One of the most painful, frustrating and easiest dislocations to suffer is one to the shoulder joint.
Often caused by falling heavily on an arm, or due to a condition such as hypermobility, dislocated shoulders can be difficult to recover from, and depending on how much of the surrounding muscles and tissues surrounding the shoulder are torn, can take several months to recover from.
Once you have been to the hospital to ensure the shoulder is quickly returned to its rightful socket, recovery should be on your mind. However, to avoid exacerbating the injury and potentially risking your range of motion, here are some top tips for effective recovery.
Take It Easy
Mobility is important for a speedy and complete recovery, but when dislocated joints are involved you mustn’t rush back into intense exercises.
For the first two weeks after your injury, try to avoid moving it too much, and instead, use hand and wrist exercises to keep blood flow moving through your arm.
From there you can gradually work your way up to appropriate physiotherapy exercises to help regain your range of motion, in conjunction with your physiotherapist.
Rest is key to recovery and will enable you to recover faster and more comfortably in the long run.
Heat And Cold Therapy
The problem with recovering from a joint injury, you need to carefully balance reducing pain and inflammation, whilst ensuring enough blood flow to recover at an expedited rate.
The best way to do this is to alternate between ice therapy and heat therapy for around 15 minutes each on and off throughout the day.
Reducing inflammation and swelling will help improve the range of motion and avoid stiffness, as will taking painkillers as prescribed by your doctor.
Work At Your Body’s Speed
Strength is built up gradually, and your body is the best barometer for determining how much your recovery is progressing.
Gentle exercises are exceptionally important, but if you are struggling to do them without intense pain for over half an hour, perform the exercise more gently.
For more information and advice from a sports therapist in Maidenhead, get in touch today.
