Niggles versus Injuries - how long do things take to heal.

At the time of writing this Blog - it is early September and we are enjoying some fantastic weather.

It is always a nice surprise when a few days of sunshine and warmer weather get strung together this time of year.

Its also when most of us start feeling like we want to get outside more and just generally get more active.

So naturally at this time of year, it is often when we start to rediscover a few of the little niggles that can creep in. You go from the occassional walk to 5 days a week.

You go from saying you should hit the gym - to actually going.

Or if you are like my wonderful wife - you may take on a 'pilates challenge” and uncover a whole bunch of muscles that dont love being used!

But the good news is - that niggles dont always mean you need to stop, or that you are in fact injured. Physiologically there are changes that occur in our muscles when we exercise that need time to recover, to grow and repair - which is a healthy and natural response.

But - if you do get injured - it pays to pay attention to what is going on.

Not just your pain levels - but what is happening in the tissues.

That is why this i wanted to share a great infographic i found online: - i have put screen shots of the main info here - but below i have embedded the instagram links for you to check out. There is some good info here - so take a look!

These give a great guide to the the natural healing times of different tissues and also the risk of reinjury that typically happens when people dont respect the fact that tissues take time to recover. - and just rely on a decrease in pain as the sign that things are fine.

I think this is particularly relevant in the chiropractic field. Often a restricted joint in the spine may be associated with a muscle strain/ spasm or a ligament or capsule strain around the joint.

The good and bad thing about an appropriate adjustment to the spine in that area is that it can sometimes bring a very real reduction in pain and restore movement - but by no means does that mean the tissues are healed around the joint.

This is only something your body can do - and it takes time.

We provide the opportunity through a treatment and appropriate advice to create a better environment for the healing to occur - less spasm, less pinching of joint surfaces , better neurological feedback and control of the joint - but your body still needs to heal the tissues.

Following the postural advice or exercise suggestions, good sleep, good nutrition, increased blood supply often through simple things like light exercise and movement are all important. 

Thankfully - we are resilient creatures and hugely adaptable to the hurdles life can throw at us. If we can learn to look after what we have just a little better it can make a huge difference.

And now you know why i go to great lengths to explain why i give you an exercise or piece of advice, or send you the little exercise videos or links to articles - and these blogs with infographics...