Lessons from my Elbow dislocation Injury

Lesson 1: Injuries Are as Much Mental as They Are Physical

When you’re dealing with pain or an injury, the physical impact is clear: you’re in pain, injured, and unable to perform everyday tasks. However, the less obvious but equally significant impact of an injury is mental. The frustration of not being able to do what you usually can, whether it’s sports, work, or daily activities, can lead to a range of emotions. You may feel frustrated, angry, or even depressed. It’s essential to recognise that taking care of your mental health during recovery is just as important as managing the physical aspects of your injury. Addressing both will set you up for the best possible recovery.

Lesson 2: The Importance of a Good Team

Even as a chiropractor who helps patients with pain and injury every day, I can say with certainty that without a solid team of healthcare professionals, my recovery would have been much harder. After my elbow was relocated at the hospital, I was fortunate to work with a highly regarded elbow specialist and an experienced hand therapist through the public system. Both of them listened to my goals and expectations and provided invaluable advice, tailoring my rehab to suit my needs. Having the right people around you, whether it’s your chiropractor, specialist, or other practitioner, is critical to ensure you receive the best care possible. Sometimes you need to see a few professionals before finding the right team that works well for you, but the effort is worth it when navigating a serious injury.

Lesson 3: Pacing Your Rehab is Crucial

Rehabilitation requires balance, doing too much too quickly or too little too cautiously can be detrimental. Some people tend to be overly cautious, afraid of putting too much stress on an injured area, while others are too eager and risk pushing too hard too soon. Both approaches can lead to setbacks. Working with a good team will help guide you on how to modulate your rehab process to ensure you’re progressing at a healthy pace. The key is to find that “Goldilocks zone,” where the rehab is just right.

Lesson 4: Be Your Own Advocate

No one will care more about your health and recovery than you. Sometimes, you need to take control and be your own advocate. If you feel you’re not getting the answers, care, or assessment you deserve, don’t hesitate to do more research, seek a second opinion, or ask more questions. It’s your body, and you deserve the best possible care, never settle for less.

Lesson 5: Focus on the 1% Gains

When it comes to recovering from an injury, particularly a significant one, it’s often the small things, the “1% ers”, that add up over time. If you were a professional athlete recovering from something like an ACL repair, you would pay attention to all the small factors that contribute to your recovery: quality sleep, proper nutrition,supplementation, advanced rehab techniques, and even the mental aspects of recovery. Treating these 1% improvements seriously will help you get back to full strength. Trust the process, and don’t underestimate the cumulative effect of small, consistent efforts.

Lesson 7: Find the Positives in Injury

It may sound counterintuitive, but there are often valuable lessons hidden in the rehabilitation process. Injuries are unpleasant, but they also provide an opportunity for reflection. Were you overworking yourself? Neglecting proper recovery or self-care? What can you learn from this experience? Approaching injury with a reflective mindset can help turn a challenging period into a chance for personal growth. Finding the positives in your recovery journey will help you come out stronger, both physically and mentally.

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