How your rehab is managed is important for a full recovery from injury or surgery to prevent permanent chronic pain.
Once pain has subsided after an operation, such as hip or knee replacement, or injury such as a broken bone plans must be made for a successful return to activity, work and life to former levels.
Tissues heal by moving through stages of inflammation, scarring and repair. During this repair stages medication may be needed for pain relief. However medication and its withdrawal as you recover needs to be managed.
This needs to be under the guidance of your doctor.
If Recovery is not Consistently Managed
Long-term Pain Might be the Result
If recovery from injury or trauma is not monitored this can leave numbers of people with: -
Ø % of people have chronic pain after injury?
Ø % of people live with chronic pain after surgery?
Ø % of people are addicted to pain medication?
Ø % of people who remained permanently disabled?
Personally, when I was recovering from a broken arm I was aware that recovery to a previous level of health and fitness wasn't necessarily guaranteed.
Therefore I can safely say I learnt a lot about healing and recovery. Especially how to regain the full range of movement of muscles and ligaments that were painful after the cast was removed from my arm.
This process needed me to do a lot of homework to ensure successful rehab.
One Important Part of Rehab for Recovery from Injury is
Often Overlooked
The emotional impact of injury and pain and all the side effects of the body healing itself, are not often discussed, but can be extensive for some people.
Therefore we can't be surprised at firstly, the effect of the pain on our emotions.
Ø Anger
Ø Frustration
Ø Grief
Ø Depression
The emotions we experience, during recovery, will also affect pain intensity and duration not to mention the emotional effect on our ongoing recovery and thoughts and fears about the future.
Not least the possiblity of the pain not going away and moving into chronic pain that many people live with every day.
It's a nasty cycle
Fear of Falling Again after a Broken Arm
For myself; fear was the emotion that escaped a broken arm rehab. My physical recovery was great. The return to full range of motion even surprised my lovely hand therapist.
Unfortunately, I learnt too late that I'd spent too much time relaxing and reading books, that began when I was first injured. Being tired in the first few days I slept a lot and found reading books a distraction.
However, no one told me about the fear - the emotional impact on my brain, when I went walking.
Ø My balance was challenged
Ø My brain was not helping
Ø I had such anxiety and I was trapped in the cycle shown below.
During my postgraduate study in chronic pain management an experienced and well-respected chronic pain lecturer discussed replacement surgery. She commented that following knee and hip replacement surgery many people didn't regain their original movement, fitness and mobility before developing pain in their body.
Sad Story About Back Surgery Non-recovery
Susan was with me getting help for work overwhelm but she also told me about the back operation that she had had 20 years previously. And she stated very clearly that she wished she'd not had the back surgery for the back pain she'd had all those years ago. Sometimes there are a lot of things that we should wish we'd never done.
But the one thing about surgery it is a one-way door; it cannot be undone!
I was surprised to hear that she used a rubbish grab to pick up things from the floor even at work and done this for many, many years.
"Why?" I asked
"I had back surgery 20 years ago and never really recovered. There is no pain but also no flexibility. I'm unable to bend over"
"Imagine being unable to bend to any great extent for 20 years."
"What's stopping you bending?” I asked
"I'm frightened; I'll re-injure my back. The pain was awful."
We discussed a strategy of self-talk teamed with relaxation techniques to reduce her fear. Slowly she made small increments increasing the amount she could flex her back. I also asked her to include an encouraging smile on the face as this can help the brain recognise that things are okay.
Are you are struggling with pain?
Do you want more flexibility?
Begin today to sort out your chronic pain movement and flexibility with new rehab treatment to improve your enjoyment of life.
Who is Jean Jordan?
Jean Jordan is a Kinesiologist, Naturopath and trained Yoga Teacher who lives and has a clinic in Christchurch, New Zealand.
During Covid competing Postgraduate study on Pain Management enabled Jean to combine years of face-to-face practice into a new online business Natural Pain Solutions NZ.
The aim or wish for Natural Pain Solutions is to encourage self help for everyone to improve and take responsibility for their health and wellness. One group are those who have chronic pain and anxiety, enabling them to change their lives and learn and use self-help techniques. Easy to use whenever they are needed.
Visit PASC website to find out how others have worked with Jean to change lives. Read their stories about how change can happen, often with one to two consultations.
Comments