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Home » Consumer Information » Sports Injuries

Rehabilitation

The road to recovery can seem interminable. There are several steps in the rehabilitation process that are common to all athletes. The treatment of acute injuries usually begins by applying the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). For chronic injuries a trainer should evaluate what has been causing the injury and work to correct the problem. Once the injury has been diagnosed, treatment should begin immediately to prevent the possibility of further harm.

For athletes, alternative training is often done as part of rehabilitation to avoid activities that will aggravate an injury. Often, runners do pool workouts such as running in water to avoid the intense impact on their legs. This also helps keep athletes in shape while recovering from an injury.

Once an athlete's pain has subsided, normal training can be resumed gradually so that he or she can return to competition. An athlete should not try to perform at full speed on the first day back, but rather gradually increase the amount of normal activities carried out. For very serious injuries, an athlete may need to go through physical therapy following surgery, which can be a very long and restrictive process.

Injuries can be just as difficult mentally as physically. Injured athletes experience emotions such as denial, anger, and sometimes depression. To recover mentally, it is important to understand the injury, its treatment, and how to prevent further injury. It is important for an athlete to accept that he or she is injured and have a positive attitude about recovery. Getting support from other people who have experienced the same injury can help.

An athlete should set realistic goals for recovery so that they notice improvement. Short term goals also help to break up the monotony of recovery and gives the athlete something to look forward to during the process. Keeping fit while injured keeps self esteem up and makes the transition back into training easier.

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