Two paths post-injury numb it and rest or heal it and rebuild. Choose wisely.

Описание: Let’s mythbust something that’s going to make people uncomfortable:

After surgery or an acute injury, you have two paths to choose from.

Path 1: The least painful path

Ice everything.
Pop NSAIDs.
Rest a lot.

Most well-intentioned docs recommend this because they don’t want you hurting.
And I get it.

But… you’re also slowing the exact signals your body uses to start the repair process.

Pain goes down.
Swelling looks better.
You feel “under control.”

but the price you pay for that short term relief, is long term healing.

Path 2: The optimized healing path

You respect physiology.

You accept that early discomfort is often part of the deal (within reason).
And you manage symptoms without trying to shut down the process.

That’s why I’ll lean into things like:

Lymphatic drainage massage

NMES “pumping” to use muscles as a pump to push swelling out

Red light therapy (as an adjunct) to improve cellular energy production

Non-painful cardio to raise tissue temp, improve circulation, and get natural endorphins on board

Early, smart, graded movement and loading (depending on surgery)

The part people mess up...

Ice and NSAIDs can absolutely reduce pain in the short term.

But the evidence for better long-term outcomes with icing is not exactly a slam dunk, and there’s legitimate concern that aggressively blunting inflammation can interfere with aspects of tissue repair and regeneration.

And before the comments start:
I’m not saying “never.”
Time and place for everything.

If pain is preventing sleep, basic movement, or early rehab participation…
we manage it.
But we don’t default to “numb it and park it” as the strategy.

Bottom line:
If you’re a serious athlete (or just an active adult who wants the best chance at a strong comeback), choose the path that prioritizes healing capacity, not just comfort.

Short-term comfort is tempting.
Long-term function is the goal.

Choose wisely.