Almost all of us suffer an injury sooner or later. Sometimes, we pull a muscle in our leg and have trouble walking around. Other times, we stretch a little too far, temporarily injuring our shoulder or one of our arms, making it difficult to reach above our heads for anything. That doesn’t seem like much of a problem until it is!
Pretty soon, an injury can start to get in the way of home and work life. Your mobility is partially impaired and you’re finding it challenging to live a normal life.
Here are some quick tips on how to deal with an injury that’s impacting your life and happiness.
First – Avoid Re-Injuring Yourself
It takes time to get used to new limitations on what you physically can and can’t do. If you’ve injured your shoulder, then anything that pulls on the arm and moves the shoulder is likely going to cause pain. Similarly, if you’ve sustained a knock to your knee, then you might want to walk more carefully to prevent banging into anything like a desk drawer or stray packing box.
To heal up, don’t go too far or too fast. Pace yourself. Wear a protective knee or elbow brace with padding, if this is recommended. This avoids new impacts in the same area. Don’t reach for things if it’s going to cause you pain. Use your other arm or ask for help. Workaround the injury.
Second – Make Adjustments as Needed
Where you have problems with using something in the home, change the positioning or replace it temporarily with another solution.
For instance, with a handheld the shower, you can wash yourself with a powerful enough spray without needing to reach up to fetch the shower head to wash thoroughly. If you’re finding it difficult to reach out because it activates an arm injury, then using a showerhead with hose means you can make a series of compact, precise movements while you wash yourself to avoid experiencing additional pain in the shower.
Not all kinds of handheld showerheads will do. Some tend to break easily or get all twisted up which isn’t helpful while attempting to minimize movement. Get a handheld showerhead that’s the right size for your hand to grip it easily.
Third – Get Medical Care
If the pain won’t go away and you’re unsure how bad you’ve hurt yourself, get checked out. Don’t leave it because if you’ve partially torn a ligament or put a shoulder slightly out of alignment, not getting it seen to could worsen a tear or cause internal damage. Follow the doctor’s advice to make a full and hopefully, speedy recovery. Don’t take chances with your health.
The best thing you can do when your body is hurt is to see a doctor, complete any treatment program, and adjust your lifestyle to manage the injury. That may mean skipping playing tennis or completing workouts for a few weeks because pushing too hard will only make matters worse.