We know this might be an unpopular opinion but - you need to rest your body if you're injured. And not just the injured part. Every week we see patients who are dealing with an injury and confess to having continued to do the activity that injured them for weeks or months. Or, they might stop really painful activities but continue to do less painful activities. We're not in the business of naming names, but you know who you are. If this sounds like you, keep reading.
Pain Is Your Body's Stop Signal
Many times the injuries we see in the office are due to overuse, which means they've been building up for a period of time because of lack of - you guessed it - rest. Then your body finally says "No more!" and starts sending out pain signals to get you to stop. But our most stubborn patients will not be deterred by these signals and will continue to try to perform the activities despite the pain. As a result, they end up in our office with acute and nagging injuries that just keep coming back. The truth is, even if you have twice-a-week sessions, your body will not heal without rest.
Then your body finally says "No more!" and starts sending out pain signals to get you to stop.
Rest Allows Your Body To Heal
NMT promotes healing by freeing up adhesions in the fascia causing limited range of motion and pain. This is the body's way of protecting itself! After your session, it's best to hydrate, rest, and ice if advised to do so. If you wake up feeling better and decide to go back to the gym, well you've just taken two steps back. Inflammation and adhesions will likely return, and you'll have to start all over. In addition, coming to our office fully inflamed is a surefire way to an extra painful treatment (if you know, you know).
So, when we tell you to rest, we mean it. And not just for 1 or 2 days. In some cases, you may need to take a week or two off from your favorite activity while coming in for treatments to allow time for your body to fully heal. Trust us, you'll end up taking less time off in the long run if you listen to your body right away before things get worse.
Start Treating Your Body Like It's The Only One You Have
When your car finally bites the dust, it might be sad - but at least you can get a new one. We don't have that same luxury with our bodies. You've only got one, so stop treating it like it's disposable. If you're serious about living a long, healthy life, consider regular body maintenance to be a key part of your journey. Get started today with our monthly program and you'll see the benefits for years to come.
