Stages of injury healing explained

You got hurt. Maybe it was during a deadlift. Or chasing your kid. Or from sitting at a desk too long (yep, that counts too). Whatever caused it — now you’re dealing with pain, and wondering what the heck is going on in your body.

At Your Form Sux, we treat injuries all day long — and we’ve seen one major pattern: most people don’t understand the healing process. That’s why they either rush it… or stall out halfway and stay stuck in pain.

Let’s fix that.

Here’s what’s actually happening inside your body when you’re healing an injury.

Stage 1: Inflammation (0–5 Days)

What’s happening:
Your body goes into “emergency mode.” Blood flow increases. Swelling happens. It gets red, warm, maybe bruised. This is your body clearing out damaged tissue and starting the repair process.

What you feel:

• Sharp pain
• Swelling
• Heat and redness
• Limited mobility

What to do (and not do):

• ✅ Protect it, but keep it gently moving — don’t freeze it up
• ✅ Use ice or compression if swelling is intense
• ❌ Don’t completely immobilize unless advised — your body needs blood flow
• ❌ Don’t return to intense activity yet

This stage is uncomfortable but necessary. Pain isn’t the enemy — inflammation is your body’s first responder.

Stage 2: Proliferation / Repair (4–21 Days)

What’s happening:
Now your body starts rebuilding. New tissue (called collagen) is laid down to patch things up. Think of it like a construction site — lots of activity, but the structure is still fragile.

What you feel:

• Pain may decrease, but stiffness sets in
• Weakness in the area
• Possible discomfort with certain movements

What to do:

• ✅ Start controlled movement and gentle strengthening
• ✅ Begin physio (if you haven’t yet!) to avoid bad movement patterns
• ❌ Don’t push through sharp pain — pain is still a guide
• ❌ Don’t assume you’re “healed” just because swelling is gone

Most people make a huge mistake here: they feel “better” and go right back to training. But the tissue isn’t ready yet. That’s when re-injury happens.

Stage 3: Remodelling / Maturation (3 Weeks – Several Months)

What’s happening:
The new tissue is being reorganized and strengthened. Your body is literally rewiring itself to handle stress again. This stage takes the longest — and this is where good physio changes the game.

What you feel:

• Less pain
• More movement — but possibly some weakness
• Frustration (you’re not alone)

What to do:

• ✅ Gradually load the tissue with progressive strength work
• ✅ Correct movement patterns to prevent recurrence
• ✅ Stick with your rehab plan — consistency beats intensity
• ❌ Don’t bail early — just because pain is gone doesn’t mean you’re done
• ❌ Don’t DIY this — re-injury rates skyrocket without proper progression

This is when we build you back stronger than before. Rehab during this stage doesn’t just fix the injury — it levels up your resilience.

So… Why Do So Many People Stay Injured?

Two reasons:

• They only rest and skip the movement part
• They stop rehab too early

Your body doesn’t heal on time — it heals with the right stimulus.
If you don’t challenge the