Rehabilitation: They Key to Recovery
Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries, whether acute or chronic, can affect anyone, regardless of age, fitness level or activity. From a sudden sprain to long-standing issues like lower back pain, rehabilitation is essential for both recovery and prevention. Proper rehabilitation not only restores function but also minimises the risk of re-injury, allowing you to return to daily activities and sports with confidence.
Why Rehabilitation is Important
Rehabilitation is a critical part of the healing process. MSK injuries involve damage to muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons, all of which need proper care and attention to heal effectively. While pain management is important in the early stages of recovery, rehabilitation goes beyond simply letting the body heal. It helps restore movement, flexibility, strength, and stability to the affected area. Whether the injury is from a recent event or a long-standing issue, rehabilitation helps you to return to running a marathon or lifting a grocery bag without pain.
Personalised Rehabilitation Plans
Rehabilitation should never be a one-size-fits-all approach. That’s why chiropractors take a thorough look at your injury, lifestyle and goals before designing a rehabilitation plan that’s tailored just for you. This personalised approach ensures that you receive the most effective treatment to help you recover and prevent future injuries.
A rehabilitation plan could include a variety of different exercises and activities. Some may be more strenuous, like lifting weights in the gym, while others may be gentle to ease you in, such as doing chair squats and bodyweight movements. The key is that these exercises are customised to match your current abilities, ensuring you’re not overexerting yourself, but still making progress in your recovery.
PEACE and LOVE: The New Approach to Injury Management
Traditional injury management has often relied on the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). However, the latest evidence now supports the PEACE and LOVE approach for managing MSK injuries. This modern framework emphasises both immediate injury care and long-term rehabilitation.
PEACE stands for:
- Protect: Protect the injury by reducing or restricting movement for 1-3 days.
- Elevate: Elevating the injured area above the heart
- Avoid: Avoid anti-inflammatory medications or ice, unless the pain is severe.
- Compress: Compress the injury with a bandage or tape to reduce swelling.
- Educate: Learn about how early activity can help your recovery, which treatments are best. Seek advice and support from health-care professionals.
LOVE stands for:
- Load: Load the injured area as soon as possible to stimulate healing.
- Optimism: Positivity and confidence will help condition your brain for a better recovery.
- Vascularisation: Increasing blood flow to the injured area will promote tissue healing.
- Exercise/Early Mobilisation: Restore function, mobility and strength with rehabilitation exercises.
Rehabilitations for All Ages and Abilities
One of the most important things to understand about rehabilitation is that it is for everyone. Whether you’re a teenager recovering from a sports injury or a senior working on improving mobility after surgery, rehabilitation is appropriate for all ages.
Chiropractors create individualised rehabilitation plans based on your specific injury, health and abilities. These plans can vary greatly depending on factors like age, fitness level, and the severity of the injury. For an active individual, rehabilitation may include strength training and sport-specific exercises. For an elderly patient, rehabilitation might focus more on gentle movements that improve flexibility, balance, and daily functional tasks, like walking or getting up from a chair.
Rehabilitation Doesn’t Have to Be Long or Complicated
Rehabilitation doesn’t always have to mean long hours at the gym. In fact, it can often be just a few minutes of focused activity each day that makes a world of difference. Whether you’re at the office or in your living room, rehabilitation can fit easily into your day-to day routine.
For example, incorporating movement into your daily activities, like doing shoulder rolls at your desk or practising simple stretches while watching TV, can make a big impact on your recovery. These small movements add up over time, helping improve your range of motion, reduce stiffness, and rebuild strength without the need for long gym sessions.
Working with Your Chiropractor
Rehabilitation is most effective when it’s done in partnership with your health-care professional. Chiropractors are experts in MSK health and can provide you with the guidance, expertise, and support you need during your recovery. They will not only design a personalised rehabilitation plan but will also monitor your progress and make adjustments as needed.
Your chiropractic can also give you tips on lifestyle changes, posture, and ergonomics to help prevent future injuries. By working together, you and your chiropractor can ensure that you’re on the right track with your recovery.