ELLISON'S GUIDE TO RECOVERY

A lot of it’s mental, and although you listen to a lot of the doctors, they have to cover themselves and play it overly safe. After I snapped my hip they told me I wouldn’t walk for three months; I ended up on a race track in four weeks!

It’s all part of the job – you have to expect it. When you’re prepared it isn’t actually as bad, although wearing the best kit is a big help in damage limitation.

Make sure you get your oxygen, as that’s what ultimately repairs you. The best invention in the world is the hyperbaric chamber! It’s absolutely amazing as it regenerates blood cells. I’d definitely recommend it if you’ve done a lot of damage, but it takes a lot of work still. When I was injured I would head there in the morning, train in the afternoon and have physio in the evening!

High protein diets are absolutely vital, as it regenerates muscle growth and gives you all the goodness you need to repair.

While on the subject of food, the fuel is important to get yourself going. If you’ve broken a bone, your body needs twice the amount of calories in order to repair! Instead of being on a 2,000 calorie diet, you need to be shovelling in 4,000 calories of the good stuff.