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Steps to Take Following an Orthopedic Injury

Written By: Salvatore Shaw

Learning that an orthopaedic injury is going to have lifelong effects, and may even change your quality of life, can be incredibly difficult to hear. At first, you may experience depression and anxiety, and a lack of hope. However, there are some important steps that can be taken to get you back to enjoying life. An orthopaedic injury can cause an inability to move, but it doesn’t have to stop your life from moving forward. Happiness, success, and a sense of self are attainable, even after a life-changing orthopaedic injury. Recovering from emotional and psychological trauma will take time, but with some patience, healing can happen. More importantly, you can wake up excited about life again. Here are some steps to take if you find that your quality of life has declined after an accident.

STEPS TO TAKE FOLLOWING AN ORTHOPEDIC INJURY

1. Don’t isolate yourself

Following a traumatic accident, one of the first things you may want to do is isolate yourself. Although it is tempting to withdraw from others while focusing on your recovery, it is important to remember that you need love and support from others. Connect with your family and friends, and avoid spending a lot of time alone, as this will leave you with too much time to dwell on your condition. Ask for support, and let others comfort you when need it. You may also want to join support groups. Being around others that understand what you’re going through can do wonders for your psychological and emotional health.

2. Stay grounded with a schedule

While focusing on recovery, it is easy to lose track of a daily routine. However, instead of abandoning your schedule altogether, it is helpful to instead adapt your routine to reflect your injury and symptoms. Once you’ve established a routine, stick to it. Whether it’s with regular times for waking up, sleeping, eating, etc., the routine will help you feel better and increase your quality of life. You may also want to assign yourself tasks. No matter how big or small they may be, completing tasks gives you a sense of accomplishment.

3. Take care of your health

With an orthopaedic injury, you may experience heightened depression, stress and anxiety. Health and recovery should be your number one priority, which requires you to do things that make you feel better. For example, it’s important to get plenty of sleep and to avoid alcohol and drugs. Eating healthy is also key to feeling great, both physically and mentally.

4. Find ways to relax

During such a difficult time in your life, relaxing can seem impossible. However, there are many ways that you can attempt to reduce stress. Destressing ultimately allows you to get that well-needed rest and relaxation. Try mediation or even deep breathing exercises, and stick with them on a daily basis. The mind is a very powerful thing, and can make a world of a difference on the way you feel about yourself, your injury, and your quality of life.

5. Find therapy that works for you

Therapy is an incredibly important step to rehabilitation, and it can help you emotionally, mentally, and physically. If the costs seem overbearing, you may be entitled to compensation, depending on your injury and the reason it occurred. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer can help you determine whether you have a plausible case to move forward with.

An orthopaedic injury can change your life, but it doesn’t have to be the end of it. Finding a new way to enjoy life is key. With these tips, you can regain happiness, self-worth and confidence.

 

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