Your supposed to put it in R.I.C.E. Lol but seriously R.I.C.E. is the best way I’ve found for getting back to the sports I love after an injury. R.I.C.E. is an acronym for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. This is key in the first 72hrs of sustaining an injury or after surgery. Avoid heat for the first 72hrs or until the swelling subsides as it promotes blood flow and can increase swelling. Once the swelling has gone down you can alternate heat and ice, and begin light stretching. Never push yourself to the point of pain, but you want to stay active as much as you can. Immobilizing and injured area too long can cause stiffness and loss of strength. Continue to stretch and exercise even after you are healed as an injured area is more prone to additional injuries. Be patient and don’t try to rush it may be tedious but you could reinjure yourself causing you to be out longer or possibly end your career for good. And for gods sake get off the Netflix and video games lol. Time is the most valuable thing you possess it’s the only thing that we can never get back so don’t waste it. If I offered you a million dollars but said you couldn’t wake up tomorrow would you take it ….of course not. So now that we have established that life means more to you than money be grateful to wake up every morning. Put your time and effort into something more beneficial to the long term goal. There are plenty of things to do to advance yourself in your sport that doesn’t involve physical activity, such as public relations promoting yourself or your sponsor (sponsors love that btw) or preparing yourself for life after retirement find ways to stay active in your sport after you retire. Take a business class at your local college or online. Bottom line don’t rush the healing process and use the time off to learn and better your mindset, athletes tend to retire at an early age. The best way to extend your time in the sports industry is by becoming a good business person (but that’s a topic for another post). Of course some injuries cannot be avoided such as a fall or crash, but with a proper training routine (stretching, exercise, diet, and hydration) you can prevent future injuries and have a long career in your sport. As with all injuries if you suspect it is serious seek the help of a medical professional.