1. Overtraining can be as bad as or worse than undertraining. That’s why recovery is so important. If you are still rehabilitating from an injury, recovery should be an even greater focus.
2. Recovery can take many forms. Sometimes it just means taking a day or two of rest between exercises to allow your body to heal. Then you’ll be better able to feel the benefits of the previous session and less likely to cause yourself damage.
3. For those who are trying to recover from injury or illness, you need to pay extra attention to the type of exercise you do. A doctor, physical therapist or even personal trainer will help you set specific goals and tailor your routines.
4. Getting moving again is an important part of recovery when you’ve been injured or ill. It’s about striking a balance between easing yourself into it (which will speed up your healing) and overdoing it (which could set you back to the start).
5. Recovery doesn’t just mean physical health. It’s a word you’ll hear mentioned a lot in the treatment of mental illness and/or addiction. In this context, it means managing – if not outright eliminating – symptoms so that you can live your life the way you want.
6. Whether physical or mental, recovery is best described as a process, not a destination. You’re not necessarily going to wake up one day and find that everything is fixed and perfect and that you don’t need to do the work ever again.
7. Recovery does take work. You need to willingly and actively engage in the behaviors and activities necessary to allow you to create your preferred life. That means listening to professional help, avoiding things that harm you, and doing all the uncomfortable, messy things that have long-term benefits.
8. There are likely to be a lot of stops and starts in the recovery process. You may go forward for a while, and then something happens and you slip back again. It takes a lot of determination to keep going.
9. Sometimes you’ll think you’re healed completely. It may even have been years since the last incident. Then, symptoms come back. That still doesn’t mean you should give up.
10. One of the most important things to remember is that you’re not alone. Friends, family and professional support are vital for the best outcomes.
