Returning from injury.

Injuries are frustrating, painful, tiring.  You can't do what you enjoy, your race strategy or active holiday is interrupted, you don't know if you'll make the start line, planned holiday or when you'll get back to your exercise routine.  You're worried about losing fitness, you may not get your entry fee/deposit back, you don't know if you should rest or just go through the pain.  So, you either do nothing or do too much.  You're fed up.  You're not in control, and you feel you're getting nowhere...

If you're injured, acceptance is the first step back to recovery.  That doesn't mean giving up or giving in, it means you need to change tack.  Recognising where you are, and not necessarily where you want to be, or where you think you should be, is key.  If you know what caused the injury, that's positive because the mechanism of injury then determines the treatment, and a plan can be developed to overcome that, and avoid it in future.  If there's no obvious cause - it's a bit trickier.  Considering the symptoms and looking for underlying postural or movement deficits often provides the answers.

Rest is the next step.  It gives inflammation a chance kickstart recovery.  Rest is vital in the first 48 hours.  If you take anti-inflammatories at this stage, you may be impeding your recovery, because you're interrupting the normal, physiological response of inflammation to healing.  Ice therapy may be helpful for pain and inflammation control.  Heat, or hot/cold therapy, may be appropriate to alleviate nerve pain.

Inflammation and pain are the body's way to make you stop.  Listen to your body - it knows how to heal itself.  Pain-killers may be appropriate to help you sleep, when healing and adaptation are at their greatest.  But pain also gives you information, and this can guide what's appropriate to do during the day.  Pain doesn't necessarily mean stop doing everything, but it does suggest “take it easy”.

Rest also gives you a chance to get your head round things: assess your options, recognise that a different approach may be needed (if only in the short term), and plan what you can do about it.  This is important because having a plan gives a sense of moving forward with positive actions, and keeps you in control.

After 48 hours, you can see what the injury now needs: gentle rehab exercises, cold or heat therapy, limited return to activity or maybe a visit to the physio/sports therapist?  Understanding what you've done, what you can do at this stage and time scale to full recovery, are all vital to control expectations.  Injuries often need some sort of stimulation but how much is too much and when is the right time to start?  Short term, progressive goals within your overall objective are key.  This is where working with an injury specialist, coach or personal trainer is really helpful - having your 'team' around you to guide, encourage, support and build your confidence, can really help. Because trying to do this on your own can be hard, often because you’re too close, it’s too personal – you need an objective but supportive view with key milestones to achieve in your rehabilitation, always building on the last, in order to get back to where you want to be.

In my 28-years of experience, the main reason why people fail in their recovery, is because they miss the vital stage of a progressive return to play plan.    Some rest for too long, thinking that rest alone equals recovery. Unfortunately it doesn't. Rest is one component, but rehabilitation to strengthen, rebalance and resolve the issue, is needed. Others don't rest enough - return to play can be too fast, often because of trying to make up for lost time or trying to keep up with a training schedule, sheer frustration or impatience. 

My treatment sessions are always conducted within a realistic rehab plan – what type of treatment is appropriate at this stage, how much, what level of exercises are necessary and if other activity in the meantime is appropriate.  I want to see your progression as much as you do, and get you back as quickly as possible.  Which is why each treatment session builds on the last, checking pain and symptoms, gradually progressing the treatment, your rehab exercises and your gradual return to play.

I understand your frustrations because I’ve been there.  I know about successfully treating people to return to the things they enjoy.  I’m always honest about where you are, but am fully supportive in getting you back, and happy to work with your trainer, coach, training plan or goals.  Understanding your injury, what needs to be stretched, what needs to be strengthened, breaking down the movement patterns and gradually loading the injury to achieve greater tolerance, all whilst keeping cardiovascular fitness, are the components in a successful return to sport, fully fit and ready for action. 

If you're interested in seeing how I can help you overcome injury, pain or restricted movement, please get in touch.

Amanda Heading, BSc (Hons), DipION

21/03/2026

Injury treatment, rehab and training plans, nutrition; sports performance nutrition, health maintenance.