DYNAMIC OSTEOPATHS
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Prevention.
Start slow! It’s the most important element of prevention. Use a beginners exercise programmes to get into shape gradually, and then stay in shape the year round.
Warm up before each exercise session and cool down afterwards.
Stretch regularly to avoid muscles getting tight and short — stretching preserves flexibility and reduces the risk of injury.
Use good equipment; it’s particularly important to have supportive, well-fitting shoes for weight-bearing activities.
Use good technique; coaching can improve your mechanics as well as your performance.
Don’t overdo it. Fatigue and dehydration impair concentration, often leading to injury. Give your body a chance to rest and recover after workouts. Alternate hard sessions with easier ones. Vary your routine so that you use different parts of your body; some people, for example, might walk one day, play tennis the next, and garden the third.
Be alert for any signs and symptoms. A bit of soreness and stiffness is normal, but pain, swelling, diminished strength or mobility, and discoloration of the skin is not. Spot small problems before they become big ones. If your problem seems small, treat it yourself. But if you don’t improve — or if you have a major injury — seek help. Further support and advice can be found at Dynamic Osteopaths
COMMON INJURIES: A GUIDE FOR EXERCISES
Sprains
Injuried ligaments, the connective tissues that connect one bone to another at a joint.Most often due to over stretch of a ligament; grading from 1 - 3. In general, 1 sprains produce slight pain and swelling, 2 injuries are often accompanied by weakness and slight bruising due to bleeding, and 3 sprains produce severe weakness, decreased mobility and high swelling.
Strains
Injuries to muscles or tendons. Commonly known a 'pulled muscle', also coming in 1 - 3 varieties. Like sprains, strains are usually caused by excessive force on a tendon or muscle fatigue.
Tendinitis
Inflammation of a tendon, often caused by overuse or poor body mechanics. Pain is the major symptom, in addition to warmth, swelling, and redness may occur. The pain is typically most severe at the start of exercise; it eases up during exercise with increased blood flow to a muscle, only to return with a vengeance afterward.
Fasciitis
Inflammation of the layer of fibrous tissue that covers many muscles and tendons. Overuse is another cause. A common example is plantar fasciitis, inflammation of the sole of the foot, which occurs in many walkers and runners.
Bursitis
Inflammation of the small, fluid-like sacs that reduces fluid around connective tissue.
Arthritis and synovitis
Inflammation of a joint (arthritis) or the membrane that surrounds it (synovitis). Like bursitis, joint inflammation often occurs without being triggered by exercise, but both problems can also result from overuse or trauma. Pain and swelling are common symptoms.
Dislocations
Often very painful and disabling, dislocations occur when bones slip out of their normal alignment in a joint. A deformity can be visible, and the joint is unable to move.
Fractures
A disruption in the continuity of bone. Except for broken toes and stress fractures, nearly all fractures require skilled medical management.
Contusions
Bleeding into tissues caused by direct trauma.
Muscle cramps and spasms
Unduly strong and sustained muscle contractions that can be very painfull. Gentle stretching will help relieve cramps; hydration and good conditioning help prevent them.
Lacerations and abrasions
Cuts and scrapes; small ones can be managed with soap and water and Band-Aids, but larger ones may require special dressings or sutures. Tetanus shots are not necessary if immunizations have been kept up to date with boosters every 10 years.
Further information and advice can be found at Dynamic Osteopaths
IMMEDIATE SELF-TREATMENT
PRICE:
Protection. Against further injury. Protect your small injuries by applying bandages, elastic wraps, or simple splints.
Rest. Time for healing. Don't ignore it. But you can rest selectively; you may have to give up tennis while your serving shoulder recovers from tendinitis, but you can still walk, jog, or hike. Diversify your workouts and acquire new skills.
Ice. Cheapest, simplest, and most effective way to manage many injuries. Ice is an excellent anti-inflammatory, reducing swelling and pain. For best results, apply an ice pack for 10 to 15 minutes as soon as possible after an injury. Repeat the ice treatment each hour for the first four hours, then four times a day for the next two to three days. Protect your skin with a thin cloth, and don’t allow your skin to become red, blistered, or numb. After 48 to 72 hours, switch to heat treatments, using the same schedule and principles.
Compression. Aiding reduction in swelling and inflammation. In most cases, a simple elastic bandage will suffice; it should be snug but not too tight. Another trick is to place a small piece of foam rubber directly on the injured area before you wrap it; this will allow you to put gentle pressure where it’s needed without constricting an entire joint or limb.
Elevation. A simple strategy that enlists the force of gravity to drain fluid away from injured tissues, reducing swelling, inflammation, and pain.
Further support and advice can be found at Dynamic Osteopaths
MEDICATION
PRICE is the key to the early management of most kinds of injuries, but you may also need medication for pain or inflammation. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, other brands) may be the best choice for the first day, since it will reduce pain without increasing bleeding. After the first day or two, consider aspirin or another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) such as ibuprofen (Advil, other brands) or naproxen (Aleve) to fight inflammation as well as pain. NSAIDs can irritate the stomach and cause bleeding; for safety’s sake, take them with milk or food. Prolonged NSAID use can lead to other complications, so use the lowest dose that works and always follow directions.
(As recommended by Harvard Medical School)
The PRICE program relies on applications of cold and then heat, often supplemented by anti-inflammatory medications or pain relievers. Instead of an ice pack or warm pack, you can rub in an ointment that will make your tissues feel cool or warm. And you can also buy liniments, gels, and ointments that contain anti-inflammatory medications. Topical anti-inflammatories are available without a prescription, and they are much safer than oral anti-inflammatory medications.
REHABILITATION
By this point your pain should be gone and your swelling should be down. As a rule of thumb, give yourself two days of rehab for each day of inactivity due to injury. Begin with gentle range-of-motion exercises, and then gradually increase your weight-bearing activities. When managable, consider building up your tissues with graded resistance training using body weight exercises, light weights, or resistance equipment. If all goes well, you can be stronger than before your injury, thus reducing your risk of reinjury.
Don’t neglect stretching exercises to improve your flexibility. Use heat or massage to warm up your injured tissues before you start your rehab exercises; afterward, apply ice to the area to reduce inflammation. The judicious use of aspirin or other NSAIDs may also facilitate your rehabilitation program.
Further support and advice can be found at Dynamic Osteopaths
SEEK HELP
An experienced exercise professional should be your first port of call. Here at Dynamic Osteopaths we have osteopathic clinics operating in Solihull and Birmingham that consist of sports osteopaths and exercises specialists that will offer you with the best support and advice regarding your sports injury.
PROGRESSION
Exercise is extremley important should should always be carried. True, injuries do occur — but don’t let the threat of problems become an excuse for not exercising. Instead, take the simple steps that will reduce your risk of exercise-induced injuries, become able to spot problems early and then seek the correct advise.
Further support and advice can be found at Dynamic Osteopaths
info@dynamicosteopaths.com
0796 6317712
