Coming back from a nasty injury can be a lot tougher than you can imagine – especially if you enjoy keeping yourself fit and active. It’s a big part of who you are, and as with any skill or talent in life, if it’s taken away from you it can feel cruel and unfair. There’s a real mental challenge involved, and many very fit people – even professional athletes – suffer from issues like depression when they are completely out of action for long periods.
However, there are a few things you can do to prevent yourself developing the post-injury blues. It can be a long road back, but using some – or all – of these strategies can pay off. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can ease your physical pain, your mental anguish, and get back to an active lifestyle as soon as possible.
Listen to the Doc
Your doctor will explain exactly what is wrong with you, and outline a treatment plan. The chances are you won’t like what you hear – but it is essential that you follow their advice., Even if the pain subsides, you can’t risk damaging yourself again until your doctor and medical team are happy with the progress. Yes, it can be frustrating, especially when you feel OK – but trust medical opinion, not your own.
Speed up your treatment
If you have the money, there are plenty of things you can do to get better faster. Contacting a local Rehabilitation Center might help you with therapy, for example, or asking your doctor to recommend a specialist who might be willing to treat you. However, be wary if your doctor states their concerns. You can always get a second – or third – opinion, but the reality is that seeking extra treatment isn’t the cure-all you might think.
Keep some good company.
When you lead an active lifestyle, you tend to meet a lot of friends. And hanging out at the gym or playing your favorite sport is a big part of your social life. For now, though, it’s going to be difficult to get that friend fix. Make sure you keep yourself active in other ways – perhaps your teammates can pay you a visit, or even pick you up so you can cheer on from the sidelines. You should also see it as a good opportunity to take up some different hobbies, and meet a bunch of new people. Social companionship is important, and without it, many fitness fanatics can end up extremely unhappy – do what you can to avoid loneliness.
You can still work out.
OK, so you might have a painful leg injury – but once it has repaired itself to a certain level, you might be able to start doing other exercises. Speak with a physio or personal trainer to help you come up with a plan. It might be possible for you to start swimming a lot sooner than you will be able to start running again, for example.
As you can see, a bad injury doesn’t have to be the end of your social life or the start of depression. I hope these tips help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
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