HOW TO GET OUT OF YOUR INJURY REHAB CYCLE
Do you find yourself restarting your rehab journey and falling back into that endless cycle? When starting the process it’s essential to consider all aspects of your life, from health and performance to the people you surround yourself with. Just doing the right exercises is not enough to help get you where you want to be, but there are ways to make the change sustainable.
Information vs Education
There is a huge difference between receiving information and taking that information in order to educate yourself further. If you are with the right practitioner, your aim should be to learn more about yourself, finding out as much as possible about what you’re working with and dealing with, and how it’s going to impact your life. Once you get to that place, you can then start to more effectively apply it to your lifestyle.
Professionals only have a certain amount of time with you each session; therefore by increasing your knowledge, it will enable you to ask questions that will benefit you the most.
If they don’t want to answer your questions or help you with integrating your training into your lifestyle, then you’re probably sitting in front of the wrong person.
By expanding your knowledge, you will be able to gain a greater understanding of the change of events that resulted in your injury. The ability to visualise how your body is working, or not working, is super valuable. Asking the correct questions can really improve your rehab journey.
Motivation and momentum
Many people will go away with an exercise program, do it once or twice and then drop off. This is because they lack the entertainment value that is essential to ensure you buy-in to your rehab program. Being aware of the exercises you have been prescribed and how they are being delivered is extremely important - no one wants to do anything awkward and boring!
For example, if someone is suffering with a reoccurring calf issue, instead of just giving them calf raises (which yes, in its design is a good way of developing some strength in that muscle tissue), looking above and below the problem and working on other areas is super important. What does the strength of the foot look like, the glutes and the hamstrings? If we can bring all of those into play, that individual is going to benefit far more whilst being more entertained.
Keeping things interesting and engaging will make sure you don’t need to keep restarting your rehab cycle.
This is where testing and retesting becomes such a powerful tool. Those small wins will allow you to track your progress and see how far you’ve come. If you work on your areas of weakness, you’re going to see a return on the work you are putting in.
Surround yourself with the right network
There are great coaches and physicians out there that can help you succeed with your rehab journey, but finding the right team for you is essential. To increase the likelihood of getting back to your best, you want to be surrounding yourself with positive people with a glass half full mindset, that are going to challenge you.
Having numerous professionals around you who not only communicate effectively with you, but also with the other professionals you are working with, is super powerful.
You’ll be surprised to know that often the professionals you choose to work with are very open to talking each other, having your best interests in mind. And if they’re not, they’re probably not the right fit for you. With the right team around you, you will see results.
How to know if they are right for you?
Are you able to reach out to them and ask questions?
Are they happy to communicate with any other coaches and practitioners that you are working with?
Are they incorporating a range of exercises into your program and adapting as you go?
The emotional side of things
The emotional toll injury and rehabilitation can have on you is huge! Not only do you want a team of professionals who are able to support you physically, but you want them to be really aware of the emotional side of rehab.
A good coach or practitioner will be asking you questions and looking for ways they can help you emotionally, to ensure that the program you are following is integrating into your life effectively.
And that doesn’t just mean surrounding yourself with professionals. Having a solid support system outside of your world of training and rehabilitation is extremely important to ensure you have the support you need. Having friends around you that are separate from your training will keep you on track, keep you motivated and take you away from obsessing about your rehab journey. It is healthy to focus on other areas of your life away from your training.
Hold yourself accountable
You’ve got to remember that if you want to succeed, you’ve got to take responsibility of your own rehabilitation and attack the problem two/three times a week at least, developing your skill set and strength. Don’t just rely on someone else to tell you what to do! Once you have the right team around you and the information you need, you’ve got to do something with it to enable you to move forward. Making sure you get back in contact with your rehab network and giving them feedback takes a certain level of responsibility.
Solely relying on others will not help you get to where you want to be. Step into the space yourself and make those important decisions for you.
Remember, everyone’s rehab journey is different! To learn more about getting out of your injury rehab cycle and to hear about Kris’ personal journey with injury, listen to our podcast below all about it.