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Many regular exercisers dread getting injured. An injury can interrupt your routine and prevent you from getting the exercise you need to feel your best. It is important not to rush your recovery process. Most workout injuries start improving within a week and, with the right treatment, heal on their own within a month. Here are some tips to help you heal faster so that you can quickly resume your fitness routine.
Stop As Soon As You Feel Injured
Injuries that are less severe can heal faster. If you stop working out as soon as you start feeling pain, the severity of an injury is likely to be less than if you were to push until you reached the end of your planned workout.
Spotters are recommended for lifting weights and other intense workout activities because the presence of another person can help to limit the severity of injuries. A spotter should be ready to assist you in the event that anything goes wrong during a workout.
If you are standing when you become injured, you should exercise care in stabilizing yourself. Injuries that destabilize your sense of balance can cause you to fall and suffer even more severe injuries. Once you can safely sit or lie down, it is a good idea to try to elevate the injury to reduce bleeding or swelling.
Do the Tried and True RICE Method
Almost every physical therapist recommends the RICE method for recovering from injury. This method is referred to by an acronym that standards for rest, ice, compression and elevation. You should immediately stop exercising the part of your body that is injured. Apply ice for about 15 to 20 minutes every two to three hours for the first day or two after you get injured. Once the initial response to an injury has passed, it is worthwhile to look up stem wave therapy near me.
The best approach to compression will vary based on where an injury is located. You may be able to get a specialized compression sleeve or injury recovery aid for some parts of your body. In other cases, compression bandages may be sufficient to reduce swelling. The last step of the method involves elevating injuries. Lifting a wound above heart level can slow bleeding, and elevation may minimize the swelling of musculoskeletal injuries.
In addition to stem wave or shock wave therapy, you can also look into specialized therapy intended for particular types of injuries, such as sports medicine, orthopedic physical therapy or wound care. Many types of therapy work well together and may lead to better outcomes than isolated approaches.
Try Tissue Regeneration Treatments
Regenerative tissue treatments can significantly speed up healing time compared to injuries not treated with shock or stem wave therapy. These treatments are not surgical, and can be performed outpatient by a skilled service provider without the need for anesthetic. Shock wave therapy can be useful as an adjunctive or replacement therapy for most injuries.
The benefits of tissue regeneration are apparent for a wide variety of injuries, including musculoskeletal injuries and wounds. Shock wave energy leads to biological responses in both types of injuries, including eNOS, PCNA and VEGF. For musculoskeletal injuries this treatment can also promote BMP and neovascularization, while wound injuries may heal faster with cytokines and growth factors.
Tissue regeneration treatments for injuries to bones and muscles work by improving blood supply and modulating inflammation. This has the effect of decreasing M1 macrophages, while increasing M2, leading to tissue regeneration that decreases TLR4 and increases TLR3 reception. Desirable outcomes are also possible for wounds through angiogenesis, inflammation modulation and improved blood supply, which lead to epithelialization, tissue remodeling and faster wound healing.
Following these tips can prevent injuries from becoming compounded or more severe, which leads to longer recovery times. Pursuing innovative therapeutic treatments with technology such as shock or stem waves may also speed up healing.