While the days of telling an injured athlete to “rub some dirt in it” are gone, there’s still a wide gap between ignoring a problem and heading to the hospital for treatment. Most sports-related injuries can be tended to without the need for professional medical care. In fact, with innovations in the healthcare industry, like home IV therapy for dehydration and other injuries, you can take care of many aches and pains quickly and easily in your home.
Whether you have a microtrauma from an extra intense workout or a problem from dehydration or nutrition issues, these 5 tips can help you manage your sports-related injury without visiting the doctor.
1. Rest
When you’re injured, the first thing to do is stop the activity and give yourself time to rest. It could be that your muscles are hurting because you’ve aggravated them with too much strain.
Beginner athletes think that the more they work out, the faster they’ll reach their goals. But even experts like Nike’s trainers know you need to rest at least twice a week. Major league baseball players aren’t allowed to play without rest days, and you shouldn’t either. If you’ve been neglecting your rest and pushing your body, it will catch up with you. Now, you need to rest your injury so it can heal.
2. R.I.C.E.
Along with rest (the R in R.I.C.E.), add some ice, compression, and elevation to your treatment. These are must-do steps to care for acute injuries and problems that stem from overused muscles. While you’re resting, you can still move as long as you avoid activities that irritate the injured area. Apply cold compresses to the area 10-15 minutes at a time a few times a day. Consider an ACE bandage or other compression tool to reduce swelling and increase support in the area, and if there is swelling, be sure to elevate the injury above the heart as much as possible.
3. Try IV Therapy
Nutrients are an essential part of healing and can trigger your immune system to help the injured area recover faster. Injuries caused by dehydration require fluids, and home IV treatment gets them in your system quickly without the need for a hospital or urgent care visit. Other nutrients, like Vitamins C and B12, increase your body’s immunity and resiliency, helping you to get back on your feet faster.
4. Sleep
When we sleep, our brains work on repairing and regenerating injured cells in the body. This is a natural part of the human organism, and it’s why you likely feel extra tired when you’re sick or injured. Don’t fight your body’s request for sleep. Give yourself some time to let your brain heal the injured area from the inside out, and you might find that you’ve recovered significantly after a deep rest!
5. Get Back on Track Slowly
When you think you’re ready to get back to your activities, return slowly and strategically. If you head straight into a full workout or training after an injury, it’s easy to exacerbate and worsen it. You’ll need to modify your training exercises to account for the injured area briefly until you know you’ve healed.
Consider working out less frequently than usual or for a shorter time. Decrease the intensity of your workouts or how hard you push the injured area, and be sure to include rest and recovery days. Add ice to the injured area after a workout, even if it isn’t hurting, to help reduce internal swelling.