Following a sports injury, it is important that you take your time and recover before returning back to physical activity. Unfortunately, some people misjudge if their bodies are ready and end up re-injuring themselves. To help ensure you are ready to return to sports, here are some guidelines to follow. 

1. Listen to Your Doctor

The idea of listening to your doctor might sound logical, but for many athletes, it can be difficult to follow all of the instructions from their doctors. The idea of taking time out to recover and not engaging in sports can be hard for some people to accept. If you are struggling with following your doctor's instructions, talk to him or her about your struggles. He or she can possibly modify your current treatment plan to allow some level of activity to keep you satisfied without resulting in injury. 

2. Do Not "Play Through It"

The saying "no pain, no gain" definitely does not apply if you have suffered a sports injury. When you have suffered an injury, your body needs time to recover. If you experience any type of pain when you attempt to exercise or play sports again, you need to stop immediately and talk to your doctor. While engaging in physical activity, it is important that you focus on what your body is telling you and stop when it is necessary. 

3. Understand Your Range of Motion and Flexibility

Poor range of motion and inflexibility can lead to re-injury.  Before attempting to return to physical activity, you need to ensure that your range of motion will allow it. A good way to test your range is to stretch various parts of your body and be alert to pain. For instance, rotate your leg in different directions. If you experience pain or weakness, it is possible that you are not ready yet. 

4. Slowly Progress Back Into Sports

Work with your doctor to create a progressive return back to sports. A slow progression allows your body to heal and gives the doctor a chance to judge your recovery. A possible progression could be increasing your jogging, running, or sprinting distance and time slowly over a couple of weeks. 

Returning back to sports can be a challenge, but it is possible. Remember, the time that you take out to fully recover helps to ensure that you do not suffer a re-injury down the road that could potentially put you out of sports for a longer period of time.

To learn more, contact a company like Adult & Pediatric Orthopedics SC.