The real cost of being injured
No matter our level of ability or physical activity - aches, pains, niggles and injuries are going to happen at some point in our fitness journey. And when they do, they are guaranteed to stop you in your tracks temporarily whilst your body gets to work repairing and recovering.
As hard as we might try to prevent them and as much as we would like them to go away as soon as they appear, injuries will happen unfortunately. If you think about it though, injuries and setbacks are a positive sign. It is your body telling you that you pushed the limit that little bit too far or that there is a weakness that needs addressing.
This is not to say that we should always welcome injuries and setbacks with open arms every time but you know what they say… the comeback is always greater than the setback.
It’s not just our bodies that are affected by injuries though. Mentally, this can be an incredibly challenging period for athletes and active people alike. But how we choose to cope with injuries can have a direct impact on how long we remain out of action.
People who are better at coping with their injuries are more likely to take an active role in the rehabilitation process, have fewer negative thoughts during this time, and overall have a little less anxiety about the possibility of not returning to their previous level of activity.
Part of this is process is also about understanding what the real cost of being injured can be and taking steps to not only improve recovery time but also reduce our risk of becoming injured in the first place.
Before we get on to this subject, let’s take a quick moment to run through exactly what sports injuries are and how they can occur.
Sports injuries often refer to the types of injuries that happen whilst we are playing sports or during bouts of exercise. According to the NHS, sports injuries can affect almost any part of the body, including the muscles, bones, joints and connective tissues (tendons and ligaments).
Whilst we can damage any part of the body during exercise, the phrase ‘sports injury’ is more often than not used to refer to injuries to the musculoskeletal system.
Sports injuries are commonly caused by overuse or too much impact and force than the body part is able to structurally cope with. This is why running and especially contact sports like football and rugby for example, are often top of the list when it comes to the origin of sports injuries.
So what are some of the most common sports injuries?
In no particular order then, here are some of the most common sports injuries in the UK:
- Patellofemoral syndrome or ‘Runner’s Knee’
- Knee injuries (ACL tear)
- Shin splints
- Ankle sprains
- Hamstring strains
- Pulled groin
- Tennis elbow
As you can see, a staggering 6 out of 7 of these are all lower limb related and perhaps even reading this now, you can say you have experienced at least one of these. This just reinforces our point even more; injuries are going to happen whether we like it or not, and being prepared to cope with this both physically and mentally should be something we should ALL aspire to.
The physical cost of being injured is a reality for so many people and it is so important to recognise this as soon as possible and to STOP what it is you are doing that has caused you pain or injury. But this is where the challenges really begin.
The emotional cost of being injured is equally high, if not higher, as we wrestle with a temporary reduction in activity to allow our body to heal.
Feeling like your goal just got further out of your reach, a fear of missing out on the fun and excitement of being active are just a couple of things that can play on your mind and sometimes we give in to these feelings and rush the recovery process, risking more significant injury as a result.
It’s important to acknowledge that injury recovery is a lengthy process and it is sometimes hard to see yourself making progress. But this is only because the goal posts have changed. Our fitness goals change from smashing a new 5km run PB to simply being able to run again pain free.
Rehabilitation programmes can often feel slow and it is easy to feel as if you aren’t actually making any progress or moving closer to being back to where you were before injury. The more complex the injury, the longer this process will be and that’s where the real cost comes in.
But when we talk about the real cost of being injured, we are not just talking about the physical and emotional cost here. We’re being even more straightforward and talking about the actual FINANCIAL cost of recovering from injuries.
Did you know… that the average cost of a single appointment with a physiotherapist, osteopath or even a sports therapist can sometimes be over £60!!! That’s for one appointment! And unfortunately for us, our body just isn’t going to be fixed after one round of specialist treatment.
Once we start looking at multiple appointments and follow ups the cost really can stack up and for some people this might just be enough to stop them seeking that help in the first place. Leaving injuries and problems untreated or even worse powering on through and therefore risking more severe or even lasting damage preventing us from ever being as active.
On the other hand, for some people they are more than happy and able to invest in regular treatment as their way of preventing injuries. This is great to see, but what if we said there actually was a more accessible, more convenient and cost effective way to significantly reduce the risk of injuries occurring in the first place… Would you believe us?
You should!
It’s called COLLAGEN
Collagen is the primary structural protein in the body. It is found in almost all the physical structures of the body. That’s our muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints and bones; even in our hair skin and nails too. Think back to earlier where we spoke about some of the common sports injuries; all of those involved some part of the musculoskeletal system
U Perform co-founders Greg & James have been working with collagen supplements for almost 2 decades and they know first-hand and through extensive research, just how effective they can be to optimise recovery and performance. That’s why they created U Perform active collagen – to make collagen supplementation accessible, effective and tasty too!
We know from experience & customer feedback just how effective making active collagen part of your daily routine can be, but equally, we understand that cost is always going to be a factor when choosing your supplements.
Many customers say they didn't realise how effective active collagen is, until they stopped taking it for a few days... and the little aches & niggles returned.
With our expertise in sports science & physical activity, we know that investing in your body and giving it all the goodness it needs, can really help it recover from exercise and most importantly reduce the risk of injury.
From as little as £1.82 per day, your daily dose of active collagen is a cost-effective way to improve your health & wellness, reduce the risk of injury and reduce the time spent out of training if you do pick up an injury.
Still not sure? Factor in the emotional cost of not being able to train, compete & do what you love - can you really put a price on staying injury free and staying active?