Injuries are an unfortunate reality for athletes. The fact of the matter is that you are constantly pushing your body to its limits during training or competition, and sometimes this can overload structures and cause an injury to develop. If you’re dealing with an injury, you want to do everything you can to recover and rejoin your teammates, but because your body is weakened from the physical trauma it has experienced, you’re at a heightened risk for aggravation as you work to get back to competition. So how can you work to recover quickly while also reducing your risk of aggravating your original injury? We share some tips and tricks in today’s blog.
Preventing Setbacks When Returning To Athletics After Injury
Speeding up your return to athletics while also being mindful of preventing tissue aggravation can be a fine line to walk, but you can increase your chances of doing this successfully if you keep these tips in mind.
- Connect With A Physical Therapist – The single best thing that you can do if you’re hoping to both accelerate your recovery and reduce your risk of a setback is to connect with a physical therapist. PTs have a complex understanding of the body and the interconnectedness of related systems, meaning we know how to target specific areas of the body with strength training exercises without overloading them. We also know how to conduct baseline tests to assess your current abilities and how to pair your recovery exercises to your strengths and deficits. Best of all, we can adjust your recovery program based on your progress so that you can continue to improve instead of plateauing because you didn’t adjust correctly as your body began to show that it was capable of taking on more stress. Athletes are a large portion of our patient base, and many of our physical therapists were or are still involved in competitive athletics, meaning we understand the movements and forces that go into sport-specific activity. We know how important it is to make a full recovery and get back to your sport, so let us help this process along.
- Stretch/Cool Down – Take time before training or your physical therapy sessions to warm up for the activity that’s to come. Your body is likely a little weaker or stiffer as a result of the original injury, and it may take a little longer to help these tissues prepare for stress. If you overload these structures before they are ready, it can lead to tissue aggravation. You should always take time to stretch, warm up and cool down before and after activity, but that’s especially important if you’re working your way back from injury.
- Prioritize Sleep – You’re not going to be able to sleep your way back to a pre-injury level of fitness, but at the same time, do not overlook the importance of a healthy sleep schedule. Sleep is a time when your body works hard to address trauma and tissue damage, and if these repair processes can’t be completed because you’re not getting enough restful sleep, symptoms and injuries can linger. Finding a good balance between proactive treatments like exercise or physical therapy and passive recovery techniques like quality sleep is imperative for making a full and speedy recovery.
- Gradual Return To Activity – Don’t assume that you’ll be able to jump right back into athletics at the level you were at prior to your injury. Your body will likely feel the effects of your injury and lack of conditioning, and this can increase your risk of injury if you push yourself too hard. Again, this issue can be countered by working with a physical therapist. Your PT can develop a sport-specific return program that appropriately ramps up your workload and also manages non-injury aspects of your recovery like your conditioning and endurance. A steady and deliberate increase in physical activity ensures that your body will be ready to handle the rigors of your sport when you are cleared for a return.
Don’t leave your recovery and return to athletics up to chance. Instead, take ownership over the situation and give yourself the best chance at making a strong and speedy recovery. Follow these tips and connect with a physical therapist at OrthoRehab Specialists so that you can return to your teammates and the competition you love sooner and with a reduced risk of reinjury. For more information, or to sync up with a member of our team, give OrthoRehab Specialists a call today at (612) 339-2041.