Occasional body aches or pains is a normal part of life. These types of issues usually work themselves out in a matter of days with adequate rest and recovery. But in some instances, complete rehabilitation of your injury may be required to restore your body back to its excellent condition.
During this process, physiotherapy may be involved to regain your physical strength, mobility, and/or motor control. This involves exercise, targeted movement, and manual therapy to treat or manage your illness, disability, or injury. To have a successful recovery process, following a proven series of processes and exercises is recommended. Here are four different stages of injury rehabilitation:
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Protect your injury
Note that the first reaction to injury is pain and inflammation, and the recovery process starts with addressing swollen areas, mitigating discomfort, and protecting the injured body part. To minimise further pain and inflammation, the first step you need to do is find ways to allow your body to heal naturally. You can use ice packs, a sling, or tape, or wear a protective splint for initial management of your injury. New emerging research is also outlining to avoid anti-inflammatories initially to help guide a faster healing process.
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Restore your full range of motion
Expect your injured body part to become difficult to move, especially if it is inflamed and you are in pain. When this happens, the range of motion can become progressively more limited. Fortunately, you can address this by starting to progress your movement again with soft tissue massage, myofascial release, and joint mobilisation.
During this phase of healing, make sure to avoid stretching too far or immediately starting a strenuous exercise program as this can slow down or hinder the healing process. Otherwise, it can slow down or hinder the healing process. In addition, seek online physiotherapy consultation to determine the specific flexibility training that suits your injury.
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Restore your pre-injury strength
Your injury can cause muscular weakness and a loss of endurance, even during the recovery period. This is especially true for those injuries that loast longer than four weeks. The good news is you can minimise muscle loss and strength deficits and eventually gain back your muscle strength.
If you are a professional athlete, you may worry that a sports injury will cause the end of your career. After all, this setback can prevent you from training or participating in games for an extended period. The good news is you can have a successful recovery in no time by performing specific exercises that strengthen your much-needed muscle groups and maintain your cardiovascular endurance. Consult with your physiotherapist for more details.
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Recover your function
Finally, the last stage of rehabilitation is recovering the function of your injured body part and returning to performing your everyday tasks. This injury rehabilitation phase can involve improving your motor control, speed, agility, and sports-specific/work-specific skills while restoring your coordination and balance.
Conclusion
Getting injured can cause pain and discomfort that can stop you from performing your everyday tasks efficiently. Fortunately, working through the proper recovery process by undergoing injury rehabilitation that involves the stages listed above will ensure a much faster healing process. Just make sure to reach out to a trusted physiotherapist. They are rehabilitation experts who will provide you with a proper diagnosis and the best treatment plan to increase the chances of a successful recovery.
If you’re looking for affordable physiotherapy in Bondi, then you’ve come to the right place. At Invigor Health, we can help ease your pain and enhance your overall well-being. Book an appointment today!