It’s distressing when you can’t do what you love, and frustrating when they prevent you from preparing for an important event, but injuries are a common part of sport. Don’t panic, “Keep calm and let the Physio handle it.“ We want to limit the extent of the injury and reduce or reverse the damage.
I’m sure you have all heard of PRICE (Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation). Although there is some controversy about this, the injured area does initially need to be rested and protected to prevent further damage, in addition to controlling pain and swelling. Protection may include strapping, bracing or even using crutches. Ice may be useful to ease pain and excessive swelling. Elevation, ideally 45 degrees above the heart, is also useful for swelling. Compression may be useful if there is excessive swelling, but can have its own pitfalls, so best to get advice here. Previously, it was common practice to use anti-inflammatory drugs after an injury, but there has been a move away from this as they can decrease the quality of healing.
After a few days, the body starts to repair the damage, but this new tissue is initially very weak. If you do too much during this time, as is often tempting, it will be damaged. But, very importantly, if not enough is done, the tissue does not build up enough strength. Getting the correct balance that puts the right amount of stress on the area at the right time is vital. Maintaining strength and flexibility of the rest of the body, in addition to cardiovascular fitness, is also important. Slowly, one also needs to improve balance, coordination, flexibility, strength and stability around the injured area.
After a couple of weeks, you can gradually start putting more demands on the tissue, and more advanced and sport-specific rehabilitation could be commenced. Signs of recurring pain, or other problems, usually mean that you should slow down or backtrack a bit. Everyone is different, so an individualised treatment program is best. A Physiotherapist can assist you from day one throughout the stages of your recovery and rehabilitation. They can also address underlying risk factors for further injury AND assist with enhancing performance. The goal is to get you even better than you were before!
