20 Jul Waiting Out An Injury? Here’s Why That Might Not Be the Best Idea!

Do you ever decide you’re going to just “wait it out” or “give it a little longer” when it comes to pain or injury? When we’re injured, there’s a timeline:

Acute – from point of injury to days 3-5

Subacute – from 1-3 weeks

Chronic – 3 weeks and beyond.

Be aware, these categories may overlap, depending on the type of injury and its severity. 

Luckily for us, our bodies are constantly trying to heal (unless there’s an underlying medical condition). It’s why we have constant cellular repair – new skin cells, hair growth, even down to our bones, every single day! So, injury may be inconvenient and no one likes it…but your body wants to get back to its baseline and works to heal. Unfortunately, when injury drags on from the acute to the chronic stage, it’s more of an uphill climb and harder to recover. You also could be experiencing more pain, stress, or limitations by letting that nagging injury last.

If you haven’t heard of “RICE,” we aren’t talking about food – instead it stands for:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

Although this can help in some cases, it isn’t the best treatment for every injury. There are times we need to try “RICE” and other times when controlled, healthy movement is the best bet to work through an injury. As we say, “motion is lotion!” Sometimes, we need some middle ground between the RICE and movement. The question is, what treatment do you need? That’s where we come in! As Physical Therapists we can help determine how to best help your body. We are “movement specialists” and we’re experts in giving your body the tools and education you need to begin the healing process.

The usefulness of Physical Therapy applies even more to those who need extra help, like people with an underlying condition that prevents them from having a standard healing process. This includes people who have more inflammation for various reasons, like autoimmune conditions or cancer.

Our bodies genuinely want to heal after injury, but sometimes they need a nudge (or even a gentle push) in the right direction! If you have an injury that’s lingered for too long, or that you’re waiting on and hoping for it to heal, come in and see us! Don’t sit on the sidelines and wait to feel better or underestimate how early intervention can help you get better faster! Schedule an appointment today with an expert in the musculoskeletal system.

You don’t have to wait: with free injury screening at each of our three convenient locations, we’re ready to get you moving: North Indy/Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville. Call today!