Side-lining from injury can be frustrating, not least because, like most, you’re eager to get back to sport. Frustration being stuck on the sidelines watching your teammates/workout peers trudge on despite not being there is a real one. But proper recovery can be the difference between a rapid return, versus a prolonged lay-off from sport.
Good injury recovery is more than just relaxing and hoping that soreness goes away. It’s a planning strategy that, done right, can even leave a person better than they were before. Following are five tested secrets that can hurry recovery so that a person can be back on the job that much sooner.
Secret 1: Early and Accurate Diagnosis
Beginning a recovery that works begins with a good idea of what, precisely, it is that you’re recovering from. Far too many athletes either self-prescribe or sit back and wait for the injury to magically repair itself. This only hurts later.
It is better to see a sports medicine physician early, ideally 48-72 hours after injury. They can differentiate necessary opposing treatments for injuries that are felt to be similar. What may be thought to be a minor pull of a muscle could be a ligament sprain that must be addressed right away.
Secret 2: Power of Active Recovery
Lying isn’t being completely stationary. Active recovery is gentle, conscious movements that are designed to stimulate blood flow, reduce tension on but not re-injure the injury. That’s slow walking, swimming, some other exercises that your physical therapist in Lawrenceville, New Jersey is recommending.
Physical therapy becomes the center of this equation. If a qualified therapist can create a program which keeps your fitness level the same, but shields damaged tissues, they’ll be able to compensate for movements which may have led to your initial injury.
Secret 3: Nutritional Therapy for Healing
Your tissues are going to need to be fixed with certain nutrients. Protein becomes more vital for repair, for protein becomes the foundation for repairing muscular tissues and connective tissues. Choose for protein-rich foods that are lean, including chicken, fish, eggs, and vegetarian protein.
Recovery can be accelerated through anti-inflammatory foods. These are omega-3 rich fish, greens, berries, and nuts. Drink well too, since this assists nutrient delivery to repairing tissues alongside waste elimination from repairing tissues.
Secret 4: Psychological Strategies for Recovery
Recovery tests your mental toughness just as much as your physical. Your positive mindset can either trigger or inhibit your body’s repair. Establish small, specific goals for yourself during your recovery period to stay motivated and monitor progress.
Visualization can be more effective than most would believe. Give a few minutes a day towards planning your return to sport, visualizing that you are playing at your best. This off-field practice can maintain neural paths and even facilitate superior return performance.
Secret 5: Return to Sport Progression
It is possible to revert to maximum effort when the pain goes away, but that is where most re-injuries happen. A correctly planned return-to-sport program should be a series of stages, which are stepped through consecutively.
Begin with elementary movements and progress slowly through greater intensity, duration, and sophistication. Your body must slowly learn to accommodate growing demands. Listen carefully for direction from your health care team regarding when safe advancement to a new level becomes reasonable.
Your Road to Recovery Begins Today
Good rehabilitation from injury requires medical judgment, active engagement, relevant nourishment, mental strength, and tolerance. As more emphasis becomes a priority, adhering to these five secrets decreases your sport lost-time substantially, and can be of significant benefit towards building a better foundation for subsequent performance.
Keep in mind that every injury is unique, so your recovery period might be shorter or longer than that of another individual. Pay attention to your own recovery and don’t rush. Your come-back saga is not complete yet.