Managing injuries
Practical advice to support your body’s natural healing.
You can’t get through life without a few injuries. They can be painful, inconvenient, and sometimes worrying — but the body is remarkably good at healing itself. Most injuries will settle with time and care. With a little understanding and the right approach, you can even turn the experience into something positive.
1. Trust your body
Your body is designed to heal. Pain and stiffness are part of the body’s protective response — a signal to rest and repair.
In most cases, the problem starts because a part of your body has been overloaded — for example, lifting awkwardly, twisting suddenly, or simply doing too much.
Trust that your body knows what to do. Your job is to support that process, not fight against it.
2. Understand how long healing takes
Healing takes time — and every tissue in the body repairs at its own pace. The time needed depends on the type of tissue, the severity of injury, and factors such as age, general health, circulation, and stress.
Typical recovery times (for mild-to-moderate injuries) are:
Muscles:
Usually heal within 2–6 weeks. Small strains can settle in a few days; larger tears may take up to 8 weeks. Gentle movement during recovery helps fibres align correctly.
Tendons:
Some tendon injuries take around 6–12 weeks to heal. Because they have a limited blood supply, they heal more slowly. Certain tendons can take longer to heal -rotator cuff may take 9-12 months, and the hamstring tendon can take up to 18 months. Gradual loading is essential to regain strength.
Ligaments:
Often need 8–12 weeks. The repair tissue continues to remodel for several months, so joint stability improves gradually.
Discs:
The soft tissues between the vertebrae (intervertebral discs) have a slow healing capacity because they have little direct blood flow. Pain from a disc strain or small prolapse often settles within 6–12 weeks, but full recovery can take several months.
Being patient and realistic about recovery time helps you avoid frustration or doing too much too soon.
Understanding these timelines also makes it easier to notice when something isn’t following the usual pattern — a good time to seek professional advice.
See below for more about what’s happening inside the body at each stage of healing.
3. Keep moving — but move wisely
Movement helps your body heal. It improves blood flow, prevents stiffness, and guides new tissue to grow in the right way.
- Keep the area gently moving within your comfort zone.
- Avoid or modify activities that clearly aggravate pain.
- As things improve, gradually increase activity — little and often is best.
- As healing progresses, gently reintroduce everyday movements and, when ready, light strengthening or resistance exercises. Gradual loading helps repaired tissue become stronger, more flexible and less prone to re-injury.
The key is balance: too little movement slows recovery, too much can delay it.
4. Managing pain
Pain is part of healing, but it doesn’t have to take over. There are many safe ways to help:
Ice packs:
Apply for around 10 minutes to reduce pain or swelling (especially soon after injury).
Heat packs:
Also around 10 minutes — good for easing tight muscles or long-term aches.
Medication:
Over-the-counter pain relief can help (seek advice from a pharmacist or doctor).
Topical treatments:
Ibuprofen gels, cooling sprays, or heat rubs can ease discomfort.
Natural remedies:
Gentle movement, herbal creams, or relaxation techniques — anything that safely reduces your pain is worth using.
5. Support healing from the inside out
Your body heals best when it’s in balance. Recovery is closely linked to your overall health — when the whole system is well supported, tissues repair more effectively:
Sleep:
Good-quality sleep supports tissue repair, immune function and the body’s natural recovery processes.
Diet and hydration:
A nourishing diet with adequate protein, vitamins and minerals provides the building blocks for repair. Staying well hydrated helps deliver those nutrients to healing tissues.
Stress and emotional wellbeing:
Ongoing stress can slow recovery. Calming practices such as mindful breathing, relaxation, or spending time with supportive people can help the body stay in a healing state — as can anything else you personally find helps you unwind or feel more at ease.
Rest and gentle activity:
Give your body time to recover, but avoid complete inactivity — light movement keeps circulation and flexibility.
Creating the right internal environment for healing is just as important as treating the injury itself.
6. Know when to seek professional help
While most injuries improve naturally, it’s important to seek advice from a healthcare professional if you notice:
- Progressive weakness in a limb
- Pain that is worse at night or disturbing your sleep
- Pins and needles or numbness on both sides of the body (e.g. both arms or both legs)
- Numbness or tingling affecting both upper and lower limbs (e.g. an arm and a leg)
- Sciatica accompanied by changes in bladder or bowel control, numbness around the genitals or buttocks, or difficulty passing urine — these may be signs of cauda equina syndrome and need urgent medical attention
These signs don’t always mean something serious, but they do deserve proper assessment.
In summary
Your body has remarkable healing intelligence. Give it time, keep it gently moving, rest when you need to, and support yourself with good sleep, food, and stress management.
If you’re unsure or things aren’t improving, don’t hesitate to seek professional advice – the right guidance can make all the difference.