When you’re sitting on the couch for weeks on the heels of an injury, you might turn on the television and be somewhat jealous to see an athlete with what seemed like a potentially career-ending injury back on the field or the court within days or weeks. They’re running down the field like they just activated a cheat code on a videogame, and you feel like you’re on death’s doorstep because you planted wrong during a light jog.
You shouldn’t feel jealous, as there’s a reason why many athletes are able to recover as well as they do: they can dedicate every waking moment of their existence to recovery, and in addition to their own commitment, they have a team of individuals whose job it is to get them well as fast as possible. They also don't have to concern themselves with questions like, "how much does a microdiscectomy cost?" With so much money on the line, sports teams can’t afford to have a superstar sit on the bench.
A new article out of Australia takes a look at this phenomenon in greater depth, and it’s a great read for anyone who has become frustrated by their lack of recovery following an injury. If you find that the standard go-to therapy of rest, ice, compression, and elevation (known as RICE) simply isn’t cutting it, then making slight adjustments to give you some semblance of an athlete’s recovery regimen could be in order.
The report shows the process that athletes will go through when they suffer an injury during a game. First, they have people on staff who are willing to rush them back to the locker room for an immediate assessment. That will likely mean that RICE happens at once. If warranted due to the injury’s seriousness, the athlete will immediately submit to an MRI or an X-ray to get a better idea of the type of injury being dealt with.
Once a tear or a break has been identified, an athlete will then work with a team of professionals to determine and stick to the best rehabilitation regimen possible. In addition to teaming with a physical therapist, he or she will work with a nutritionist, coaches, and maybe even a massage therapist every single day. They’ll also have access to state of the art technology that speeds them on the road to recovery.
If you’re not a professional athlete, then chances are that you might think you don’t have access to this kind of care. But there are ways to mimic the care that athletes receive, and that starts by taking the injury as seriously as you should.
Don’t attempt to walk it off for a few days. Schedule an appointment with a specialist at once, and if you can, take days off work to rest. Don’t strain yourself further by engaging in myriad errands. Listen to what professionals tell you rather than trying to push the boundaries of what you can achieve, and remember to carry suggestions over to your post-injury life so further damage potential is minimized.