The Do’s and Don’ts After a Sports Injury

If you’ve recently suffered a sports injury, you are probably anxious to get back into the game. You must follow some guidelines during your recovery to prevent the pain from becoming more severe. Your doctor can help you by telling you what your limits are for each activity, but it is up to you to make sure you follow his or her instructions.

As athletes, we put our bodies through hell. There are many hard practices, plenty of pressure to perform, and injuries that will always happen. But the main thing is to stay positive during this tough time and get better!

 Here’s a list of things NOT TO DO after you get injured:

• DON’T GO HOME RIGHT AFTER YOU GET INJURED. While it seems like the most logical thing to do, this will be more detrimental than beneficial. Instead, go home after practice is over with your team and rest for the night.
• DON’T SLEEP ON YOUR INJURY. After an injury, our minds are always telling us to keep moving, but it’s better to stay still so our bodies can heal.
• DON’T SWIM OR TAKE LONG SOAKS IN THE HOT TUB. Just because you can’t run or practice doesn’t mean that you have time off from training! Your coach will find a way to work out and keep you in shape, so don’t let them down.
• DON’T START YARD WORK OR AN ARDUOUS NEW TRAINING REGIMEN. This will only put more stress on your body and make it harder for the injury to heal. If anything, focus on getting better at what you do best.
• DON’T DO ANY EXTRA BEDTIME WORKOUT. Yes, you are injured, but that doesn’t have to hold you back! Ask Your coach to show a way for you to stay in touch with your teammates, so don’t worry!

Now here are the DO’S after an injury:

• DO STAY POSITIVE. This is probably the hardest thing to do, especially when going through hard practices and stressful games. But always remember that you can make a difference even while injured! You may be on the sidelines, but you will still play a role in your team’s success.
• DO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY WHILE INJURED. To build the body back up, we must rest and recover! Do some light walking to keep your legs in shape and eat a balanced diet with lots of vegetables and fruit.
• DO TAKE YOUR TIME TO HEAL. Don’t try to rush back into play when you’re not ready because this will only cause your injury to worsen.
• DO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR TEAMMATES. This is very important! While you are injured, it’s still crucial for you to connect with your team members so that everyone will play well together on game day.

Workout After Injury:

After a sports injury, it is important to make sure you follow your physician’s instructions properly. This includes being careful not to do anything that causes too much stress or strain on the part of the body that sustained the injury.

Most injuries require some rest for some time before you can resume physical activity. Some sports injuries may require months of recovery, while others may not sustain certain sports anymore, according to the severity.

There are some basic things suggested by sports injury doctor:

• If there is pain, do not push through it.
• Allow for proper healing time.
• Warm up and cool down properly before and after sports activities.
• Do not take painkillers that contain ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or aspirin.
• If sport-specific exercises are necessary, do only what is required to help recover. Do not push through pain while exercising.
• Consult your physician before taking any other medication for pain.