Well, It Was Getting Better…
The goal of this post is to reduce any anxiety during rehab when you begin to experience an increase in symptoms.
Wouldn’t it be nice if when rehabbing your aches and pains, things just kept getting better and better? Consistent improvement during rehab would make it easier to stay the course. It can be frustrating when you feel like your pain is finally going away, only for it to return a week later. The good news is that the typical course of rehab includes ups and downs! It is completely normal to feel great for a few weeks, then two days later you are experiencing pain again.
Injury is a constantly changing process, due to the need for progressing your tolerance to activity so you can get back to doing what you love without pain. As you are feeling better and your performance doc gives you the green light to progress, there is always a chance that the level you progress to won’t be fully tolerated. If this is the case, you might experience a mild increase in your symptoms. However, you should notice that the level you are now experiencing pain is still an improvement from where you started.
When you do feel a slight increase in pain, there is no need to worry! This doesn’t mean you are starting from square one again. In most cases, scaling back training intensity or volume can help to calm down symptoms. Additionally, adding in new exercises can be the cause of symptom aggravation because your injured area is not ready to tolerate that movement yet. This is where you play detective to figure out what has changed recently and how much you need to scale back before you can move forward again. The best thing to do is reach out to your rehab doc to help you figure out the best course of action.
Regardless, a small change in symptoms does not automatically mean you have to start over or you’ve made the problem worse. Typically, this is an expected part of the rehab process and once your program is adjusted, you will be back on track to achieving your goals!
Don’t give up and happy rehabbing!
Dr. Val
