- Therapy
- 4 min
When to Use Heat or Ice on an Injury
Ice for the first days of a new injury, heat for stiffness and older aches. How to tell which you need, how to apply each safely and when neither is the answer.
Categories
Recovery
The slow, uneven work of getting back to normal, one week at a time.
17Articles
- Recovery
- 4 min
Smoking After Surgery: How It Slows Healing and When to Stop
Smoking narrows blood vessels and starves healing tissue of oxygen. Why surgical teams ask you to stop, when to start, and how to cope with cravings while you recover.
- Recovery
- 4 min
How Long Does a Broken Bone Take to Heal?
The bone may knit in weeks, but strength and movement take longer. Here are the stages of fracture healing, what affects the timeline and how food fits in.
- Guides
- 4 min
How to Walk With a Cane: Height, Hand and Rhythm
A walking stick only helps if it is the right height and in the right hand. Here is how to set one up and the simple rhythm that makes walking steadier.
- Guides
- 4 min
How to Walk With Crutches, Stairs Included
Crutches feel awkward for the first day or two. Here is how to set them up, the walking patterns for different weight limits and a safe way to tackle stairs.
- Recovery
- 4 min
Treating Whiplash Injuries: Self-Care, Movement and When to Get Help
Most whiplash settles with simple self-care and gentle movement. Here is what helps in the first days, which exercises to try and which symptoms need urgent attention.
- Therapy
- 4 min
Scar Massage: When to Start and How to Do It Gently
Massaging a healed scar can keep it soft, flexible and less itchy. Here is when it is usually safe to begin, a simple technique and the signs that mean stop.
- Therapy
- 4 min
Occupational Therapy Examples: How It Helps You Get Back to Daily Life
Occupational therapists focus on the everyday tasks an injury makes harder. Here are real examples of what they help with, the equipment they use and how to get a referral.
- Recovery
- 1 min
Going Back to Work After Being Off Sick
Dreading your first day back is more common than you might think. Practical steps to make the return to work after illness or injury a little smoother.
- Recovery
- 1 min
Recovering From Knee Surgery at Home: A Practical Guide
The first weeks after knee surgery are about steady, patient progress. Practical ideas for your home, your exercises and the warning signs to watch for.