Learning how to recover after an injury is just as important as learning how to train. When we are young, we tend to trust that the body will heal itself over time, and it is true to a certain extent. However, it is usually not up to 100%. When the body heals up to around 80%-90%, your brain may feel that it is good enough because you don’t feel the pain all the time—often only a single spot versus a whole area, a very specific angle versus hurting most of the time, only when you put pressure on it, or only when it rains. The result is the same: your body is left compromised at 80%. Then, over time, as your body ages or if you reinjure the same area, an 80% heal from a starting point of only 80% will leave you at 64% functionality.
學傷後護理與學訓練方法一樣重要。年輕時，我們往往相信身體會自我癒合。在某種程度上確實如此。然而要恢復到百分之百，必須付出努力。當身體癒合到約 80%-90% 時，大腦覺得已差不多，會停止繼續癒合 。結果是你的身體停留在 80% 的狀態。隨著時間推移，當身體老化或再次傷及相同部位時，從 80% 的起點再癒合到 80%，將會使你的功能性降至 64%。
You may ask what is that last 20% that one loses? With scar tissue, you will lose mobility which in turn affect your range of motion and mechanics. You may feel weak when you perform certain function. Lack of strength often exposes you to balance issues and mechanical problems. You may start to compensate for that weakness using some other body parts and potentially causing fatigue and pain.
那失去的最後 20% 是什麼呢？隨著疤痕組織的生成，你會失去靈活性，這會進而影響你的活動範圍和身體機能。在執行某些動作時，你可能會感到無力。缺乏力量可能會影響平衡，或會引起身體機能障礙，疲勞和慢性疼痛。
The following is not intended to be exhaustive, and it does not replace advice from a doctor or therapist. It simply provides a complementary perspective and highlights some key points.
- Do NOT rub vigorously the injured area within the first 24-48 hours. Instead, apply ice -Avoid vigorous rubbing of severe bruises within the first 24-48 hours. Think of bruises like burst pipes; applying ice stabilizes the vessels, similar to reducing water flow to facilitate appropriate repairs. For any injuries, the best approach in the first 24 hours is still the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) unless the doctor/physio tell you otherwise for that specific instance.
在受傷後的 24-48 小時內，不要劇烈揉搓受傷部位。應該使用冰敷。血管像水管一樣，破裂的水管，阻止洩漏為首要；冰敷能穩定血管。任何受傷情況，首 24 小時 ，醫生或物理治療師針，都推薦 RICE 方法（休息、冰敷、加壓和抬高）。 - Avoid intense self-massage over muscle layers, and refrain from applying excessive pressure to your lower back, as it may not be beneficial – muscles are layered over each other in multi-directions. You cannot easily access the deeper tissues from top. Intense massage by an untrained person can damage the upper layers without reaching the right muscles. Our relatively safe approach is to find the “sore spot” and then indirectly cause those muscles to move. This movement often opens up the muscle layers and allows much better access to the problem deeper muscle layer.
肌肉是以多個方向層層疊加的，從表層無法輕易接觸到深層組織。非專業人員進行強烈按摩可能會損傷表層肌肉，但卻無法到達正確的肌肉部位。我們自療的方法是找到“酸痛點”，然後通過間接方式使這些肌肉活動起來。這種活動通常會打開肌肉層，比較容易接觸到深層肌肉的問題部位。 - Exercise and activate weakened muscles – correct stretching and strengthening help heal. This is the area of physio’s expertise. However, often because of the time and cost, people stop / avoid seeing the therapist or stop doing the prescribed exercises. You have to persevere and continue with the prescribed exercises till you are completely healed.
正確的拉伸和增強練習有助於康復，這是物理治療師的專業領域。然而，由於時間和金錢的考量，人們往往60%痊癒已經會停止看治療師，或者停止進行指定的練習。你必須堅持，繼續做指定的練習，直到完全康復。 - Differentiate between the sensation of “good hurt” and “bad hurt” – Distinguish between “good hurt” and “bad hurt” especially during exercises like stretching and strengthening. You expect discomfort or some level of pain when you first get back to using the injured muscles. Make sure you do everything slow and mindful to get the maximum benefit from each of the exercises. Do pay attention to the intended muscles; a shooting pain may indicate nerve pinching, while a stretchy feeling on the target muscle is likely a positive sensation. Memorize how it felt is important because it provides a reference baseline as to how it feels in normal state versus when something is off.
- Enhance blood circulation to facilitate the recovery process – Promote blood circulation to facilitate the recovery process. Blood flow acts as the transport to dispose dead or inflammatory cells, and at the same time, deliver essential nutrients to support healing. Use of the “hot and cold treatment” is quite effective in enhancing blood circulation.
促進血液循環會加速康復。血液流動如同運輸工具，能帶走發炎的細胞，同時運送營養來支持癒合。使用“冷熱交替療法”對增強血液循環非常有效。 - Seek professional help – As a senior, it’s crucial to get an X-ray/CT scan when you hit your head or or land vertically on your tailbone. A lot of seniors, have uses blood thinner to manage their blood pressure, some have brittle bones because of osteoporosis. So you may be leaking blood or have a hairline fracture that is hardly noticeable. Even if you decide not to go to the ER initially, if the pain is not going away or get worse, do seek professional help. Medical expenses are covered, do use it when you need it!
當年長者撞到頭部或摔在尾龍骨時，進行 X 光或 CT 掃描是非常重要的。許多年長者服用血液稀釋劑來控制血壓，有些則因骨質疏鬆而骨骼脆弱。因此，可能會有內出血或不易察覺的細微骨折。即使你最初決定不去急診，但如果疼痛沒有減輕或感到噁心，一定要尋求專業幫助。在加拿大，醫療不用花錢，當你需要時務必使用！ - Treating of old injuries is different. Some old injuries are treatable but some aren’t. It is much easier solving the problem earlier than later. For old injuries, therapies take a long time and can cost a lot of time and money, you have to un-stuck old scars, calcium deposits and bad compensating habits. Solutions often involve finding ways to re-opening up the scar tissues again. There are simply too many details and precautions to be covered in this article.
有些舊傷是可以治療的，但有些則無法。及早解決問題比事後處理要容易得多。對於舊傷，治療需時很長。你需要解開舊疤痕、更正不良的習慣。解決方法通常涉及重新打開疤痕組織。太多細節和要注意的事項，無法在本文中全部涵蓋。
Note: These guidelines are not exhaustive, and for comprehensive advice, consult with a healthcare professional or therapist.