Coming Back From Injury: Doing the Right Things and Staying Positive.

You know that really great feeling you get when you start to see all of your hard training efforts paying off? You are in great shape and everything is looking good for that big summer event. Then, out of nowhere you get cursed with the I word. No matter how big or small the injury, it effects us all the same. In March this year I was taken off by bike by a careless driver - through no fault of my own I was left with one broken collarbone and numerous broken dreams. 

 

Well that was what I thought. This happened 6 weeks ago and I am happy to say with plenty of rest, nutrition and a positive attitude - I am pretty much fixed. I can run, cycle and even swim - still holding off on the bench presses at the minute though! I wrote this blog to share a few ideas and examples of things I did in order to aid my recovery.

 

My Top Tips To Recovery: 

1. Rest Up. Yes its obvious but remember, your body has sustained major trauma and needs to recover: stress and fatigue will all hinder recovery.
2. Keeping the injury in the correct position. I know this sounds basic, but keeping your arm in the sling (in my case), sleeping in the correct position and eliminating movement early on all helps the healing process.
3. Make sure you are getting plenty of the right kind of calories. Your body needs extra energy to fix the broken bone(s) so don't cut back on the good stuff. Eat well, eat healthy.
4. Cut back on alcohol and smoking. OK this is a nutrition blog and I shouldn't need to tell you this - however both of these WILL negatively impact on the bone healing process! That being said one glass of red wine is not going to hurt and may lift spirits. Apply common sense.
5. Get in the nutrients. I started my days with a smoothie containing kale, spinach, half a small avocado, almonds, Alpro coconut milk, a teaspoon of wheat grass and spirulina, a few frozen berries and a date for sweetness. My thinking was to pack in the leafy greens early each day.
   
6. Supplements. I also supplemented with vitamin C and calcium which are proven to help bones repair as well as a multi vitamin pill and some omega 3 capsules.
   
7. Grilling your medical professional on when you can start rehab and what to do. If you want to come back quickly from injuries you need to start rehab as soon as you can. In my case I started very easy exercises after two weeks and gradually progressed. Sometimes doctors will be too cautious, if you think this is happening seek other options.
8. Stay positive, research recovery stories, speak to people who have had this injury. Positive/proactive people will heal faster.
9. Do your own research. I spent hours looking at nutrition, exercise tips all in order to speed my recovery. It's amazing what you can find out there.
   
10. Try to use this time to recover from whatever you were doing. I was training for an ironman and thus had go from heavy training to no training. Don't fret though, sometimes a bit of rest and a change is good for your body. So try to see the positives wherever they may lie.
11. Finally I am aware I may have been lucky, however when faced with a 50/50 chance of whether the bone would fuse I did everything I could to ensure the 50% was on the favourable side. It was - and I didn't need an operation.  Maybe be this was sheer luck or maybe I influenced this a little by doing the right things. All I can say is YOU are in a position to influence your recovery and so do all you can and let your body and the professionals do the rest, and keep those fingers crossed!