10 Tips for Injury Recovery
So, you can’t get out to futsal training right now with the club. That doesn’t mean you can’t be practicing at home. All you need is a ball, right? The unfortunate thing is that you may hurt yourself at any time. You don’t even need to be playing futsal! These tips for injury recovery can help.
#1 Rest
You’re hurt. It sucks. But you still need to rest in order to recover. Pushing on through a pulled muscle or sprain can cause you more problems in the long-run. Give your body a chance to recuperate.
#2 Ice
Icing the injured area daily for 20 minutes can help reduce bleeding, swelling, pain and muscle spasms. You can do this from four to eight times throughout the day. Be careful to cover the icepack so that there is a barrier between the ice and your skin to avoid adding frostbite to your troubles.
#3 Compression
At least in the first two days after the injury, compressing the injury can often help. You’re doing this to decrease the swelling. Something as simple as an Ace wrap can do the trick. But don’t apply it too tightly. That can actually cause more swelling.
#4 Elevation
One more way to reduce swelling and improve recovery time is elevation. You could prop your foot up on pillows or put a sore arm in a sling.
Those four together spell R-I-C-E, so it’s easy to remember the top four tips for injury recovery. Here are some other good ones you might keep in mind.
Other Top Tips for Injury Recovery
#5 Work with a Pro
Your rehabilitation can be quicker and smoother if you are supervised by a physical therapist. At CLT Futsal we partner with Performance Unlimited to get the input our players need to evaluate and treat their injuries.
#6 Stay Active — Within Reason
An injured wrist, for instance, doesn’t mean you can’t move around on your feet. You don’t have to give up on everything while you wait for your injury to heal. In consultation with an objective expert, determine what else you might do to stay in shape while you recover. Notice we said objective. You’re not always the best person to decide when you’re ready to get back to full training.
#7 Eat More Protein
Your muscles are made of protein, so make sure that you are giving your body the food it needs to rebuild muscle tissue. You don’t have to be a carnivore to keep your protein up. Other foods high in protein include Greek yogurt, peanut butter, lentils, pumpkin seeds, eggs, chickpeas, tuna and oats.
Our friends over at Queen City Mutiny have written about nutrition for athletes, you could check out their articles for more input on healthy foods for recovery.
#8 Hydrate
Yes, drinking more water can help you recover faster too. You’re not exercising in the same way. So, you may want to skip the energy drinks. But to ensure that you are still getting the nutrients your body needs you could add smoothies or juice to the water you’re drinking too.
#9 Sleep
Your body can recover more at rest, so take this opportunity to catch up on sleep. A 2018 study from the American Physiological Society showed minor surface wounds healed “significantly faster” for subjects who got seven to nine hours of sleep compared to sleep-deprived subjects who were given carefully balanced nutrient and protein supplements.
#10 Go Back Slow
Rushing back into the game after an injury is a mistake. Yes, you can be going crazy waiting around to play again. But if you return to futsal too soon, you risk making the injury worst or doing something else to hurt your body. Be patient. It’s worth it.
We can’t wait to see all of our players back at futsal training, healthy and happy. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our social media for training techniques and tips from our coaches.