Should You Rest Your injury? Saffron Walden Sports Massage

It’s one of the oldest debates in sport. And a question I get asked alot at my Saffron Walden Massage Room.

You pull a hamstring, roll an ankle, tweak your shoulder.. and the first instinct is simple: stop everything. Rest. Don’t make it worse.

Complete rest isn’t always the best thing for recovery.

In fact, modern sports science has quietly shifted away from the “just rest it” mindset. The real answer is more nuanced, and far more interesting.

However. I do also have some strong personal views on rest which are at the end of the blog.

Let’s start with what everyone gets right.

Rest does matter! Especially early on.

When an injury first happens, your body enters an inflammatory phase.

Swelling, pain, and tissue damage all need time to settle. Short-term rest helps protect the area and prevents further harm.

"Research shows that brief unloading of injured tissue can reduce pain and inflammation, particularly in the first 48–72 hours after injury ."

There’s also a bigger-picture reason rest is essential. Training itself breaks the body down, muscles literally develop tiny tears during exercise, and it’s during recovery that they rebuild stronger . Read that again, if you are someone who struggles to rest.

So yes, rest is necessary.

BUT...

For decades, athletes were told to follow the classic “RICE” approach: rest, ice, compress, elevate.

The issue? Science has moved on - HERE I WROTE A BLOG POST ON THE NEW METHODS.

A large body of research now shows that prolonged rest can actually slow recovery rather than speed it up. One review in orthopaedics found that extended inactivity can delay healing and weaken tissues instead of helping them .

Why?

Because the body adapts to what you do.. and also what you don’t do.

• Muscles shrink

• Joints stiffen

• Blood flow decreases

• Tissue becomes weaker and less resilient

Even in specific injuries like concussion, studies show that strict rest beyond the first few days is not effective for recovery

The Rise of “Active Recovery”

This is where modern sports medicine has changed direction.

Instead of choosing between rest or movement, the focus is now on controlled, gradual activity often called active recovery or optimal loading.

The idea is simple:

Don’t overload the injury. But don’t abandon it either.

Research shows that early, controlled movement improves healing, reduces stiffness, and lowers the risk of reinjury .

There’s even evidence that starting rehabilitation earlier can speed up return to sport.

One study found athletes who began rehab just a few days after injury returned significantly sooner than those who delayed it

Why movement helps:

• It increases blood flow (bringing nutrients to repair tissue)

• It keeps muscles and joints “awake”

• It maintains strength and coordination

• It helps tissues heal in a stronger, more functional way

  
  

"A 2020 review in Sports Medicine also found that progressive loading enhances tissue healing and reduces long-term complications "

So… Rest or Not?

The honest answer is: both BUT at the right time.

Think of injury recovery in phases:

1. Acute phase (first few days)

• Prioritise rest and protection

• Reduce pain and swelling

2. Early recovery

• Introduce gentle movement

• Light stretching, controlled activity

3. Rehabilitation phase

• Gradually increase load and intensity

• Rebuild strength, stability, and confidence

This balance is critical. As one clinical overview puts it, rest helps manage the early stage, while rehabilitation drives long-term recovery 

My Personal Recommendations

Ok, studies are good and all but I have had many injuries and one thing that helps me is to always rest it just a little longer than you want.

If I say i'm going to proably need 3 weeks for this to feel better where i can train again, i will always add an extra week on top to be cautious.

Why??

With a huge amount of experince I have seen countless times people going back to sports or gym too soon and just making it worse and prolonging the injury.

Don't let your mental love for what you do keep you injuried.

If you are in Saffron Walden and go to the gym, play football, or any other sport, book yourself into my Saffron Walden massage room to get a decent sports massage in Saffron Walden.