Regain Trust In Your Body: 4 Easy Steps
By Chia Chia Cheng, L.Ac.
A friend recently shared his story with me. He pulled his Achilles tendon during a pick up game of basketball earlier this year. He couldn’t walk. He had surgery. Six months post op he found himself barely able to jog. “I’m afraid I’ll never be able to play basketball again,” he confided.
This fear is common in the 40-50s age group. You know what I’m talking about.
Whether it’s basketball, gardening, or wrestling with your teenage kid (who now has an adult’s body), I’m here to tell you YES! Yes, you’re going to be able to do that thing that you love! Make these 4 steps a part of your daily routine to regain trust in your body.
- Continue with your rehabilitation for one year after your date of injury.
- Move your body in different ways to learn how your body is capable of performing.
- Keep up with self-care—nutrition, sleep, ice, stretch, rest, PT exercises, etc.
- Check in with your providers .
When you’re in your 20’s you didn’t shrug at an injury. In your 30s you waited a few months before returning to activity. In your 40s and 50s you wonder if you’ll recover from the injury. And the second question is–Will you ever be able to do that one thing you love?
Sound familiar? Even if this isn’t your story, you’ve heard it before.
Recovery can be a long haul. Once all the tests are done and you arrive at a diagnosis, the next step is the treatment plan. You go to various providers–PT, acupuncture, chiro, ortho, massage, etc. Then after a while either your benefits run out or you run out of steam to keep up with the appointments. What do you do then?
This is where the panic starts to show up. You feel like you’re ready to get back into it. But you start to wonder if you’re ever going to be able to do that one thing that you love. That one thing that you were doing when you got injured.
No need to panic. That’s right, you don’t need to panic. Because I have worked out a plan for you.
- Take the time to ice the recovery area after activity. (In general ice is indicated when you have pain during or after activity.)
- Apply heat on the area for 15 minutes before you start the activity. Stiff muscles and tendons tend to cramp and sprain.
- Do your PT exercises in the morning. When you wait until the end of the day, you’re likely to be too tired and not do them, or do the exercises less precisely because you’re tired.
- Give yourself 2-3 days of rest before doing that activity again.
- Continue prioritizing rest, sleep and nutrition.
- Take all supplements/herbs as directed.
- Be aware of the feedback your body gives you. Recognize what works and note what doesn’t work. Use this information to help you determine your next progression of movement.
It’s always a good idea to continue with treatment for one year after your date of injury or surgery. Those exercises your PT showed you–those are good for life! Keep up with those acupuncture and chiropractic visits. Your body is most at risk for reinjury when you increase the duration and intensity of your chosen activity.
Allow your providers to support you as you transition into your desired level of activity. Regular treatment will keep your body in alignment and maintain balance. It’ll also help speed up recovery in case you do have a small injury along the way.
Your body is made for movement. Moving your body is key in attaining and maintaining wellbeing. Having the ability to distinguish between hurt and harm will help you move forward and keep you safe. Sometimes you will hurt. Hurt that you can quickly recover from does not mean you have harmed yourself.
Having realistic expectations on what you’re able to do will guide you during safe movement. I recommend that you choose an activity like walking or biking in the beginning. These are basic forms of human locomotion. Limit your activity time to 10-15 minutes. Wait three days before you increase the time or intensity of your chosen activity.
Each day that you’re able to walk or bike with comfort adds to gaining confidence in your body’s ability to perform. Once you can bike or walk your goal time and intensity, then you’re ready to move onto something more challenging. Be honest with yourself about where you’re at on that given day. It’s better to be safe than to overdo it.
As you start to feel better and regain trust in your body, be persistent with taking the time to care for yourself. Commit to doing the self-care your provider developed for you.
You will recover and simultaneously reduce your risk for reinjury. Regaining confidence in your body requires mindfulness and patience. Be kind to yourself. You are ready ! You are resilient! You are on your way to doing what you love!!
You know someone who would find this article to be helpful. Please forward it to them so that they may do more of what they love starting today!
