When you're injured, don't scrap the exercise plan

Think that strained muscle means you'll be laid up on the couch for the next few months?

Not so fast.

Just because you've injured one part of your body doesn't mean you have to give up on fitness until you're fully healed. As long as you use some common sense, you can often keep exercising — in a modified way — while rehabilitating.

Protecting the injured body part and keeping a positive outlook are key, says Dr. Vivek Mahendru of Pain Specialists of Austin.

Mahendru, who stays in shape by playing tennis and riding horses, treats athletes sidelined by injury, helping them to manage pain and stay fit while they recover.

Among his patients is 43-year-old Lori Gray of Wimberley, a marathon runner and a former collegiate softball player with chronic neck pain caused by years of diving into fences and falling into dugouts. She had neck surgery in 2004, but still had pain two years later.

Like many other athletes, quitting running wasn't an option for Gray, even though the pain was so bad she couldn't sleep.

"I thought, ‘I'm not going to stop doing what I like to do, I'm not going to stop living life,'" Gray said. "Running is my identity. It's who I am ... I know it exacerbates pain, but my ‘me' time is running. It's relaxing to me."

What's someone like Gray to do?

First things first. Take care of your body. Stay well-hydrated and eat a balanced diet heavy on vegetables and fruit and light on processed foods. Avoid injury by warming up and stretching, but if you do get hurt protect the injured area while you find another way to get your heart pumping.

Exercise can ease stress and improve your mood, so it's important to keep it up in some form if you can while you rehabilitate. (If the pain is severe or persistent, see a physician.)

Mahendru has been treating Gray every three months since 2006. The pain is under control and she's running again, with plans to compete in the Arizona Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in Phoenix in January.

"When I'm 60, 70 or 80, I will still be running. I will run till I don't have any legs," she says.

Here are some common injuries, with tips on how to stay fit while recovering from them:

1. Runner's knee. Volleyball, basketball and tennis players, along with cyclists and people who do step aerobics, are as likely to get runner's knee as runners. It's caused by repetitive movement of the kneecap rubbing against the femur because of misalignment.

Proper warm-up and stretching can help prevent it, but once you have it, try stretching and massage first. Localized anesthic injections can also help in severe cases, Mahendru says.

While your knee is recuperating, switch to low-impact exercises such as swimming or aqua jogging. Strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings by doing knee extensions.

"Sometimes even doing some brisk walking on a treadmill rather than a hard surface is OK," Mahendru says.

When you do go back to your sport, don't immediately jump back onto a hard surface. Stop when your body is fatigued, and don't push yourself beyond your skill level.

Another tip? Get a coach to look at your body mechanics. If you can change your technique, you're less likely to repeat the injury.

2. Groin pain. Athletes who play sports that require pushing off from side to side, such as soccer, football, volleyball and hockey, are prone to groin injuries. Muscles in the lower abdomen or pelvis get irritated, resulting in shooting, burning pain.

First line of defense? Rest, ice and anti-inflammatories. If bruising or swelling occurs, see a physician. You can return gradually to activities — but not the one that triggered the injury, at least early on. Try some upper body weight lifting and aqua jogging. And strengthen core muscle groups with some dreaded crunches, planks or side bridges.

3. Tennis elbow. Tenderness and swelling in the elbow might mean tennis elbow, a common ailment among tennis players, golfers and baseball players.

If your elbow hurts, go for a run, swim or bike ride, but don't go back to your usual sport right away. Topical creams can provide some relief, as can a brace that stabilizes tendons. Localized anesthetic injections might help too, Mahendru says.

"Tennis elbow is one of those things that's purely related to poor body mechanics," Mahendru says. Find someone to analyze your form and correct it.