How can I speed up injury recovery?

Speeding up injury recovery includes several strategies according to Andrew Huberman and other experts featured in the Huberman Lab podcast. Here are a few approaches:

1. Encourage modest activity of the injured limb (if possible without causing pain), to avoid asymmetry in nerve-to-muscle pathways and speed up recovery 1.
2. Get at least 8 hours of sleep or stay immobile for that period to aid Glymphatics clearance and tissue repair 2.
3. If injury allows, do at least a ten-minute walk per day 2.
4. Incorporate methods like compression boots, massages, or cold water immersion to improve muscle soreness and tissue repair 3.

   Faster Recovery

   Andrew Huberman

   Andrew discusses studies that suggest that by encouraging activity of the injured limb and restricting the opposite healthy part of the body, the speed of recovery is significantly faster. The balance between the right and left side of our body is always dynamic and even slight imbalances in the two sides of the body can get amplified.

   

   Huberman Lab

   Control Pain & Heal Faster with Your Brain | Huberman Lab Podcast #9

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5. Manage thermal conditions with methods like cooling face, palms, or soles, without causing vasoconstriction, for better short-term recovery 4.
6. Adjust nutrition during recovery, emphasizing a sufficient protein intake (at least 1 gram per pound of body weight) and increasing calorie intake by about 10% 5.
7. Include a balance of endurance, strength, and neural workouts to maintain overall robustness and engage dynamic movement 6.

Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment or changing an existing one.