Injuries and Recovery
Someone talks about a minor sports-related injury they sustained and discusses their recovery plan or seeks advice on getting back to activity.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
ankle
The joint that connects your foot to your leg. In sports, it's common to injure it by twisting or falling.
twisted
To suddenly turn or bend something in a way that causes injury, like twisting your ankle during a game.
sore
A feeling of pain or discomfort in a muscle or joint after injury or exercise. It's milder than sharp pain.
RICE therapy
An acronym for a common injury treatment: Rest (avoid using the injured part), Ice (apply cold to reduce swelling), Compression (wrap to support), Elevation (keep it raised above heart level).
sprain
A common injury where ligaments (tissues connecting bones) are stretched or torn, often in ankles or wrists from twisting.
physical therapist
A healthcare professional who helps people recover from injuries through exercises and treatments to improve movement and strength.
stretching
Exercises that involve slowly pulling muscles to improve flexibility and reduce injury risk, especially useful during recovery.
recovery
The process of getting better after an injury or illness, often involving rest, exercises, and time.
low impact
Activities that put little stress on joints and muscles, like swimming, which are good for injured people to stay fit without pain.
cardio
Short for cardiovascular exercise, which improves heart and lung health, like running or swimming to build endurance.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Hey John, how's your ankle doing? I heard you twisted it during the game last week.
This is a casual greeting to ask about someone's health after an injury. Use it with friends to show concern. 'How's ... doing?' is a common way to check on progress, and 'I heard' shares background info.
It's still a bit sore, but much better than before.
This describes improvement in an injury. 'A bit' means slightly, 'sore' means mildly painful, and 'much better than before' compares past and present. Useful for updating others on your condition.
I'm taking it easy, lots of RICE therapy – rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
'Taking it easy' means being careful and not overdoing activities. The dash introduces an explanation of RICE. This sentence teaches how to describe self-care routines for injuries.
That's good to hear. Are you seeing a physical therapist, or is it just a minor sprain you can manage yourself?
'That's good to hear' expresses relief. The question uses 'or' to offer options. 'Seeing a physical therapist' means visiting one regularly. Useful for asking about treatment plans.
No running or jumping for a few more weeks, unfortunately.
This states restrictions during recovery. 'Unfortunately' adds a feeling of disappointment. 'For a few more weeks' specifies time. Good for explaining limits to activities.
Ah, that's a bummer, especially with the marathon coming up.
'That's a bummer' is informal slang for something disappointing. 'Coming up' means approaching soon. Use this to empathize with someone's setback in plans like a race.
Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to recovery.
This is an idiom meaning patience leads to success. 'When it comes to' introduces a topic. Useful proverb for advising careful recovery to avoid re-injury.