Three stages of sports injury recovery

During the inflammation control period, priority is given to reducing swelling and pain relief, during the functional reconstruction period to make up for missing exercise abilities, and during the return to exercise period for special adaptations. There is no absolute time cutoff for the three stages. It all depends on the individual's degree of injury and recovery feedback. The "7 days for swelling reduction and 14 days for recovery" schedule on the hard card online is prone to problems.

I just picked up a guy who ran a marathon last week. He strained his gastrocnemius muscle and the next day he dared to soak in hot water and go to a massage parlor to rub it vigorously. When he came in, his calf was swollen like a steamed bun and he couldn't even bend his ankle. This is a typical pitfall during the inflammation control period. Regarding the treatment of this stage, there are actually two schools of thought in the industry: The traditional school adheres to the RICE principle (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and believes that there must be no movement or heat application within 72 hours to avoid aggravation of bleeding and swelling. ； The new school advocates the PEACE&LOVE principle and believes that appropriate light activities are more conducive to circulation and there is no need to completely brake. In fact, both statements are correct, but it depends on the degree of injury: if you have a big bulge immediately after twisting, bruises under the skin, and pain that makes you unable to walk, you should honestly apply ice packs on towels, wear protective gear for pressure, raise your feet, and at most move your toes to promote circulation. Don't mess around. ； If it is just a slight pull and the swelling is not obvious, there is no need to lie down for a week without getting off the ground. Taking a few steps slowly will help you heal faster. There is really no need to worry about which principle is more "advanced", your body's reaction is the best yardstick.

When the redness and swelling are basically gone, there is no obvious tingling sensation when pressed, and walking is basically no longer painful, don’t lie down at this time - this is where many people fall into trouble. Two months ago, there was a young man who played in a college league. After two weeks of nursing his sprained foot, he felt no pain at all. He sprained it again within ten minutes of playing the entire game. The ligament was not broken during the MRI, but when tested, he could not stand on one foot for even 10 seconds. The strength around the ankle joint was nearly 30% worse than the unaffected side. This is the consequence of skipping the functional reconstruction period. The goal of this stage is to make up for the "debt" owed to the injury: not only muscle strength, but also proprioception, flexibility, and joint control. Whatever is lacking, make up for it. There are also different opinions on the training sequence at this stage: Rehabilitation practitioners will usually ask you to practice stability first, such as standing on one foot, balance mat training, and then add strength after the joint control is stabilized. ； Friends in the fitness circle may be more accustomed to resistance training first to increase strength. In fact, it can be combined. For example, for people with ankle sprains, if they can stand on one foot for 30 seconds, they can add heel raises and resisted inversion and inversion. There is no need to wait for a certain item to be fully practiced before moving on. The most extreme case I have ever encountered was a girl who had a sprained ankle for three months. Her ankle was so stiff that she had difficulty walking up and down steps, but she just didn't dare to move. In the end, the acute injury turned into a chronic strain.

Oh, by the way, don’t think that just because you’re back to strength training and you feel completely free from daily activities means you’re fine. If you really want to return to your previous sports, there’s still one last step to take. There was a girl who played CrossFit before. She suffered a rotator cuff injury and had to recover for more than three months. Her shoulder range of motion and strength were tested and fully met the standards. The first time she returned to the gym, she hit the deadlift limit and suffered another strain on the spot. This means that there is no special adaptation for the return to exercise period. If there are specific movements in the sports you usually play, you have to slowly do "desensitization training" for your body: those who play badminton must first practice slow take-off and change of direction, and then slowly accelerate and increase the reaction to catching the ball. ； Horse runners must start with brisk walking and jogging and increase the amount of exercise. First run 5 kilometers and 10 kilometers, and then gradually do intervals and do LSD. ； If you are into powerlifting, you have to start from the empty bar to find the feeling of force, slowly increase the weight, and don't rush to the previous PR. The most taboo thing at this stage is "I think I'm better." If you really want to judge whether you can return to the sports field, find a rehabilitation practitioner to do a special test, which is much more reliable than trying blindly on your own.

I have been recovering from exercise for almost 6 years, and the two extremes I encounter most often are: either just messing around with the injury, or not daring to move until the muscles have atrophied. In fact, the essence of the three stages is to follow the body's signals, take a step back if it hurts, and take a step forward if you don't feel it. There is really no need to dictate other people's recovery progress. Of course, if you are injured to the point that you cannot move, or if you suspect a fracture or ligament break, see an orthopedic surgeon to take a x-ray first. Don’t just blindly search for the guide. This is the most basic premise.