In Taekwondo most people who get injured tend to fit into one of two categories. There are those who ignore the injury and carry on regardless (the denial approach), and then there are those that insist they cannot train at all and they must stay home (the panic approach).
In both instances the person will likely find reasons to justify why their approach is the correct one to take. However, both approaches are likely to put you at risk of further injury and will not help your progression in the long run.
With the denial approach, and pretending that you have not injured yourself, the injury will likely get worse or will heal damaged. In addition it is probable that you will over compensate in your movements, and create secondary knock on injuries.
With the panic approach, and by not training, you will lose the physical strength, flexibility, timing and all round progression you have made, and your body will be less able to handle the training when you do return. This means you will be more likely to get injured again and repeat the cycle. By not training, you also run the risk of the injury healing in a way that does not allow the full range of movement you will require.
So, we need a third option. But what should you do?
Well this is where “relative rest” comes into play. Relative rest is where you protect and rest the injured part of your body. It does NOT mean you rest your whole body. In fact this is the perfect time to focus on training the rest of your body, which can be very beneficial in your development as an all round martial artist.
All injuries are different and the activities you will need to avoid or adapt will also vary. In most cases you will need to strike a balance between protecting the injury with strapping or by reduced activity or load, and the need to rehabilitate the injury with movement and strengthening exercises. Being diligent outside of training with regular treatment of heat or cold (depending on the injury) may also be important, and by combining this with a relative rest training approach, you really are setting yourself up for a positive outcome.
It is advisable to plan and review your recovery week by week. By understanding your injury and what activities you will need to adapt, you will be well placed to achieve the best possible recovery and long-term progression. When you are at training, you should warm up with the injury in mind to ease the injury into the lesson in a safe way. This may be something you need to do yourself before the class begins.
Weather you are a denial or panic approach person, injuries are not only difficult physically but are also difficult mentally as well. It can be disheartening and depressing when you cannot train to your full ability, but if lockdown has taught us anything, it’s that sitting isolated at home tends to lead to more issues than when you come out and meet with people. Especially the great people we have in our Taekwondo club.
Although training with a reduced approach when injured may still be frustrating, it is less frustrating when you know you have a recovery plan of action to work through. This helps you to maintain a positive and growth mindset.
There are some injuries that may prevent you from joining in the class. In this instance, you are still encouraged to attend and work on what you can to the side of the lesson. This may be an ideal time to work through your physio exercises, stretch, or simply observe, take notes, and contribute where you can.
It is impossible to provide you with a catch all treatment plan, but in general you should try to understand the muscle you have injured and the movements that pull that muscle about, avoid ballistic movements and work in a way that allows you to maintain control. Once you are further down your recovery path, and as you start to test the injury, you may find that your biggest issue is knowing when to return to full training and maintaining your discipline to avoid getting overly enthusiastic when training alongside others. If you have the injury strapped or are using a support, there will also be a right time to reduce your reliance on this to avoid your muscles becoming dependant on it being there.
If you have a plan in place, you should have already factored in your staged increase in training load. Stick to the plan and listen to the injury in training and in the days after. Ensure you keep good communication with your coaches and class mates, as this will help them understand what you can an cannot do. It will also allow them to hold you to account in following your recovery plan, and help you find other ways to keep your training effort as high as is possible.
Despite our best efforts, injuries are still likely to happen from time to time. But how you are at managing them will make a big difference to your progression in Taekwondo. Remember to plan, review your recovery week by week, or day by day if needed, and communicate with your coaches.