For anyone who has suffered a serious accident or workplace injury, the return to ‘normal’ life is the goal that drives them throughout their rehabilitation. Every small step is a milestone, and morale continues to grow as long as the journey towards good health continues apace.

For most, however, that journey is a series of fits and starts: a huge leap one week may be followed by stalled progress the next, and expectations may need to be adjusted on a week-by-week basis. Hopes of a full recovery may also need to be tempered as the full extent of a road or workplace injury becomes evident.

The full implications of serious injury may be slow to reveal themselves to the sufferer. When I first learned that my neck was broken after a high-speed car crash, my initial feeling was one of great relief that it had not resulted in paraplegia. Twenty four hours later I was strapped unceremoniously into a body brace that was to become my prison for the next three months. No one prepared me for the terrible claustrophobia and discomfort I would endure, the dreadlocked filthy hair and inability to wash myself, the total dependence on others; or the slow, fitful pace at which I would recover.

Here are seven secrets I wish someone had told me. I share them with you in the hope they can help you in your dealings with people who have experienced an injury.

1. "Give yourself time to adjust."

After the initial shock at the prospect of ninety days of enforced immobility, I gradually came around to a measure of acceptance. Three months out of my life didn’t seem so bad. I would just miss out on autumn and I could watch the leaves fall from my bedroom. Then I would be up and about, as good as new.

But wait…there was more. After one of those long months had passed, I was told about the post-brace Philadelphia collar. Another six weeks. Another mental adjustment. I picked myself up and moved on. Another month, another bit of bad news. My specialist revealed that my journey towards recovery would take at least twelve months, and that full recovery may not be achievable. Another adjustment, another shift in expectations.

Little by little, I came to accept the change in my circumstances and acclimatise to my new, uncertain future. Adjusting to the various stages of recovery is a personal process that involves different timeframes for each person.

2. "Try a new approach."

Not prepared to sit back and await the result, I was determined to contribute as much as possible to a positive outcome. Under instruction, I started a walking regime, graduating to gentle weight training at my local gym; the same gym where I had spent half an hour every day prior to my accident, swimming laps in its pristine pool. Trying different approaches is an important aspect of recovery.

3. "Tailor your exercise regime to suit yourself."

For me, swimming had always been a refuge: a place to work through my problems and come to some sort of resolution. What was monotony to some was soothing to me. From the moment I dipped my head under water, the outside world was muffled, my noisy thoughts hushed. Many people don’t like the inconvenience of swimming as a form of exercise: the wet hair, the chlorine, the occasional whack from a passing swimmer. For me it was an essential part of my well being, and one I was willing to work towards at my own pace. Physical activity is central to recovery and good health, so finding the right exercise regime to support this is important.

4."Enjoy every small improvement."

Never a competitive soul, swimming was my preferred form of exercise. Low impact, highly aerobic, it was the reason for my relative fitness at the time of my accident. Throughout those early months of recuperation I was happy to give any form of exercise a go, as long as it helped me towards my goal of full recovery.

Lifting light weights for the first time ever made me feel like a post-spinach Popeye. Undiscernible to the naked eye, I could just feel those fledgling muscles sprout. Long-distance walking became part of my regime, and I marvelled at the distance I could cover with just a Walkman for company. It's important to stay focused on the end-goals of recovery, but don't forget to celebrate the small wins along the way.

5. "Don’t be over-protective."

I have to admit the prospect of getting back in the pool worried me. I tried to convince myself that swimming was too limiting, that cross-training was the way to go. Truth be told, I was afraid that my swimming days were over. This, more than anything else, would confirm to me that I was damaged. It was ridiculous how anxious I was. I wasn’t prepared for the wave of anxiety I felt that first day as I stood in the shallow end looking at the 50 metres of water between me and the deep end.

My fear of no longer being able to do something that defined me was compounded by my fear of doing myself some sort of harm in the attempt. Having spent the best part of a year avoiding any jolts or bumps, I was programmed to be overprotective of myself, and swimming in a public swimming pool was going against that training. The key here is that if a treating professional recommends certain exercise or types of activity, the injured person should try to let go of any fear and just have a go.

6. "Don’t expect miracles at the start."

As I set off on my first tentative strokes, neck and shoulders tight with fear and lack of practice, I was struck by the familiarity of the motion, the smell of the water, the underwater silence. Gradually I relaxed into a gentle freestyle: slower, with a more barrel-like roll, less assured than before. But the relief of knowing that I could still get from one end of that pool to the other was the best medicine I could ask for. Recognising that they are at a transitional stage along the way towards recovery can help people remain patient and focused.

7. "Set yourself goals."

Content at first to swim just a few laps, with stops in between to stretch my neck, I have gradually increased my distance to the one and a half kilometres I used to swim every day. Now, I swim just twice a week, walking every other day (my version of cross-training.) At the start of next year I hope to compete in the Pier-to-Pub just one more time; then I will know my recovery is complete.

Setting goals are a vital part of the recovery process. Remember that it's OK if goals or timelines change; the main thing is that people stay motivated towards recovery.