Avoiding Re-Injury

Jan 18, 2018 | Blog

Over the past few blogs, we have been exploring Greentree Chiropractic’s 5 Key Steps to Healing process, and have now reached Step 5 – the final, but in many ways also the very first, step. In a perfect world, we would all know exactly what to do (or not do) so that our bodies would never become injured – at least where we can control the circumstances. The reality is that injuries occur, and Step 5 in our process is simply learning how to avoid re-injuring ourselves where possible. This relates specifically to regular activities we undertake that can overwhelm the body and trigger the nervous system to protect itself – which we’ve already learnt can leave areas of the body in a weak, tight and disconnected state. The result is pain, which is the body’s way of letting us know something is wrong.

All of the ‘regular activities’ which can cause re-injury fall into three categories:

  • Physical stress
  • Chemical stress from foods/environment, and
  • Mental/emotional stress

Personally, I have sustained several quite serious injuries from all three categories (and some of you thought I had perfect health!).  My teens, twenties and thirties were a saga – mainly struggling as a MTB racer with a weak and painful back following a lifting injury when I was 18, which was only successfully treated in my thirties. I have also developed food intolerances which created fatigue, heart palpitations and chest pains. Worst of all has been the effect of stress on my body due to an unchecked mind, overthinking and trying to control life to avoid failures…

In my late thirties, learning about how to heal my body and avoid re-injuring became a personal obsession of mine, as I have come to believe that the most important thing is your health – both mental & physical. Without our health, we cannot give our best support to our families, our community via our work/vocation and we definitely can’t do all the things we wish to do with our bodies and our lives. Apart from being expensive to be unwell – our energy, passion and joy suffer greatly.

For each of the three categories I’ve created a list of common causes of re-injury to look out for.

Physical re-injury

  • A “must do it all today” approach to garden maintenance, one of my favourites!
  • 2+ hour drive with no stretch breaks
  • Moving heavy items without adequate support
  • The couch/chair, which is just so comfy, yet leaves you sore the next day

Autonomic and digestive challenges

  • Loading up on certain foods that you know your body doesn’t agree with e.g wheat and dairy
  • Excess alcohol, sugar, food additives and chemicals
  • Eating when stressed and emotional

Mental and emotional

  • Overusing the ‘thinking mind’ to plan and control life circumstances
  • Regurgitating past memories and future imaginations which load the body with negative emotion
  • Allowing the mind to keep its negative bias, and failing to recognise the achievement, support, upsides and growth opportunities we have had, are having and will have in the middle of the challenges, changes and failures we will naturally face in life.

The key in all of this is to be aware and curious of “is this good for me” and, if not, seek out a better way. We can never stop learning how to better adapt to our ever changing environment, this is what cultivates wellbeing.

We also recommend a regular appointment to come and see us, because as we’ve said before – just like maintaining our teeth or our cars and homes – regular check-ups and maintenance is the wise approach to avoid having to deal ‘reactively’ to new and painful injuries.

At Greentree Chiropractic, your long-term wellbeing is our ultimate goal, and our ‘5 Key Steps to Healing’ program has been designed to guide you along that journey.