s advice and progress at a pace that your body can handle.
Remember to monitor your symptoms after each workout, measure what you can do each day and increase your workouts when your doctor allows you to.
