Post-Injury Tips To Help You Recover and Get Back In The Game Faster!
You have participated in sports for as long as you can remember. As you have grown, your strength, endurance, and athleticism have improved. You have worked hard day after day to become the best you can be as an athlete. You are passionate to compete, constantly put in work to get better, and have an undying love for your sport, but then, the unthinkable happens: an injury.
For many athletes, nothing can be as devastating as an injury during the sports season. Depending on the severity of an injury, some incidents can place athletes on the bench for a couple of days while others can bring a complete and devastating end to their season. If you live to compete as an athlete, the pain caused by an injury isn’t even the worst part — no, it’s the fact that you have to miss out on doing what you love. While strains and sprains are not really classified as a season-ending injury and generally heal within a few days or weeks, more serious injuries, such as fractures or torn ligaments require prolonged medical care can lead you to spending some time on the sideline. Although not being able to compete can be devastating, the steps you take during the recovery process can play a huge role in how fast you recover as well as how soon you are able to get back on the field or court.
Post-Injury Tips To Help You Recover and Get Back In The Game Faster!
In this blog, we are going to share some helpful post-injury tips that can help speed up the recovery process and get you back in the game faster. Remember, the severity of an injury plays a huge role in determining how quickly the recovery process will be. In any event of a serious injury, be sure to consult a medical professional first.
Find The Right Doctor
If you experience an injury that is severe enough, it is important to find a doctor that can help. It is best to look for a healthcare professional that specializes in sports medicine or has an excellent reputation and experience treating athletes is essential for speeding up the diagnosis as well as the recovery process. These types of healthcare professionals have a great understanding of how your injury affects your ability and tolerance to move in the context of the sports you compete in. Plus, doctors will be able to create a customized treatment plan and give you a good idea of how long it will take before you can return back to practicing and playing. The injury that you experience will determine what doctor is best. Let’s take a look at the common doctors you should see for sports-related injuries.
- Orthopedist. An Orthopedist treats issues affecting the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. From strains, sprains, and fractures, an orthopedist can help treat some of the most common injuries experienced in sports.
- Podiatrist. A podiatrist specializes in feet. Any injuries related to the foot or ankle can be handled by a sports podiatrist.
- Physical Therapist. Physical therapists can create a rehab program and prescribed exercises to help you recover from injuries as well as help prevent them. These doctors often work with orthopedists to diagnose issues and injuries.
Accept Your Injury
Depending on the post-injury diagnosis and prognosis, it can sometimes be hard to accept what’s next in your athletic journey. Regardless of whether you get the news you had hoped for or not, it is important to accept it for what it is. If you get the bad news, it is okay to mourn and feel the loss you are experiencing — your emotions are an important part of the healing process! However, once you are able to finally accept your situation and move through the grieving process, you can finally allow yourself to heal and the recovery process and your progress will be expedited.
Think of Rehab as Training
Rehabilitation and physical therapy is a great way to recover from an injury. Rehabilitation helps injured athletes effectively treat pain and discomfort while returning the injured area back to its normal function. The initial stages of sports rehabilitation involve reducing pain and promoting the healing of an injured area. Next, progressive reconditioning treatment begins to help athletes work towards re-establishing strength. Physical therapists will create a recovery plan and will prescribe various exercises to hit specific goals such as mobility, flexibility training, balance, coordination, and joint positioning.The road to rehabilitation is not always an easy one, so it is vital to stay focused, work hard, and focus on getting better, just as you would in training.
Get Back In The Game With Protective Equipment
While there are many serious injuries that will affect your ability to move and perform, let alone compete, some injuries that seem serious may not necessarily mean you have to stick to the sidelines the rest of the season. In some sports, such as soccer, football, basketball, hockey and lacrosse, athletes can still participate with certain injuries. Typically, when an athlete that participates in these sports experiences either a hand or arm injury, like a fracture, it will require a cast or splint to heal properly. The good thing about these casts is that you still have the ability to move and participate. The bad thing, the hardness is a threat to other athletes competing in the game, thus requiring injured athletes to sit out. However, with the help of a cast protector pad, the hardness of a cast or splint is no longer a threat, enabling them to participate within the guidelines of the rules and regulations.
Of course, injured athletes with these types of injuries should ease back into practicing and playing in order to prevent further damage. Plus, a medical professional should always be consulted and asked for clearance to participate.
Focus on Prevention
Once an athlete has experienced sitting on the sidelines and missing out, they will never want to return. The best way to ensure that happens is to take the necessary steps during your training and exercising to help prevent future injuries. Be sure to stretch properly before and after exercising and as hard as it may be, try not to overwork your body. If you look after and take care of your body, it will reward you by staying healthy and injury-free.
No matter what injury you may experience, following these tips can help speed up the recovery process and help you get back in the game faster. Remember, for the best advice on when to return to athletics after an injury, contact a medical professional.
Is Your Cast Keeping You Out of The Game?
As mentioned, having a cast to heal an injury can place an athlete on the sidelines. Some sports and leagues will allow athletes with a splint or a cast to participate, as long as it is not of harm to other players. Any casts or braces that are made of fiberglass, plaster, metal or any other nonpliable substances will likely not be allowed on the field. In football specifically, casts and splints are only allowed if they are protecting a fracture or dislocation and if they are covered with a layer of protective closed cell foam.
The Cast Protector is the solution athletes with casts and splints need to get back in the game! Made with closed cell foam and a polyester cover, The Cast Protector is one of the best sports cast padding options to allow an athlete to compete. In fact, our cast cover is the only approved pre-made sports cast protector — it meets the of the National Federation of State High School Associations Rules and the NCAA guidelines for playing with a cast or splint! While resuming play with an injury can be risky and should also be discussed with a medical professional, our sports cast protector makes it easier for athletes to get back to competing in the sports they love.
