The Changes In Injury Recovery As We Age

Many things change as we age. From our eyesight to our dental health, blood pressure to hairlines, there are a lot of changes in our bodies alone, not to mention our new lifestyle and financial requirements. As your body ages, it also takes longer for you to heal. The changes in injury recovery as we age means that even comparatively minor injuries can take longer to heal.

Therefore, it is imperative that you take your recovery period seriously as you age and that you learn how to adapt to your body’s changing needs.

To help, let’s consider the impact of recovery changes as you get older and how you can adapt to these developments.

Injury Recovery Takes More Time

The main lesson that older people need to learn about injury recovery is that it gets more complicated as we get older! Even small problems, such as sprains and cuts, might take significantly longer to heal completely as you get older.

As a result, you need to be aware that your body might not be fully healed when you think it is and that you need to give your body more time to recuperate than you did when you were younger. If you try to get back to your normal routine too soon after an injury, then you could cause long-term damage to your body. So, be prepared for injuries to take more time to heal and if in doubt, consult a medical professional before continuing your usual activities.

That said, it is nonetheless important to remember that long gone are the days when recovery from a physical injury, even for older people, meant many boring days with minimal physical activity allowed. In most instances, active recovery is recommended as part of the recovery process. Even after fairly major operations, patients are often encouraged to get up and start walking about as soon as possible. However, do always check with your medical health professional to ensure you choose exercise options that are appropriate for your individual circumstances.

Mobility Issues Could Be Longer-Term

As mentioned above, when you hurt yourself in your later years, you might find that it takes longer for you to recover from injuries or that serious accidents such as falls, or broken bones could mean long-term mobility issues. Every year, thousands of elderly people in the UK require a hip replacement operation as a direct result of a fall.

Fortunately, hip replacement surgery is quite commonplace these days and most people recover full mobility very quickly. However, as with any surgery, there is always a risk, and sadly some surgeries do not go to plan. For hip replacements, the most common errors involve the wrong size or type of prosthesis being used or being fitted incorrectly. In more serious cases, the medical professional’s negligence is to blame, and someone like www.gadsbywicks.co.uk may become involved to help and individual recover financial compensation to help them deal with the implications of this error.

If you do encounter such problems, or any other mobility issues that could affect you for the longer term, you need to consider how you are going to adapt to living with problems for longer. That means finding innovative ways to live with the injury and ensure that you can still live your life to the full.

Consider finding mobility aides that are discreet but powerful and can help you to recover faster, as you will be putting less strain on the injury and perhaps needing to learn to live with certain mobility issues in the longer term. A riser recliner chair, for example, uses a lifting motion to help you rise from your seat and also reclines to give you maximum comfort when sitting down. You can check out this collection of rise and recliner chairs from specialist provider Recliner Chairs & Beds if you want to explore what could work for your home, lifestyle and body.

Visiting The Doctor Is More Important Than Ever Before

When you were younger, you might not have thought that it was worth a trip to your GP if you fell, even if the injury looked severe. Usually, younger people can get up and dust themselves off and be back to normal in a few days. However, as you pass your 50s and enter into your later years, it is essential to acknowledge the changes in injury recovery as the age, as well as an increased potential for long-term impacts.

Also, even seemingly minor injuries might be more damaging than you expect. As such, you should consider consulting your doctor more often, particularly if the symptoms persist. Even small injuries could cause serious issues if left untreated, so make sure you contact your GP if you are in any doubt.

Prevention Is Always Better Than The Cure

Ultimately, the best way to reduce injury recovery time is to avoid having one in the first place. That means ensuring we remain physically fit as we age and, as we do age and become perhaps a little unstable on our feet, learning how to reduce the chances of having a fall.

In terms of keeping physically fit, strength training is vital in conjunction with regular cardiovascular exercise. It’s a myth that strength training is a young person’s game! It is equally suitable for older people.

One great way to reduce the risk of falls as we get older is to try practising simple balance exercises, which can help to reduce your chances of falling over. While there is no way to prevent accidents completely, these simple activities should help you to reduce your chances of falling and hurting yourself.