How to Regain Mobility After an Injury: Advice from Dr. Odrex

After several weeks of inactivity due to pain, the body quickly adapts, so your usual physical activities become more difficult, and you shouldn’t put off your recovery until the pain has completely disappeared.

This was explained by Dmytro Polyantsev, a physician specializing in physical and rehabilitation medicine at the Odrex Medical Center.

According to the doctor, if a person has been immobilized for several weeks, the body and brain quickly adapt to expending less energy on movement. As a result, routine activities become more difficult.

A vicious cycle ensues: pain forces you to move less, and taking it easy leads to new pain from routine movements, preventing you from returning to your previous level of activity.

“Our task in this case is not to wait for the pain to subside, but to try to break this vicious cycle,” Polyantsev explained.

The doctor advises against trying to return to your previous level of activity on the very first day.

“Our main principle is to perform these exercises in moderation but more frequently,” he emphasized.

You can start with a light walk or exercises while sitting or lying down. It all depends on the specific case.

Usually, there’s no need to wait until the pain is 100% gone, since most rehabilitation programs are designed to reduce it. Back pain is one thing, but pain following surgery or a fracture is a completely different story, so the body’s response is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If discomfort during certain movements goes away quickly, that’s a good sign. But if new symptoms appear, the program should be reviewed, and specialists may need to be consulted.

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Ірина Глухова