That nagging injury that won’t seem to go away?
The one that is making you increasingly frustrated because you’ve been doing all the things, seeing all your health professionals, and feeling some progress but it’s just not there yet. Your progress isn’t happening as fast as you like. Or, you felt a few days of relief, maybe even a week or so, and then it’s back.
What the heck is going on? In my clinical and personal experience (yes I get injuries too!) there are 3 factors that prevent healing, or slow recovery even when you’re doing all the right things:
Quitting your rehab protocol too soon:
The pain seems to have left, so the problem is fixed right? Not always the case. The inflammation has subsided but the dysfunction is likely still present, and this is really when the real healing starts to happen. It takes time to rebuild movement pathways, strengthen joints, and for tissue damage to knit itself back together. Talk to your Chiropractor or health care professional if you’re feeling the need to pull back on your scheduled visits, or can’t stick to your home care recommendations. Often we will have some other suggestions, or can help give you some objective ideas about where your progress really is at.
Return to activities too fast:
You’ve been waiting, cautiously, to get back to your favourite hobbies or sports. Your patience is wearing, and you’re restless to get back at it! So you give it a try, and your injury comes right back. I’ve been there, and it’s a reminder about the the point I made above…healing just takes time. The movements, exercises, or physical stresses on your body might still be too much for your healing joints to bear, yet. Practice your patience, stay consistent with your routines, and stay positive!
Lifestyle factors:
What’s the rest of your life like? How’s your nutrition? Are you drinking enough water (cartilage healing requires hydration!) Are you resting enough? Stress level high? Your lifestyle makes a huge difference in how your body heals, not just when you’re healing an injury. You might be doing all your rehab, but are your other health habits preventing healing? Ask your Chiropractor if there is anything you might be doing when NOT in their office that could further support your healing. The good news is that some of the shifts you might need to make will also help you feel better once your injury is healed too!
Healing takes time, and if you give yourself the right care and find the right health care team to support you, you’ll get there.
Unsure if Chiropractic can help? We always offer complimentary 15 min consultations to answer your questions first. You can book a consultation here.
