Recovery takes the shape of the injury. Don’t let anyone’s story make you feel slow.

Healing is specific. A ligament, a bone and a concussion each run on their own clock, and that clock is set by tissue rather than by how badly you want to be back. Comparisons fall apart almost immediately, because the person who returned in six weeks was not carrying your injury. Their timeline is not a standard you are failing to meet.

Ask the person treating you for the actual expected range and write it down somewhere. Read that instead of other people’s stories when the doubt starts. Then do today’s exercises, since that is the only part the timeline responds to.