03/08/2025
So what does your body do when it is healing itself? 🤔
All tissues follow a similar process. Most tissues heal through scar formation, which means you don't get a like for like healing in the structure.
This is why recovery from injury takes time, and why it's important to apply the right input at the right time, so your incredible body can do what it needs to do effectively without disturbing it, but perhaps giving it a little help at times.
INFLAMMATION
During the inflammatory phase chemicals and cells arrive at the site of injury in order to make sure that the building blocks and all supplies are in place for the repair to take place. Inflammation is important, and without it, the site wouldn't receive its supplies.
PROLIFERATION
This is where the body quickly fills the hole that it is repairing. What is laid down is 'not quite right' and lacks organisation, but creates a framework to move on.
REMODELLING
This is the bit we get excited about as physios!
During the remodelling phase, the proliferative fibres are changed to functional, organised tissue. It is essential that during this phase, physical stress is put through the tissue in order to show the body how the fibres should orientated and changed.
It's missing this point that leads people to the rest - reinjury - rest - reinjury cycle we see so frequently. If stress is not put through the tissue, the tissue becomes scar tissue which is a non functional tissue.
So if you are injured, think about where you may be in this journey and use treatments that will help the body move through the phase, not stop them or miss them out.
