Our Top Tips for Promoting Injury Recovery From Home

Recovering from an injury, especially one sustained in a car accident, can be difficult and time consuming. But with the right guidance and resources, you can promote recovery in the comfort of your own home.

In this guide, our accident care team at Impact Medical Sun City Center provides our top tips for promoting injury recovery from home so that you can get back to your normal activities faster. Let’s get started!

How Long Will It Take to Recover from an Accident?

Depending on the severity of your injury, it could take weeks or months for it to fully heal. The length of your recovery will depend on a variety of factors including:

Your health before the accident
The injuries you have sustained
The amount of time you wait to receive treatment
Your age
Your diet and exercise habits
How much sleep and rest you get

Promote Injury Recovery Effortlessly from Home

Injuries can happen at any time, and they can be quite debilitating. Whether it’s from a car accident or an accidental fall, promoting injury recovery is essential to get back on your feet.

Follow these tips to start your journey to recovery at home!

#1. Drink Plenty of Water

After an accident, it is crucial to drink at least six glasses of water each day to help the body reduce inflammation.

Avoid sugary drinks and alcohol. Drinks that have a lot of high fructose corn syrup in them can interfere with your body’s production of collagen, which plays an essential role in recovering from muscle tears.

#2. Utilize Hot and Cold Therapies

Knowing when to use hot or cold therapies can be tricky, so we recommend alternating between the two. This is called contrast therapy and it involves the use of heat and ice to relieve the pain from injuries.

Ice therapy: The use of ice is effective in narrowing the blood vessels and lowering inflammation.
Heat therapy: Heat therapy works to increase circulation by expanding blood vessels. This reduces pain and relieves cramps. But it can also make inflammation worse.

By alternating when you use these therapies, you can reduce inflammation, stimulate circulation, and loosen tight muscles, which will help you recover faster.

#3. Give Yourself Time to Heal

Don’t jump right back into your daily activities, take it easy as you recover from any injuries. Avoid pushing yourself while you are still healing as this could cause further damage.

#4. Get Ample Sleep

Getting enough sleep is crucial to healing. Though most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep to feel well-rested, you may find that you are sleeping more while you heal from an injury, which is perfectly fine!

To get good sleep:

Avoid caffeine consumption in the evening
Limit cell phone and computer use before bed
Follow a regular sleep schedule

#5. Try Light Exercises and Stretching

While your normal workout routine of HIIT exercises or weightlifting should be avoided, gentle stretches and exercises can aid in the healing process.

Before starting, be sure to talk with your doctor or physical therapist for advice on what exercise you can participate in.

#6. Eat Healthy Foods

Eating certain kinds of food can shorten the recovery time needed by providing your body with an infusion of nutrients that it needs to repair itself.

Fruits and vegetables are great for reducing inflammation, while lean protein like fish or chicken can help you rebuild your muscle mass.

#7. Take Care of Your Mental Health

Recovering from an accident can be isolating, especially if the recovery process takes months rather than weeks. On top of that, aside from your physical pain, you may also be experiencing emotional trauma after your accident. This can include anxiety, depression, PTSD, or even a strong fear of getting behind the wheel to drive.

Overcoming this psychological trauma can be challenging, but with time and proper treatment, you will be able to move forward and regain the confidence to get out on the road.

To boost your emotional recovery after an accident:

Talk with friends and family
Get help from a therapist
Avoid drugs or alcohol
Ease yourself back into driving and your daily routine

Start the Road to Recovery

Though you can help promote injury recovery at home, nothing beats the care and compassion of our doctors and therapists at Impact Medical Sun City Center. From physical therapy and manual to chiropractic care and pain management treatments, we are ready to help you recover and get back to your life.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment at (813) 938-5195!