The answer is “Very Easily”. I don’t know any trainer who hasn’t experienced or isn’t experiencing some kind of injury. It is normal. The problem is that an injured trainer doesn’t really instil confidence in the public or new clients. Yet the simple fact is that all trainers get hurt.
Some trainers get hurt trying new things, others get hurt pursuing their passions such as Muay Thai or rock climbing and some trainers just fall down or bend down the wrong way or for a moment wasn’t mindful while bending down. Trainers are human.
Right now, I am suffering from an impinged / inflamed supraspinatus as well as torn knees. The former injury was from accumulative wrong technique in exercises and the second one was from falling down while carrying equipment. Both have been an incredible lesson for me.
You see, trainers – at least the ones I know – will use the opportunity to learn. They will read up about their injury in much more depth than before. They will talk with doctors, physios, other trainers, about the causes, the correct methods in exercise, the modifications to make and what really should be done and not done.
I have learnt so much about the rotator cuff in the last few months. Coincidentally, many clients just experienced rotator cuff injuries too and my experience and knowledge came into play. I could correct, modify, tell them what to avoid at all costs and what to do after exercising. My injury helped me to help them.
Rest isn’t the answer, at least not in the long run. You have to get up and move and negotiate with your body and injury. If you rest for too long, things will ‘harden’ in your body, unskilful patterns will fossilise, and no improvement will be made at all.
So take it that an injured trainer is an experienced trainer, a trainer who can give you more.