Motion is Lotion!

​When injured it is hard not to protect your injury and avoid motion. The real question is, is that the best practice for all injuries? It has been shown that early mobilization is the best method to avoid joint contracture and its harmful consequences on articular cartilage. Early mobilization also serves to maintain joint proprioception, which may help prevent reinjury and hasten recovery to full fitness. Another major positive for early mobilization is to prevent immobilization atrophy. To sum it up, the superiority of early controlled mobilization is apparent in terms of producing quicker recovery and return to full activity, without jeopardizing the long-term rehabilitative outcome. 

Sources:
Kannus, Pekka. “Immobilization or Early Mobilization After an Acute Soft-Tissue Injury?” The Physician and Sportsmedicine 28, no. 3 (2000): 55–63. https://doi.org/10.3810/psm. 2000.03.775.

​Jon Holleman, PT, DPT