You would be very lucky indeed if you made it through your entire life without sustaining an injury of some kind and it’s highly likely that you’ll suffer soft tissue damage at some point.
As such, it can be beneficial to know what to do if you do suddenly find your mobility hampered in some way, so as to get you back on your feet sooner rather than later.
Soft tissue includes your tendons, muscles and ligaments and these can sustain injuries quite easily after a trauma, whether that’s the result of overloading, or something like a sprain or strain.
The human body is incredibly good at repairing itself and if you do injure your soft tissue, you will enter into the recovery process immediately, starting with inflammation. You’ll likely experience symptoms like swelling, redness, pain and mild heat, particularly during the first few days after your injury… but these symptoms should start to decline relatively quickly.
It’s important to listen to your body at this point and give it what it needs, but as soon as you start to feel less pain and more like your old self, try to move around as much as possible and use the injured part of your body, as this can speed up your recovery time.
Don’t push yourself in this regard, however, as doing too much too soon can have the opposite effect. Again, listen to your body and pay attention to the signals it gives you.
If the swelling takes a little longer to go down than you’d like, you can always consider applying ice to the affected area, although make sure you use a barrier of some kind to protect your skin. Compression and elevation can also prove beneficial in treating swelling and getting it under control.
If after your symptoms have settled, you continue to experience issues with strength, mobility and functional moving, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.