I’m Injured – Do I Need To Stop Training?
No! Rest is not always best.
For years the common advice when injured was to just stop whatever activity you are doing and rest it. And in fact many patients still put off coming to see us because they are worried the physio will tell them to stop doing their sport or activity. Now there are times when very specific or guided rest is important – this is usually very immediately post acute injury, but it is VERY RARE that we would ever suggest complete rest for someone. Here’s why
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Rehab is training in the presence of injury. And using that training to actually improve the pain and injury to get you back to full participation in your activity or sport. A good physio will know how to do this, how and what to modify so that you can not only keep training but your training is actually working towards your goal of being pain, free not against it!
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You are more than just your injured body part, and your activity (whether it is playing a team sport, lifting heavy things, or keeping up with the kids) plays more than just a physical role in your life, a good health practitioner knows this and how to look at the whole picture for you
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There are consequences to inactivity that are greater than just one injured body part. And these can be quite long term. Inactivity is linked to mental health problems, bone density problems, cardiovascular and lifestyle diseases, and the list goes on and on.
I look at rehabilitation as training in the presence of injury with the goal of actively working towards returning the injured body part to full capacity whilst minimizing the other ‘collateral damage’ impacts to someone’s health and fitness.
If you have been avoiding something in your training or in your life because it is painful, come in for a chat about how we can actively work towards a solution to that for you.
Article by Jessica Ackad – Physiotherapist