Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: There is Hope

3 Tips For Successfully Recovering From A Sports Injury

Sports injuries are exceedingly frustrating because they keep you from doing what you love: actually playing the sport. Follow these three tips to make sure that you make a successful recovery and are back to running, jumping, fighting, or swimming as soon as possible.

1. Don't Shortchange the Recovery Time

When you're injured, you go to the doctor because the doctor knows more about the injury than you do. The doctor knows how to make help the injury heal better than you do, or else you wouldn't bother to go see him or her. However, it is far too common for an injured athlete to decide that he or she knows more than the doctor does about when he or she can go back to the sport. Don't be such a person.

If the doctor says that it will take six weeks for your ankle to totally heal, don't try to go out onto the basketball court after four weeks. If you do this, you risk causing greater injury to your ankle and causing the overall healing process to take much longer than was previously stated. By following the doctor's orders, your injury will take precisely the amount of time stated to heal. Don't risk making it take longer.

2. Make the Most of Your Downtime

Suppose that you were running down to first base and twisted your knee. The doctor says that you won't be able to run and properly train for at least a month. Instead of wallowing in self-pity and binge-watching your favorite TV shows, utilize this time to work on something that doesn't involve your knees or standing. Take this time to work on your upper body strength by lifting free-weights while sitting down, improving your reflexes by playing games, or even just reconnecting with people. If you're busy during the time when you would otherwise be training, you will remain focused and be less likely to succumb to impatience and end your rehabilitation period early.

3. Get Physical Therapy Exercises to Do at Home

Many sports injuries will result in you having to get physical therapy. Talk to your therapist about different exercises that you can do at home to strengthen whatever body part was injured and to keep the rest of your body strong while you heal, without causing further injury. He or she will know ways to speed up the healing process and ensure that you come out of your rehabilitation period stronger than ever.

For more information, talk to an injury rehabilitation specialist at Eagle Center Physical Therapy.