Recovering from a sporting injury takes time, and the process can be both mentally and physically trying. Sporting injuries can delay fitness goals, restrict social activities, or interfere with simple day-to-day tasks, such as tying your shoelaces. Therefore, diligent therapy, rehabilitative exercise and lifestyle modifications must be utilized. Training through an injury can lead to further damage, the end to an athletic pursuit, or worse, a lasting limitation on your quality of life. However, if appropriate recovery care is implemented, there’s no reason why you can’t make a comeback.
Here are 5 tips to initiate your sporting injury recovery and position yourself for rehabilitation success:
Professional Assessment
You can’t properly mend without accurately assessing the situation first. After an injury, you’ll want to visit the doctor’s office and receive a professional medical evaluation. Failure to do so can result in the treatment of a symptom and not the underlying cause. Also, self-diagnosing and applying the wrong treatments can cause further damage. There are instances where ice decreases blood flow, when instead you need to be encouraging it, or, a heating pad is continuing pain due to inflammation, unbeknownst to you.
Once you know what’s truly happened, your medical provider can outline a rehabilitation program. Typically, time and rest is the prescription to sports injury recovery. But since the treatment spectrum runs wide, so you should always turn to your doctor first.
Physical Rehabilitation
More extensive injuries require the intervention of a physical therapist. If you’re instructed to pursue this route, embrace it! The alternative of surgery is invasive and carries a host of risks and longer recovery time. A physical therapist will be able to tailor a program to your specific condition and keep you on a progressive track. Also, there’s something to be said for supervised conditioning; a physical therapist can tell you when you’re doing something wrong and course correct, as well as push you to work harder. Not only will they help you bounce back, they can give you the education and means to help you prevent any future injuries.
Lifestyle Modifications
Taking steps to modify your surroundings doesn’t mean you need to refurbish your entire house. Swap out furnishings that fail to administer spine alignment or lumbar support. Furniture and accessories designed to deliver proper posture are worthwhile investments.
Consider where you spend the most time, to prioritize where adjustments need to be implemented first. Places such as your bed, office chair or car seat are common locations of long sedentary hours. In fact, the average person spends a third of their life in bed and sleep is an essential component to healing, so upgrading your bed is an ideal place to start. For example, an air bed with 6-chamber technology lets you personalize your level of back support. So, you can achieve high-quality sleep while your lumbar area is perfectly supported. Implementing household modifications will promote healing and subsequently deliver a faster transition to your physically active, satisfying lifestyle.
Diet
Nourish your body with foods that rebuild and restore. As an active and fit person, you likely already eat a healthy and balanced diet. So be sure to continue good dietary habits during your down time. Emphasize your consumption of inflammation-reducing foods such as fish, leafy green vegetables and nuts. Eat vitamin A rich food, as it encourages cellular turnover, compelling the healing process and preventing infection. Additionally, foods rich in vitamin C play an important role in the healing process by building new protein. Commit to your recovery by eating wholesome, unprocessed foods and stay away from alcohol, sugar and white flour.
Remain Optimistic
It can be difficult to see the brighter side when you’re injured. Nevertheless, focus on remaining motivated and remind yourself it will get better. Becoming stressed and depressed will only lessen your rate of healing. If you find yourself losing your optimism, talk about it to friends and loved ones. Surround yourself with people that will be keep you positive and accountable for your recovery’s progress.