What Most Athletes Don't Know About Injury Recovery

When you’re an athlete, you take a hit with every missed game or practice. It’s no wonder athletes feel incredible pressure to get back in the game as soon as possible after an injury. But returning to practice or events too soon can spell trouble for your long-term performance.

At OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare in San Diego, Encinitas, and Temecula, California, our team of providers help athletes from all levels, including students, weekend warriors, and professional players, recover safely and fully, so they can keep playing longer with personalized sports medicine care. 

Here’s a look at what most athletes don’t understand about recovering after an injury:

The importance of immediate care

All too often, athletes try to shrug off an injury and skip medical care, hoping it will go away on its own or resolve without extra attention. This can lead to complications and make recovery longer and less effective. 

Be sure to get immediate care after an injury—no matter how small the problem seems. At OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare, our sports medicine team evaluates your injury and how it affects your entire system to help you get back in the game sooner. 

Our team uses a “whole-person approach,” understanding it isn’t just the injury but the athlete who needs care for the best recovery possible. Your providers may make recommendations beyond acute treatments, such as improving your sleep and nutrition, to help you enjoy the fastest recovery possible. 

Sports injuries are more than physical

Athletes often overlook the psychological aspect of an injury and return to play. For many athletes, missing out on practice and game time triggers mental health issues, like depression, anxiety, and more. 

For this reason, recovering from a sports injury is both a physical and mental process—especially if your injury is severe and requires surgery or extensive rehabilitation. 

By working with a team that understands the ins and outs of sports medicine, like our providers at OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare, you can get the support you need to return to play. 

Rehabilitation matters

Once you’ve received acute care, the rehabilitation phase of your recovery begins. This process usually involves a team of several providers, including your physician, trainer, physical therapist, and other specialists, like chiropractors. 

Before returning to play, it’s key to spend time restoring your strength, agility, endurance, power, and speed. Getting sport-specific training helps ensure you won’t reinjure yourself when you get back in the game. 

Keep in mind that rehabilitation is rarely linear. In other words, you may have days where you move forward, followed by days where you feel like you’re backtracking. 

By communicating with your OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare team and following the plan designed by providers who understand your injury and sport, however, you’ll enjoy a better recovery. As you progress in the rehabilitation process, your team will increase the focus on the specific motions, skills, and functions needed for your specific sport. 

If you’re experiencing problems, be sure to talk to your team as covering up problems can cause complications and further delay return to play. It’s important for athletes to follow through with their complete rehabilitation program. 

Once you start feeling better, you might be tempted to skip physical therapy and recover on your own. But this increases your risk of suffering another injury or not fully recovering from the present problem. 

Be sure to complete your rehab program. If you have questions or concerns about your treatment, your OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare provider can help and even make changes to your plan to better suit your needs.

Learn more about recovering from a sports injury by scheduling a consultation at the OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare office nearest you in San Diego, Temecula, or Encinitas, California.