- Oftentimes, yoga can be beneficial. It can help to both strengthen and stretch your muscles.
- Many people find that drinking more water can help. Most seem to recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of water a day.
- Tennis ball therapy might be another great way to reduce tension and pain at home. If your back is what is bothering you, you can lay on the floor with the tennis ball under your back. Find a “good” spot and hang out for a few seconds to a few minutes, and then roll the ball to a new spot and repeat. If at any point, it hurts in a bad way, decrease the amount of time at each area. If your hips are bothering you, you would follow the same strategy though sometimes you have to position yourself in a somewhat lying/seated position. If your feet are tired and sore, you can stand with one foot on the tennis ball while holding a wall or chair for support, and roll the ball back and forth. If you find it is not enough pressure, you can always try a lacrosse or golf ball. If it is too much pressure, we have had clients use something softer like folded socks.
- Contrast therapy may be helpful as well. Generally, it is recommended for the first 24-48 of an injury to ice the area in order to reduce swelling and inflammation. After that point, heat or contrast therapy is recommended. With contrast therapy, you would alternate ice and heat for five rounds always starting and ending with ice. Ice helps to relieve pain and constricts the blood vessels to squeeze out waste products and old hormones relieving inflammation. Heat dilates the blood vessels allowing new hormones and nutrients to come in. By utilizing both hot and cold therapies, you are creating a pump to get out the old and bring in the new so your body can heal and adjust more optimally.
Just remember with all of these suggestions, we are not doctors, and this is not meant to be construed as medical advice. Always consult a doctor before beginning a new regimen to decide if it is right for you. If any of these suggestions bring increased pain or discomfort, stop immediately, and check in with a doctor if necessary.