How to Rehab an Injury in 3 Simple Steps
If you’ve ever wondered how to rehab an injury but felt overwhelmed by endless exercises and conflicting advice, you’re not alone. Maybe you’ve tried sticking to a rehab plan, but you’re unsure when or how to progress it. The truth is, injury rehab doesn’t have to be complicated.
This guide will walk you through how to rehab an injury using a proven 3-step framework that works for most injuries—whether it’s your shoulder, knee, back, or elsewhere. Let’s break it down.
Step 1: Stop Aggravating the Injury
The first and most important step in how to rehab an injury is to stop doing things that make it worse. You could have the perfect set of exercises, but if your daily activities are irritating the injury, your progress will stall.
For example:
- If you have sunburn, you wouldn’t keep sunbathing.
- If you have knee pain, but continue running, the irritation continues.
- If you have a shoulder injury, and keep doing housework or lifting, you stay stuck.
The takeaway: If you want to learn how to rehab an injury effectively, first remove or adjust the day-to-day actions that are triggering it.
Step 2: Choose One Effective Rehab Exercise
One of the biggest problems people face when learning how to rehab an injury is overwhelm. You might be handed a long list of exercises or find a million different options online—some saying one thing, others saying the opposite.
To simplify your recovery, just choose one solid, compound exercise to start with.
What to look for:
- Compound movement – Multi-joint = more effective.
- Adjustable – Easy to scale back or progress.
- Progressable – Can gradually add load or range.
Practical Examples:
💪 Shoulder Injury
Start with a shoulder press. If overhead is painful, shorten the range or adjust elbow position. Over time, increase range and weight.
🦵 Knee Injury
Begin with a squat. Keep it shallow to start, then build deeper and heavier. It’s a great way to understand how to rehab an injury in the knee safely.
🧍♂️ Back Injury
Try a deadlift, starting with minimal range and weight. This teaches you how to rehab an injury in the back while building strength in a functional way.
You can add a second, simpler isolation exercise if needed (like leg extensions with squats or lateral raises with shoulder press), but the main focus should stay on your primary movement.
Step 3: Gradually Progress Based on Feedback
Once you’ve stopped aggravating the injury and picked your main exercise, it’s time to understand how to rehab an injury through smart progression.
A common mistake is increasing load too quickly or not knowing when to scale back. Here’s a simple guide:
📈 Progress If:
- No pain during the exercise
- No increase in pain after
👉 Next session: add a little more range, reps, or weight.
➖ Stay the Same If:
- No pain during
- Slight increase in pain after, but it settles within 24 hours
👉 Repeat the same session.
⬇️ Regress If:
- Pain shows up after and lingers more than 24 hours
👉 Reduce range, reps, or weight.
🛑 Stop If:
- Pain during exercise (especially sharp or more than 3/10)
👉 Pause and reassess.
This structure helps you understand how to rehab an injury without second-guessing every step. You build confidence while listening to your body’s signals.
Final Thoughts: Rehab Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Learning how to rehab an injury doesn’t require a long list of fancy exercises or equipment. All you need is:
- Avoid aggravating activities.
- Pick one effective, scalable exercise.
- Progress based on symptoms.
Staying consistent with this approach is often what separates those who recover quickly from those who stay stuck in a cycle of pain and frustration.
And while this method can be done solo, working with a professional can help fine-tune your plan, support surrounding muscles, and keep you moving forward safely.
At AMR Physiotherapy, we understand that recovery doesn’t always fit neatly into busy schedules or traditional clinic visits. That’s why we’ve created a range of digital rehab plans designed to support your recovery wherever you are. Whether you’re dealing with a recent injury, ongoing pain, or post-surgical rehab, our condition-specific programs offer expert guidance, clear progression, and practical exercises you can follow at your own pace. Developed by experienced physiotherapists, each plan focuses on helping you move better, feel stronger, and regain confidence in your body — without needing to leave home. Treatment programs
