Tips on Staying Positive if You Suffer an Injury

Health & Fitness

It may feel like the end of the world if you suffer a serious injury such as a fracture or broken bone. Aside from the pain, you’re also going to feel that it’s ruined all your future plans, and you may not know how you’re going to fill your time while you recover. It’s important not to let negative thoughts take over, as this will only increase your recovery time. If you’re used to being very active, breaking a leg, an arm, a wrist or suffering neck strain is going to be very limiting, but it’s not going to be as bad as you think. Keep reading for some tips on staying positive and how it can help your recovery.

Stay Active Physically

Keeping physically active is good not just for your body, but your mind and soul also. When you’ve injured yourself, it can be very tempting to give up doing anything for a while. Stay on the couch for several weeks, and you’ll soon be feeling in the doldrums. Your muscles will also get very weak, and your weight may well skyrocket. Imagine you’ve broken a bone in your leg or ankle, for example. This can cause you problems with your mobility at times. There is a wide range of dressing aids that can help you if you struggle with some day to day tasks. Dressing aids can vary from a hip kit to a sock aid and are all developed to assist you with dressing so you can still maintain a sense of independence. Your doctor will probably advise you to get up and move around because this will help to prevent blood clots forming. To start with it will be very tiring, but you’ll soon get used to it.

As well as walking around, you should also try to lift weights. Don’t worry about going out and spending money on equipment. There are plenty of things you can use around your home; soup cans, books or bags of potatoes are just a few examples.

Stay Active Mentally

Take your recuperation period as a chance to learn something new. It will stimulate your brain and cause it to work, something it may need if you’re not able to go to work. What you decide to learn really doesn’t matter. The act of learning is what is important, as it will give you a sense of accomplishment. Even though you’re in a bit of an awkward position, you will have overcome the problem and done something worthwhile. Why not learn a new language or learn how to play the guitar?

Rest is Also Important

Aside from staying mentally and physically active, you’re also going to need to find time to rest. Hobbling around using your Loftstrand crutches won’t be a problem, and you’re going to keep your mind active by learning something new, but you should also find time to rest. If you find yourself overdoing things, it will take much longer to recover. It’s vital you accept that your mobility is limited and rest, and this is especially important in the early days after your injury. As you go through the recovery period, your mobility should increase. However, your body needs to rest so that there’s enough energy to fuel the healing process.

It may be very tempting to stay on the sofa when you’re nursing an injury. Your doctor’s advice is what you should follow, and this will be to stay as active as possible. You might need to approach things a little differently for a while, but if you stay active, your recovery period will pass much quicker. You’ll also be building your strength and protecting your bones from becoming weak.

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