8 ways on the road to recovery

Coming back from injuries is a tough road.  Perhaps you’ve suffered from a work related injury, or perhaps you’re a weekend warrior and went at it too hard.   The thing is to not stop moving and try some new things while you’re on the road to recovery.   There are a few things you can do to help yourself with your muscles and joint pain.

·      Walk.  Walk an hour a day if you can.  Or a half hour twice a day.  Can’t do that?  Then try four 15 minute increments… you get the idea.

·      Drink more water!  Drinking water help flush the system of toxins.  Water can help you feel less hungry in between meals which will help you lose weight.

·      Get a massage.  Massage moves the blood, stretches the muscles and tendons, and helps you detoxify as well.

·      Cut down on sweets! A major problem is too many empty calories.  Too much sugar ingested actually causes more inflammation.

·      Gentle exercise like Assisted Squats and Chair Pushups.  One fun way is to have a good arm chair and holding on to the back of the chair do squats, and on the arms, get into plank position and start doing pushups.  You can start out with 3 sets of 10 reps, then start doing reverse ladders – 10 push up, 10 squats, then 9 push ups, 9 squats, and so on.

·      Go to a yoga class.  A beginning yoga class is a great way to get exercise when you’re on the mend.  Be sure to tell the yoga teacher your limitations and sit out any exercises that might be too difficult for you.

·      Use a roller.  You can get a foam roller at any sporting good store and lie and roll on it to sort put any kinks in muscles you might have and to assist in stretching you.  There are specific ones for the lower back if you’re suffering from lumbar issues.

·      Get acupuncture.  Take your herbs!  Acupuncture is a great way to heal utilizing the body’s resources.  Pain can disappear instantly once the needles are put in.  Herbs are often prescribed to use as homework between sessions.