Self Care is Difficult...Especially When You're a Perfectionist
We live in an age where self-care is mentioned everywhere but can be incredibly difficult. This is especially challenging if you are like me and you constantly strive and push yourself even when it is time to take a break. It's me. Hi. I'm the problem. It's me.
Now add an injury to the mix. The stress and anxiety of trying to figure out how to pause and practice a little self-care will seem overwhelming. That is exactly what happened to me when my knee dislocated a few months ago. I'm about two months into my recovery process and 1-week post-surgery now, so I thought I would share a few simple tips on how you can practice self-care in general and especially after an injury.
Top 3 Tips for Self-Care After an Injury
Tip # 1: Do Your Exercises and Build Back Your Muscles
The most important part of practicing self-care after an injury is doing everything you can to build back any muscle you lost (depending on your injury) through physical therapy exercises. I dislocated my knee and it took the ER 4 times to reset it. I was in an immobilizer for a week and then transitioned into a knee brace to support my kneecap.
My knee is super stiff and does not want to bend or go completely straight (see how it is kind of in a weird semi-arch in the photos below). My Physical Therapist, Sara, has me working throughout each day to help address this. So when it comes to this self-care tip post-injury, just remember what your goal is that you set for your recovery. In my case, my goal is to have 120-degree mobility when bending and 0 degrees when straightening my knee. Right now, I'm at 80-degree mobility and -4 degrees (again see that arch in my knee) when straightening.
So I make sure to do my exercises whenever possible to keep my progress and spirits up. I always feel better after each physical therapy session and each time I do my at-home exercises!
Tip # 2: Remember to Laugh and Relax
There is a saying that laughter is the best medicine, and I agree. So my second tip on practicing self-care is all about laughing and relaxing. Find whatever brings you joy and indulge it when you can. I enjoy scrolling on TikTok (or #SwiftTok) and laughing at different videos. It is an easy way to relax and unwind if I've had a hard day or gotten frustrated that I'm not where I want to be in my recovery process.
I have a dark, sarcastic, self-deprecating sense of humor, so I'm really fond of joining Cole Sprouse's Instagram Lives for his subscribers (a super cool feature on Instagram right now) while I work on my planner for the week each Sunday. The combination of Cole's spiraling tangents and planning out my week is very relaxing for me. Funnily enough, he caught my comment before I had my knee surgery about how I injured my knee IRL and now I have a much cooler story for my injury.
So, find what makes you laugh and take a little time to practice self-care through whatever that may be. Giggle, chuckle, and laugh until you cry, it's the best.
Tip #3: Trust the Process
The most important tip for practicing self-care after an injury is to let go (I know, it can be hard to do) and trust the process. Self-care is a lifelong process and the silver lining of getting an injury that puts limitations on you and your normal routine is to really focus on yourself and make you feel better and re-energized.
Everyone's recovery process is different, whether from a physical injury, psychological illness, and more. Just remember to find those who support you in healthy ways, be honest with everyone about where you're at, and trust the process will work in the long run, even if you are struggling right now.
Lastly, browse these YA nonfiction titles on self-care in the Union County Library collection. You can also check out articles from Omnigraphic's Teen Resource Center through NC Live's Credo Reference Database.
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