Pain during activity Aim to keep your pain within a rating of 0 to 5. If your pain gets above this level, you can change the level of activity by: reducing the number of times you do a movement reducing the pace of an activity increasing rest time between activities. Generally, the first few days are the worst with regards to pain and limitation of movement. Activity shouldn’t make your existing pain worse overall. Increasing activity can lead to increased discomfort as your body gets used to regaining your activity levels. This kind of pain should ease quickly and your pain should be no worse the morning after. It can be helpful to rate your pain out of 10 (0 being no pain 10 being the worst pain you have ever had), for example: 0 to 3 – minimal pain 4 to 5 – acceptable pain 6 to 10 – excessive pain. Too much rest can slow down your recovery so, as soon as you can, start moving and using the affected area. Remember a little activity is better than nothing. Aim to do a little bit more each day or every few days.
Using ice or compression and elevation can be useful in controlling pain and swelling, for example, applying ice for up to 15 minutes and leaving a few hours between treatments can be helpful if swelling is a major problem. You should stop treating the area with ice and seek advice from a health professional if: you notice an increase in redness, discolouration or blistering of the skin the swelling continues to worsen the area becomes hot and red you are unable to weight bear or take any pressure on the area. If you have any issues with circulation or sensation, you shouldn’t use ice as a treatment for swelling. Compression and elevation are useful ways to control significant swelling. If using tape, bandages or a tubigrip, make sure it fits well but isn’t too tight.
Following an injury As your symptoms start to settle over the next few days, weeks and months, gradually introduce movement, strength and functional activities into your routine. These things help to reduce stiffness, pain and swelling. More importantly, they provide your body with the vital information and stimulation it needs to repair, restore and renew itself. Walking aids/supports It can be helpful to use supports or walking aids like a walking boot or crutches in the early stages of an injury. This can make you more comfortable and help you get back to your usual activities. Unless you’re advised by healthcare professional to use these aids for a specific time period, try and become less reliant on them as time goes on.