With the widespread resources available out there on the Internet when it comes to injury prevention and sports injuries, there’s still an incredible amount of miseducation. Thanks to social media, people who are just gurus or weekend warriors are held up as fitness experts. They’re held as trusted and reliable sources for training, diet, and injury prevention. Some of these people may indeed have certifications or higher education degrees that make them credible. However, it’s difficult to determine the experts from the faux fitness personalities that take the Internet by storm.
Because of the ease and accessibility of information on the Internet and social media, it’s also easy to get the wrong information – especially from someone who claims to be an expert when they are not. This has led to much misinformation spread about injury recovery. These myths can cause slower recovery time, derail training, and even make it harder for physical therapists and athletic trainers help their patients get back on track.
Myth 1: If You Hurt, You Should Always Rest
No, rest is not always best. Many people believe that recovery means total rest from exercise. However, in order for injured muscles to recover, blood flow is needed, which bed rest prevents. Furthermore, injury recovery doesn’t just include the healing time, but the prevention of future injuries to that same area. This means doing the right strengthening exercises.
Myth 2: Pain Is Weakness Leaving The Body
There is a big difference between pain and soreness. Soreness just indicates heavy usage. However, when that soreness is concentrated to one area for two days after the fact, then it’s probably an injury. Another telltale sign is that you’re sore, whether you move or not. Not only does this indicate a possible injury, but it could also mean you’re overtraining and need to ease off. In this sense, the body is warning you that there is something going on and pushing through that pain can just make matters worse.
Myth 3: I Always Hurt So I Must Have An Injury
Not necessarily. If you always have localized pain, then you should definitely have a physical therapist look at it. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have the common injuries that most people think of when they have pain. Many people assume that if they have back pain, they must have a slipped disk; or if they have knee pain, they must have an ACL tear. Many times, localized pain means weakness and muscle instability. These things need to be addressed or they could lead to further injuries like stress fractures, tendonitis, and tears. The only way to address these is through strengthening the right muscles.
Trust The Experts When It Comes To Injury Recovery
Recovering from an injury or pain is more than just rest. It requires proper exercises, re-education on training, and many times re-training on proper movement. To reach maximum recovery and to prevent future injuries, experts are the people to see. Experts such as physical therapists and athletic trainers know how to not only properly diagnose the problem without just guessing, they know how to put together a rehabilitation program that will get back to being pain-free.
