Sometimes injuries do happen, whether you want them to or not. I wrote in a recent blog about pulling and straining your hamstring, but I did not write about what to do if that does happen to you.
Right now I have a hamstring injury. I have a minor hamstring strain, which if taken care of properly I should be back to training in a few days.
Those few days that I have to recover from my injury are crucial and to not be taken off. There are many things one can do while injured in order to help your body heal faster.
It is important to make sure you ice your injury. When icing, you want to wrap or sit on a bag of ice for 20 minutes. When an injury occurs anywhere on your body the ice slows down the inflammation and swelling . Ice helps to relieve pain by numbing sore tissues. It slows down the nerve impulses in the area, which interrupts the pain-spasm reaction between the nerves.
Ice should be applied soon after the injury occurs. The coldness makes the veins in the tissue contract, which reduces circulation in the area. After the ice is removed from the injury, the veins in the body dilate. Once that happens, the blood rushes into the area bringing nutrients necessary to heal the injured area.
By icing, you are helping yourself heal faster and allowing yourself to get back on the track faster.
In sports, there is a very important mnemonic divice one should remember. It is R.I.C.E.
Injuries should not be taken lightly, they are a serious part of being an athlete and if not properly treated it could mess up your entire competitive career.
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