With major advancements found in both sports psychology as well as sports medicine, avenues are being opened up constantly for all athletes of all fields. Whether you’re just staring out playing T-ball excited for you end of game treat, or training for a national title in your field of expertise, being active and pushing your body needs to be done in a safe and controlled way.
Sports medicine professionals will tell you that rest and relaxation is just as important for muscle growth and development as that of working them to their ripping point. As athletes continue to reach new heights, more and more injuries are being formed, treated, and perfected. Some of the methods of healing have been around for centuries, while some of the new unconventional methods are still being tried and tested. I will list some of both for injured athletes that are seeking quick recovery.
R.I.C.E.
Any high school gym teacher or sports instructor will tell you to R.I.C.E. your injury. This stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. If these four aspects of healing are all used together, it relieves unnecessary strain from the muscle, bone, or tendon that has been damaged and allows the healing particles of the body to work uninhibited. As simple as this procedure may sound, there’s a reason it’s so commonly used. It produces results.
Acupuncture:
Founded originally in Asia, this form of medicine revolves around stimulating and then relaxing different muscles and nerves in order to lessen muscle cramping, overuse, overexertion, and swelling. The needles inserted into specific areas of the muscle activate or deactivate said muscle to relieve stress and allow the damaged part of the body to rest and recover. Although thought of as painful and often times frightening, acupuncture can be incredibly stress relieving and peaceful. However, it might take some getting used to in the beginning.
Essential Oils:
Herbs, spices, and oils have been used in medical treatment for as long as the world has history of healing. Plants were found that contained remedies for individual illnesses and these treatments were honed into what the world knows today as essential oils. Different recipes and combinations of these oils can be found online at sources such as Youngliving.com and the healing properties associated with each oil. They range from burns, and irritation, to overexertion and exhaustion.
With so many different avenues of healing at our fingertips, seek out what will help you the best, and get healthy.