Injury can happen in the blink of an eye and is often unexpected. It’s also unwelcome and can be very difficult to manage when you have all the other parts of life to take care of in your day. With that being said, it’s important to take some critical steps when trying to heal or rehab from an injury. The following tips are not meant to be taken in place of any doctor advice but can hopefully help you get on the right track.
RICE
If you’ve suffered an ankle sprain or bruised body part, an injury typically responds well to the classic “RICE” recommendation. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Rest may arguably be the most important part of recovery. If you don’t rest, it can be very difficult to heal an injury. This means taking the right steps to allow the body to heal itself while also ensuring you’re not doing more harm than good by challenging the recovery process. Ice is your best friend when it comes to healing an injury. If your injury involves a lot of pain and swelling, ice is one of the best ways to help relieve the pain and reduce the swelling. You should feel at least a little bit of relief when icing. The change may be gradual, but it will happen. Compressing the injury can also be helpful for reducing swelling and providing more stability. You can use a simple bandage wrap or purchase a compression bandage specifically for your injury. Lastly, elevation is a great way to also address the swelling while encouraging you to rest. RICE is a simple and effective way to help heal an injury.
Physical Therapy
If your doctor recommends physical therapy, it can be an incredibly useful way to effectively and appropriately heal an injury. Physical therapists can help you relearn the correct way to move as well as provide tips on how to stay on the right track to recovery. One tip when it comes to physical therapy is to do your exercises as consistently as possible. It can be tedious and seem ineffective, but if you put in the time, it will pay off. If you can’t afford or don’t have access to a physical therapist, there are plenty of websites and video tutorials that can be helpful too. Many people also blog or post about their road to recovery and it can be useful to see the strategies and resources they use to work through an injury as well.
Mindset
While an injury is often physically visible, the emotional and mental pain that comes with an injury can often be overlooked. It can be frustrating and discouraging to be injured and not enjoy your favorite activities. With this in mind, it’s important to care for your emotional and mental health when you’re working through an injury. Try reaching out to friends and family to get the support you need to keep the right attitude and mindset. As a bonus, pets are also a great way to help you stay positive.