At some point in your life, you’re most likely going to get yourself injured. Perhaps you slip and fall, perhaps you pull something while exercising, or perhaps you get yourself injured at work. Whatever the case is, it’s a big disruption. One that you can’t abide for long if you’re going to keep living the kind of independent, active lifestyle you want. So, besides seeing the doctor and getting the treatment you need, what’s going to make the recovery go all the more smoothly?
Rest
Taking the time to rest off the injured part of your body is essential. Too many people skip this step entirely, thinking that because they don’t feel as bad as they expected that they don’t need the rest. Not only is that an assumption, but it’s a dangerous one. Without giving yourself the proper rest you need, you risk doing more damage to yourself if not slowing your recovery right down. Different kinds of rest are good for different injuries, too. For instance, the RICE method (rest, ice, compression and elevation) is good for sprains and other muscle injuries. But while you rest, make sure you don’t spend too much time in bed. A little activity every day is going to help you better heal.
Reimbursement
It’s not all about how you do personally in regards to your own health, either. Getting injured, especially if it puts you out of work, can add some very real pressures to your daily life. In particular, if you have bills, a mortgage or rent to pay, money is going to become a concern. You need to see what kind of reimbursement is available to you. If your injuries happened at work, then you should be able to get worker’s compensation without issue. If there is an issue, however, or if someone else caused your injuries, you might need to look into going down the route of an injury lawyer. You should also look at any organizations in your area that might be able to help. Non-profits and creditors alike can offer a variety of options from straight up grants to loans with more favorable terms than you’ll get from anywhere else.
Routine
What fitness activities you do should become part of your new routine. When you’re injured and unable to work or attend education, it’s easy for the whole order of your day to rather unceremoniously collapse. While at first, this might strike some as extra time to take to yourself and even a somewhat positive side effect of getting injured, it can have some negative long-term side-effects. That idleness can lead to feelings of isolation, stress, and even depression in many. Coping with the loneliness that can come from injury is all about finding your routine. Set yourself a time to get up, time to do what exercises your doctor recommends you do, and so on.
While we know that you’ll want to get back up on your feet and live the kind of life you once enjoyed. But pushing yourself too hard is going to only set you back in the end. It’s about making recovery easier on yourself to get through it in better shape, not getting better immediately.
