How to Heal Faster: 5 Ways to Recover From Sports Injuries

Injuries are a common occurrence and even an integral part of sports, especially for professional sportspeople. Such an injury can have devastating effects on the person suffering from it. This is so because an injury implies a recovery process, which means playing sports less or most commonly not at all and being passive. People find it difficult as they need to invest a lot of their time and effort and most importantly, they need to be very patient. It is essential to heal completely before going back to regular sports activities. If you don’t heal fully and decide to get back in the game, the injury and some potential issues are going to catch up with you at some point in the future.

However, there are some things you can do to heal faster and speed up the recovery process. First of all, you should seek professional help, without delay. Then, you should try physiotherapy and the RICE method at home. There is also another type of therapy – it uses electricity, but more on that later. Moreover, you shouldn’t forget about your mental state, it is crucial for your full recovery as well. Nevertheless, you should still play sports and encourage your children to be more physically active, it’s beneficial for our overall well being.

1.   Seek professional help

Regardless of whether you think that the injury is minor or major, what you should do first is visit a doctor. We can’t always perceive the gravity of an injury in the way a medical professional can do. Many sportspeople make a mistake and decide to wait until the pain is gone. This kind of behaviour can have a prolonged recovery as a result. So, this is something you shouldn’t delay. A doctor specializing in sports injuries can assess the situation as well as the gravity of the injury and prescribe therapy. He can also give you some recommendations about other essential aspects of recovery to consider.

2.   Try physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is one of the most effective ways to deal with a sports injury. A doctor prescribes the therapy only after the injury is healed. It includes doing some special physical movements, which are designated specifically for each type of injury. The effects of sports physio are stronger muscles, aiming at the pre-injury condition. And it is possible to go back to the original state with physical therapy, however, it takes time. What is also key is that you do these exercises under the supervision of a professional physiotherapist. This helps in ensuring the right movements, as you can cause an additional injury that can slow down the healing process.

3.   Go for the RICE method

The RICE method stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. It is a crucial technique for dealing with an acute soft tissue injury. This method has the aim to control the initial inflammation and to start the recovery process early. An injury is characterized by swelling, warmth, redness and pain. So, according to this method, what you should do first is rest and avoid putting weight on the injured spot for 1 to 2 days. In this way, you’ll also prevent bruising. Then, you should put a pack of ice, warped in a towel, on the injury. You should switch it every 2 to 3 hours during the first day. The aim is to reduce pain and swelling.

Compression is about compressing the injured spot with a medical bandage to prevent further swelling. It shouldn’t be so tight to stop blood flow. And lastly, the elevation. You should elevate the injured part of your body above your heart. It reduces intense throbbing, swelling and pain as well. You can use a pillow and you should try to keep your injured part elevated whenever you can.

4.    Consider trying electricity

TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, is a technique usually used by professionals. Even though this method won’t speed up the recovery process, it can help ease the pain without taking any pain-relieving medication. You can use this machine even at home to help you out with pain stemming from sore muscles, resulting from intense sports activity.

5.   Be mindful of your mental state

Besides physical well being, we also need to focus on our physiological well being. Suffering from a sports injury is a traumatic experience. So, how can you deal with emotional and mental distress? Well, you should start by setting clear goals and pushing yourself towards them. You should try being optimistic as much as you can. You should keep the focus on the present but still visualize a healthy you. What’s also important is to accept help – this can sometimes be really difficult to do.

Recovery from a sports injury is often a long process. In order to recover, we need to be strong both physically, but also emotionally. Mental strength actually helps us move past the injury, heal and get back to normal life, filled with our favourite sports activity.