When a person gets injured, it is important to get treatment as soon as possible.

When a person gets injured, it is important to get treatment as soon as possible. This has better outcomes in the long run, both physically and mentally.

An injury is described as “harm or hurt; usually applied to damage inflicted on the body by an external force”. This definition describes physical injury and harm to the body. However, this post will focus on a more holistic approach to treatment of any injury, disease or illness. This can broadly be classified as physical or mental.

You can get injured at any age, from birth throughout your life. SO why get treatment early and when is early treatment necessary?

As a child, you heal fast. Whether it’s a broken bone or a sprain, you can heal pretty well however, it is necessary to have injuries checked out by a doctor. Yes a bone will heal on its own but if it heals incorrectly from a young age, there may be limitations later on in life. Studies have also shown that increased participation in competitive sport predisposes the immature skeleton to injury. It is important for sports academy environments to include professional supervision, together with precautionary medical screening, so as to minimize the risk of adverse occurrences in children involved in sport.

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With auto-immune diseases, such as with Rheumatoid Arthritis, studies indicate that initiating treatment with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD) as soon as possible after diagnosis produces significant clinical and functional benefit and appears to retard the rate of radiographic progression of erosions. Delaying treatment by as little as 8 or 9 months sets the stage for damage that cannot be reversed.

Many people, at some point in their lives suffer with lower back pain and feel that it’s just a normal part of the ageing process. However, studies have shown that with acute lower back injuries, early intervention is more effective in the short term than advice on staying active, leading to more rapid involvement in function, mood, quality of life, and general health. Being active is just one part of the healing process but getting an accurate diagnosis with correct rehabilitative exercises has better long-term results than just being active alone.

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It should be noted that injury is not only related to the physical self as the mental aspect can be just as detrimental to one’s health and quality of life. There have been numerous studies that show that early intervention for mental health issues has a positive effect on both the person and the company that they work for. Early treatment and diagnosis leads to better recovery, less time off work and less stress involvement. This has positive effects in the work environment as well as there’s better productivity and better communication and empathy from fellow co-workers as well as managers. Another benefit for companies is less illness compensation pay for employees.

After having read this short blog on some of the reasons behind early treatment intervention, I hope that you will attend to that back niggle or sprained ankle as soon as possible!!! That includes those anxiety attacks and coping with stress because the body is a connected vessel and everything is related.

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Experiencing back pain? Book a free assessment today

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References

1. injury. (n.d.) Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. (2003). Retrieved May16 2022 from https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/injury

2. Klenerman L. Musculoskeletal injuries in child athletes(ABC of sport medicine). British Medical Journal. 1994;308(6943):1556.

3. Geffen SJ. 3: Rehabilitation principles for treating chronic musculoskeletal injuries. Medical journal of Australia. 2003 Mar3;178(5):238-43.

4. Phillips TD, Shoemaker MJ. Early access to physical therapy and specialty care management for American workers with musculoskeletal injuries. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2017 Apr1;59(4):402-11.

5. Bloom J, Dorsett P, McLennan V. Integrated services and early intervention in the vocational rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord series and cases. 2017 Feb 2;3(1):1-4.

6. Emery P. Evidence supporting the benefit of early intervention in rheumatoid arthritis. The Journal of Rheumatology Supplement.2002 Nov 1;66:3-8.

7. Deehan DJ, Bell K, McCaskie AW. Adolescent musculoskeletal injuries in a football academy. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British Volume. 2007 Jan;89(1):5-8.

8. Gatchel RJ, Polatin PB, Noe C, Gardea M, Pulliam C,Thompson J. Treatment-and cost-effectiveness of early intervention for acute low-back pain patients: a one-year prospective study. Journal of occupational rehabilitation. 2003 Mar;13(1):1-9.

9. Peschke J. Why is Early Intervention so important for the Treatment of Acute Lower Back Injuries? [Internet]. Online. Absolute Balance. Available from: https://www.absolutebalance.com.au/why-is-early-intervention-so-important-for-the-treatment-of-acute-lower-back-injuries