|
Sports injuries can happen to anyone. Whether your injury is acute (happens all at once) or chronic (builds up over time), it can throw you off your game for months or even years. Learn how to take care of yourself after an injury by visiting a Cleveland physical therapy office and following these tips for a faster recovery. R.I.C.E. Many athletes are familiar with the R.I.C.E. method, but it’s a good first step for just about anyone after a sports-type injury occurs. Rest: Stop what you are doing and get off your feet. Ice: Apply ice (through a towel or ice pack) to the injured area to reduce pain and inflammation. Compression: Wrap the injured area firmly, but not too tightly. This gives you more support in the injured area and helps speed healing. Elevation: Elevate the injured area over the level of your heart if possible. This helps reduce swelling and pain. See Your Doctor Mild strains or other injuries may heal on their own by following the R.I.C.E. method for a few days, but if your pain continues, it’s important to see a doctor. There may be an underlying cause of your pain, such as a fractured bone or torn muscle. Your doctor will come up with a treatment plan that may involve surgery, physical therapy, or other strategies, depending on the extent of your injury. Resuming Physical Activities When you’re injured, it’s important to stay active and not spend all day lying on the couch. Although rest is important, a little bit of physical activity helps stimulate your circulation and your immune system, which in turn will help speed your recovery. Just be sure your doctor approves any activity before you start it. When you do start returning to your normal activities, start slow and don’t overdo it. It’s very easy to reinjure yourself, which takes even longer to heal. Start with low-impact activities like walking or swimming and gradually reintroduce more strenuous activities. Learn from Your Mistakes Some injuries can’t be prevented, but many are avoidable. For instance, many sports injuries are caused from a failure to warm up properly. Others are caused by not wearing the correct safety gear. Learn from your mistakes when you start resuming your regular routine and stay as safe as possible during your workouts. This is especially important while you’re still healing, because it helps protect the injured area from further damage. Maintain a Healthy Diet If you’re stuck on the couch, it can be tempting to binge on your favorite chips and other unhealthy snacks to keep your mind off your injury. Many recovering athletes fall victim to this mindset and end up gaining weight and getting out of shape while they recover. Do your best to stick to a healthy diet and cut back on the calories because you won’t be maintaining your usual level of activity. A diet full of fruits and vegetables will also give your body the nutrients it needs to heal. Physical Therapy Physical therapy is a critical part of recovering from many injuries. It helps you regain strength, flexibility, coordination, and endurance a little at a time under the watchful eye of your doctor. Physical therapy involves visits to a Cleveland Physical Therapy office as well as stretches and exercises that you do on your own at home. It’s important not to skip these exercises because they are the key to helping you heal as quickly and safely as possible. Your physical therapy might also be paired with massages, heat therapy, or other techniques that will help improve your circulation and help you heal more quickly. Cleveland Physical Therapy http://www.cpta-rx.com/ -board certified, doctoral trained. No practice is more qualified to get you better faster. Call Cleveland Physical Therapy today.
Related Articles -
Cleveland, Physical, Therapy,
| 
