How to Avoid Accidently Aggravating Your Injury During Recovery

The road to recovery is paved with numerous hurdles, difficult challenges, and unexpected setbacks. Injuries can disrupt your life and cause even simple everyday tasks to be a painful burden. If you’re recovering from a serious injury, you’re probably eager to move on with your life. It’s crucial, however, not to cut corners during recovery.

Many people accidentally aggravate their injuries as they recover from accidents, falls, and other catastrophic events. Even the most minor mistakes can have devastating effects. Aggravating an injury slows down recovery time and causes further physical damage to the body. Are you worried about aggravating your injury? We’ve got you covered. Here are some easy ways to protect yourself during recovery.

Know Your Limits

It can be tempting to resume normal activities after an injury. Doing too much physical activity can lead to muscle strain that slows down your recovery. It’s essential to increase your activity level gradually and to understand your body’s limits. Listen to your body, doctor, and experts to avoid pushing yourself past your limitations. A general rule is to increase the intensity of physical activity by no more than 10 percent each week.

Get Plenty of Sleep

After experiencing an injury, your body needs extra time to repair damaged tissues. Studies show that sleep debt decreases protein synthesis and increases the activity of degradation pathways. This can cause a loss of muscle mass that is essential to overcoming injuries. A good night’s sleep fosters an increase in growth hormones that aid with tissue recovery. Make sure you get plenty of shut-eye to help your body heal.

Attend Physical Therapy

You should not skip rehabilitation, medical treatment, or other services dedicated to your recovery. These events are essential to getting your body back on track and promoting long-term health. Low-impact activities are proven to reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. High cortisol levels can lead to tissue breakdown and slow down healing. Participating in low-impact exercises promotes cell growth and repair that are paramount to recovery.

Your body has to work harder than usual to compensate for an injury. As a result, your body may develop poor mechanics that can aggravate your injury or cause additional harm. Rehabilitation can help you strengthen muscle, improve movement, and recalibrate after an injury. To foster long-term physical health, you should follow the plans laid out by physical therapists and other experts. They can closely monitor your recovery and identify potential problems that may emerge.

Bottom Line: Take it Slow

Recovery times can vary widely based on the severity of your injury. No matter the damage, it’s crucial to give your body the necessary time to recover. Listen to your body and know your limits to avoid aggravating your injury. Make sure you get plenty of rest, attend physical therapy, and listen to the advice of experts.

If you have been injured in an accident and are unsure what compensation you are entitled to, contact McCraw Law Group. We can help by explaining your options.