Injuries are an occupational hazard for athletes. It doesn’t matter if they are involved in track, swimming, wrestling or soccer, they run the risk of pulling a muscle or worse. It’s a hard truth, especially because no one likes being physically injured. Recovery means taking time away from physical activity, and it means countless visits to the doctor and physical therapist. To reduce the time spent in recovery, and help them to come back strong, we would recommend that athletes follow these 5 tips:
1) Make sure the diagnosis is right
To take the correct steps to recovery, an athlete needs to know what’s wrong. There is a big difference between a simple bruise and a fracture. The former can be treated with ice; the latter needs a splint. Pain shouldn’t be treated flippantly; it’s the body’s way of signalling that something is wrong. The first step is going to the doctor, remaining patient while they conduct the tests, and asking them what the injury is and what the steps to recovery are.
2) Accept the problem
In recovery, denial is never the right answer. If an athlete is in pain, they must stop walking and give the doctor a chance to help them recover. Everyone gets hurt. The problem is when an athlete allows an injury to affect their self-esteem. Tip number 2 for coming back strong after a sports injury is to accept the problem and don’t fall into depression.
3) Seek support
Once the doctor has treated an athlete’s injury, they may recommend a stint in an exercise-based rehabilitation program. Alternatively, they could hire a personal therapist to help their body to get back into shape after the sports injury. Something like cryotherapy in jacksonville fl might be suggested as an effective solution to recover from the injury in question. The patient should take their advice and learn how to correct bad patterns of movement. If the injury is especially bad, the therapist may recommend a small exercise routine to help improve their core strength and flexibility.
4) Eat plenty of good food
With regards to food, it’s important to eat meals that are full of nutrients. Sports injury patients should avoid processed foods like white flour and sugar, opting for food that is packed with calcium, magnesium and protein. Their doctor may also recommend supplements like glutamine, to help the body to rebuild their patient’s joints. Some may also prescribe supplements, a growth hormone, to help with recovery. Adequate hydration is also an important part of coming back strong; athletes need to give the body what it needs to recover.
5) Staying away from sports
This last tip is a particularly important part of the recovery process. Athletes may be keen on returning to their sports activities and vigorous training regime before they have fully recovered. This will only worsen the injury. It’s important for them to follow the doctor’s and therapist’s recovery recommendations, as hard as this may be. Staying positive, postponing your training and taking it slow will encourage their recovery.
In the end, for patients recovering from a sports injury, the most important tip is making sure that they fulfil all the recovery requirements. They can build their strength back up once they have recovered, not before!
I like how you said that you should look for a doctor that can support you with whatever injury you may have. I also like how you said that they should be able to help you get back to your physical shape as well. My husband and I are looking into a sports injury doctor because my uncle got her and may need shin splints.
It sure is nice that you talked about how patients can get exercise-based rehabilitation program to treat their injury. My daughter went home last week with a pretty bad kneecap injury after an accident on her volleyball practice. We’ll be sure to look for sports injury physical therapists that can help her recover in time for their upcoming tournament.