Getting hurt or injured during training or in a competition does happen. Learning how you can get better quickly will help you to get back in the game faster. There are some things that can help you to get an edge on your training and back to your normal self !
One misconception is that when you get injured you should just STOP! No !!! Hold up and put the breaks on this one. You don’t need to stop everything that you are doing, but you do need to take it easy from the things that are aggravating to the injury.You need to continue training so you can rehab what is injured and prevent any future injuries from happening, while at the same time keeping yourself on target for your goals. What your training looks like may change and it might include more mobility and stability work along with different strengthening exercises. There may be some modifications of certain exercises, additions of others, and even a few deletions. Your warm up may evolve to be more specific to your particular injury. Your recovery protocol will become more important.
MAKE TIME FOR RECOVERY AND REPAIR ! Self myofacial release, foam rolling, stretching and getting enough rest is important for proper healing. If you can’t “find” the time to really sit and repair what is hurt then it will never get better. Along with repair is nutrition. Nutrition is actually a key component of injury rehabilitation that is often overlooked by athletes and health care professionals alike. In fact, a well-designed nutrition plan can speed up the healing process, while the reverse is also true. Meaning, bad dietary habits can actually impede your recovery. Vitamins A,B,C, D, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, and Zinc support tissue regeneration and repair as they help to support early inflammation, reverse post-injury immune suppression, assist in collagen formation, strengthen connective tissue, as well as support protein synthesis. This means if you eat a lot of processed food and don’t have a balanced diet with a good mix of colorful fruit and vegetables and dairy and meat products, you might be missing out on these key micro-nutrients.
Sleep is one of your body’s best defenses and plays an important role in the regenerative process following injury. It is during sleep that your body secretes important hormones that are essential for a strong immune system, increased muscle mass, bone strength, and energy. Missing out on this critical time can lead to muscle atrophy, as well as the loss of ability to efficiently build and repair your muscles.
Attitude is EVERYTHING ! Having a good attitude can help you to get back at it faster! You have to be more than just willing to get better. You have to want to get better. Be eager to get better. Be prepared to do whatever your physical therapist or coach asks you to do. Be committed to your rehab exercises, take part in your therapy, and ensure you are eating well, sleeping, and doing lots of recovery work.