Injuries happen, they just do, and often it’s how we recover from an injury that really matters. There’s an art to it; a balance of rest, rehabilitation, good nutrition and medical care which all contribute to good recovery, whatever your injury. To be clear, in this instance I am talking about relatively common injuries like hurting your back whilst gardening, or muscle injuries when doing sports, however some of this will still be relevant even if you have a more serious injury.

Recovery can feel overwhelming, so to help demystify the process I’m taking you through the crucial parts of injury recovery, including whether you should rest or push through, whether you should adapt your diet or take supplements, and what mental strategies you can use to stop you from feeling down. Remember each person’s recovery will vary, we are not machines that stick to a time schedule.

Rest or Push through?

Immediately after an injury don’t push through the pain, you could end up making it worse! Instead rest and apply some alternating heat and cold to encourage blood flow through the area. Where possible keep it raised up to reduce any swelling. Also, consider whether you might need help for a short time from friends and family. Do listen to your body, if pain gets worse you might need to scale back your activity levels for a little longer.

Rehabilitation

Once you feel able or have been given the go ahead by a medical professional, you can start doing some gentle exercises to build your strength. Resistance bands are great for this, or you could use home weights. Start off slow, only a few repetitions and light weights/resistance, gradually increasing repetitions and/or weights as you recover. However, if your pain starts to increase again be prepared to reign back in the activity until it is tolerable again.

Food and supplements

Healing is supported by the nutrients in our body, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that what we eat can have a profound impact on the rate of healing.

Protein – we often lose muscle mass after an injury because we don’t use them when we are resting. Increasing protein intake by eating lean meats or through shakes and supplements can minimise this loss and help your muscles regenerate faster.
Vitamin C – This helps to boost your collagen production, helping injuries to heal more efficiently. High levels can be found in leafy greens, berries and citrus fruit.
Zinc – Low level of zinc delays healing so getting a good dose of zinc in your diet can be really helpful. Pulses, nuts and seeds contain lots of zinc.

Summary

It can be difficult to cope when you are injured, especially if it’s preventing you from doing what you normally enjoy. Not being able to exercise can weigh heavily on our mental health, and recovery can feel never ending. Taking time to create a recovery plan can be so beneficial in this regard, giving us a focus for recovery. Adding mindfulness to your daily activities can also be helpful during recovery, helping to stave off feelings of anxiety or depression. And remember, the earlier you seek help the better.