Bounce Back From Your First Big Injury

Use our guide to treat, beat and manage any problem, so that it doesn’t become a lifelong annoyance

THE DANGER ZONE Lower Back

THE INJURY Muscle Spasm

‘Lifting weights with poor form can trigger spasms in the muscles that extend up and down your back,’ says sports physician

Ryan J Lingor.

Treat It: Both heat and ice can help. ‘Go with whichever feels better to you,’ Dr Lingor advises. Ibuprofen can also offer temporary pain relief. Resist the (pretty understandable) temptation to stay put – light stretching or even taking a short walk can help to stop the affected muscles from continuing to spasm. Get yourself moving. The Long-Term Fix:

Sort out your form. Build core strength with rotational movements – chops, say – and do a deep abs-strengthener, such as front and side planks.

THE DANGER ZONE Knees

THE INJURY ACL Tear

This most frequently occurs when there’s an uneven strength relationship between your quads and hamstrings, says John Gallucci Jr of Jag-One Physical Therapy.

Treat It: Ice it, rest and stretch your quads (heel to your glutes). Partial tears can heal with physical therapy, but some require surgery. The Long-Term Fix: Strengthen your quads and hamstrings with walking lunges and step-ups. Keep your knee tracking between the second and third toes.

THE DANGER ZONE Ankle

THE INJURY Sprain

The ligaments supporting your ankle can overstretch and tear, resulting in bruising and swelling. The more it happens, the more susceptible you’ll be.

Treat It: A sprain may seem like no big deal, but it can limit you for life if you push it. In the first 48 hours, use RICE: rest, ice, compression, elevation. Then perform ankle circles to help your range of motion. The Long-Term Fix: Try balancing moves (single-leg squats, say) and agility exercises such as running in progressively smaller figure of eights.