Everybody, regardless of age, upbringing, culture or gender, has sustained an injury at some point. And if you haven’t yet, by some miracle, then you’re due! From playing sports to working on the job, there are so many places for our fragile frames to become damaged that it’s all but inevitable. Below are Ultimate Guide To Recovering From A Physical Injury.

Fortunately, those fragile frames are durable and can recover swiftly. With the wealth of information at our fingertips, it’s easy to go from accident to diagnosis in less than 5 minutes, with a recovery not too far behind. So, if you’re on the mend and are looking for more help, you’re in the right place!

We’ve tried to cover every facet of the recovery process here, from financial, legal, personal and biological. Have a look through if you’re recovering from an injury, or just want to prepare for the future!

Bed rest isn’t always the answer

One thing is clear; you absolutely must rest no matter the severity of your injury. Our bodies can only recover through rest, so make sure you get plenty of sleep and try to relax.

But… don’t overdo it. Our bodies need to be put through their paces before they can become accustomed to a certain pain or injury. For an example, let’s look at bodybuilding and weightlifters.

Lifting dumbbells and barbells literally tears and rips the muscle down, only for it to grow back stronger. The body grows stronger by putting it through its paces and getting it used to harsh physical limits. Similarly, when you’re injured, you should adopt this mindset. Try and walk on your pulled muscle, and keep wiggling the fingers of that arm that’s in a cast.

In short, balance the amount of bed rest with the right amount of physical activity. On the road to recovery, you’ll need healthy doses of both!

Financially – account for time off work and other expenses

Depending on how bad your injury is, you may need to have a lot of time off work. If this is the case, then your income will take a hit – state sick pay is generally a paltry sum when compared to a salary. This in mind, you’re going to have to come up with a solution to be able to continue supporting yourself and your family.

Firstly, you have the obvious answers like cashing in any ISA’s or savings accounts. While these may be being saved for a rainy day, it can’t hurt to dip in and extract a small sum – even to keep you going for a few weeks.

Your second option is to claim compensation – personal injury compensation. While there’s no guarantee that you will receive anything, it can’t hurt to inquire. If your injury was not your fault and was caused by negligence, you could be entitled to something.

There are plenty of places to get more information on this. And if you’re struggling to make ends meet, you’ll need all the information you can get! Have a chat with friends and family, other people who’ve been through the compensation process. You might glean some useful advice.

Speaking of family and friends, they can help you financially too. Well, hopefully. Unlike taking out a loan, which will undoubtedly possess a hefty interest rate, borrowing from your family brings no such fees. Unless they’re being really mean, of course.

Cold water and hot water do different things

Ask people which are best, and they won’t really be sure. That’s because each treatment does different things. Depending on what your injury is, you’ll need to adopt a unique approach.

Cold water is best used if you have a skin injury, like a burn or large bruise. It’s good at reducing inflammation and swelling and is best used when applied directly to the skin via ice pack. Hot water is good for reducing mental issues like stress, and can also soothe and improve tight or pulled muscles.

Have frequent check-ups with your doctor

It goes without saying, but your doctor should be a frequent port of call. Even if you think you’re fully recovered, most experts would recommend visiting the doctor once more to make sure. There are some injuries you can easily treat yourself, though.

Eliminate the source of the injury

Now, this may not be possible, depending on the location in which it was sustained. If you injured yourself at home or in the garden, then the precautions should be obvious. There are a number of best practices you can implement to make your house a safer environment:

• Install grab bars and place bath mats down in the bathroom. This increases friction and grip.
• Remove clutter from stairs and passageways. Keep high-traffic areas clear
• Keep areas well lit; darkness breeds trips and slips
• Install a handrail on all stairways; more grip equals more safety

These are just a few ideas, but you get the point. Be on the lookout for possible hazards, and ways to rectify them.

If you were injured at work… then it’s a whole other story. In this case, you’ll more likely be entitled to compensation, because there are other people who could’ve caused the accident. But it’s not your home, and you can’t go making changes to the environment.

You can make suggestions though – take these straight to your boss and see what they say:

• Floor markings. Marking can brighten an area, and separate dangerous pathways from safe ones.
• Lighting, again. By law, there has to be a specific amount of lighting in certain areas of the workplace. See that it’s well lit!
• All electrical wiring must be covered. If there’s any that are broken or splayed, make sure it’s changed.
• Mop up all spills, and keep high-traffic areas free of liquid

Again, these are just a few – there will be more that pertain to your specific location.

In conclusion

Most of us know full well how to properly recover from an injury. Chances are, you’ve been here before. And like any problem, there are obvious solutions and less obvious solutions. Regardless of your situation, you have to put your health first. Your work environment can be fixed, and your wallet can be fixed.

What can’t be fixed as easily, however, is a life-threatening injury? Or a mobility injury. Yes, you should be concerned about financial and legal issues, but your health takes priority!