How to Recover From a Sports Injury With Exercise, Without Making It Worse
Rest helps in the first days after an injury, but rest alone rarely gets you back to full strength. The right exercise, at the right dose, is what rebuilds the joint and the confidence to use it.
Get it assessed first
A recent injury, or anything with numbness, weakness, night pain or swelling that won't settle, should be checked by your GP or a physiotherapist before you load it. Then you know what you're working with.
Find the cause
Pain often shows up in one place because of a restriction somewhere else. A stiff upper back can overload the shoulder; restricted ankles can overload the knee. A movement assessment finds the link.
Start in a pain-free range
Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs) and gentle isometric holds let you move and load the joint without aggravating it. Effort and fatigue are fine; sharp pain is a signal to stop.
Load progressively
Tissue adapts to load. Each week, add a little range, a little weight or a little speed, never all three at once. This is how tendons, muscles and joints get stronger than before.
Return to your sport in stages
Running, cutting, jumping and contact come back in a planned order, with clear tests before each step, so you return with confidence rather than hope.
Massimo coaches private one-to-one rehab sessions tailored to your injury and goals, and can work alongside your physio or GP. See sports injury rehab.
