Injury Advice

Musculoskeletal Injuries / soft tissue inflammation

How long will it take you to recover?

Healing time depends mainly on blood supply. The blood brings the elements necessary for healing:

Nutrients ~ think of injury as a remodelling job. Nutrients are the building materials for healing.

Oxygen ~ This is the energy source for the project. You can not have fire without oxygen. The body can not heal with out oxygen.

Inflammatory cells ~ These are the workers. They carry away the old blood and dead tissue. They fight off infection. They assemble the building blocks. Unfortunately, the best they can do is a slick patch job.

Most body tissue, except the liver, heals with scar tissue. The Larger the injury, the bigger the scar. It is this biologic fact that explains why the body never totally "forgets" an injury.

Blood supply to certain parts is inherently better than to other parts. That is why injuries heal at different rates. Skin injuries to the face heal within a few days because the blood supply to the face is one of the best in the body.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after a workout is quite common and quite annoying. This is a normal response to unusual exertion and is part of an adaptation process that leads to greater stamina and strength as the muscles recover and build. The soreness is generally at its worst within the first 2 days following the activity and subsides over the next few days. Delayed onset muscle soreness occurs hours after the exercise is over. This is much different than the acute pain. *** Soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment.

Avoid any vigorous activity that increases pain.

*Do some easy low-impact aerobic exercise - this will increase blood flow to the affected muscles, which may help diminish soreness.

*Use the RICE treatment plan

*Use gentle stretching on the affected area

*Gently massage the affected muscles

Treatment of Muscular Injuries -

An injury, whether in sport or elsewhere, will almost always result in bleeding. This may be obvious as in a cut or hidden as in a sprained ankle, corked thigh or any other torn or damaged tissue.

Irrespective of the cause of injury, the treatment is the same. The treatment can be divided into two parts.

1. The first aid type treatment:

The acute stage:- immediately - 48 hours - apply RICE treatment,Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation - Rest, Ice 10 on 10 off, compression & elevation. General massage can be applied elsewhere and away from the injury site to reduce swelling and prevent secondary problems developing.

Aims of treatment: to prevent further tissue damage, ease pain, prevent loss of ROM, to regain full power and function.

2. Heal, Stretch & Strengthen.

Sub/Post - Acute:- 72 hours - 6 weeks - when there are no more signs of inflammation & reduced swelling, this is the healing stage. Gentle massage can begin to prevent adhesions forming from scar tissue and any muscular imbalances occuring.

Chronic:- 6 weeks - 6 months - Long term - low term inflammation has continued for a considerable time, or large trauma in the past has not been given good treatment. This needs to be treated with much deeper friction in order to break it down, and deep longitudinal strokes will help to re-align the fibres.

During rehabilitation:- Deep massage will break down excessive scar tissue from injury, deep massage to all muscles associated with the injury site to find the root cause or contributing factors may be found.

Periosteum (periostitis), Dislocations, sprains, Fractures - See doctor first then massage is recommended.

"If in doubt - see a doctor"