These suggestions will help you heal and recover as quickly as possible.

1.  Do your part to help your body heal.

You need to protect the part of your body that was injured until it has had time to heal, but don’t baby yourself too much.  Medical studies have shown that staying active speeds recovery.  So it’s a good idea to keep your everyday routine as normal as possible (within any restrictions set by your doctor).

The latest research has also shown that bed rest and avoiding all activity can actually make things worse.  Our bodies are designed to be used, after all.

Most doctors want their patients to get back on their feet as quickly and safely as possible, and will give you advice and instructions to accomplish that.  Follow those instructions!  Sad to say, a very common cause of slow or incomplete recovery is not following the treatment plan.  If you do not understand exactly what you’re supposed to do, ask questions until you really get it.  And if the doctor’s recommendations are too unpleasant or impossible for you to carry out, say so.  The doctor can often find another way to accomplish the same thing – a different exercise or choice of medication, for example.

Ask your doctor how long it’s going to take for you to be completely back to normal, and what you can do to speed up the healing process.  You may also want to tell your doctor what your goals are.  Doctors are taught to respond to that kind of information – but if you don’t tell them, they don’t know.

People tend to recover faster if they keep life as normal as possible and keep moving forward.  The simplest way to do that is to recover on the job.  In order to be safe and comfortable, many people have to make temporary adjustments to their jobs.  If that doesn’t work in your case and you end up off work for a while, try to keep yourself busy – doing something productive and being physically active.  It will help you recover, will keep you in shape, and will also help your mood.  Sitting around doing nothing can be hard on your morale.

2.  Educate Yourself.

People who are well-informed about their conditions usually do better – because they know what to expect and how to do their part.  Even though they may seem rushed, ask your doctor and your MCO case manager to slow down and answer your questions.  Read about your medical condition.  Many doctors’ offices have helpful pamphlets or fact sheets if you ask for them.  Learn more about what you can do to help heal yourself.

Every time you see the doctor, make sure to ask for instructions on what you can and can’t do now, at home, and at work – and what the next step forward will be.  You can also explore the health websites listed on the page Reliable Medical and Health Information Sources on this site.  These are reputable sites with good quality information from well-regarded institutions.

CAUTION:  Don’t just Google around and believe all the information you find on blogs and random sites you find on the Internet though.  There is a lot of misinformation and potentially harmful advice to be found out there.

3.  Take care of your mind as well as your body.

If coping seems difficult or your recovery is slower than expected, remember that people’s minds and bodies are connected.  Your mental health affects your ability to bounce back.  Think about what might be getting in the way.  It might be concerns about the future, family, money, workplace issues or your view of the situation.  Try to keep medical issues separate from non-medical ones.  You can ask for help from your doctor, employer, BWC or your employer’s MCO in dealing with whatever else is going on.  Also see the mental health web resources listed on Reliable Medical and Health Information Sources.

4.  Don’t get discouraged, be patient and flexible.

Keep in mind that the ability to function like you did before your injury tends to return step by step.  Most likely you can find a way to work around your difficulties for a while.  Focus first on restoring your ability to function normally, even if you have some discomfort doing so.  Relief of symptoms often takes a while longer.