I have always been in pretty good health, so I was surprised one day when my doctor told me my blood pressure was a bit high. She told me to begin watching my salt intake, start exercising, and to try to relax. Well, I intended to follow her advice when I left her office, but the next day I was back to my same habits. I kept using the salt shaker and didn't begin an exercise routine like I had planned. When I went for my next check-up, she told me that my blood pressure was even higher and approaching a dangerous level. I had to begin a blood pressure medication to manage it. I wanted to create a blog to share my story and remind people to listen to their doctors' advice. If a few lifestyle changes can improve your health, then you should make them.
Soft tissue injury is a common risk associated with many popular sports. Knowing the basics of sports injury recovery can greatly reduce the time it takes you to get back on your feet. Here are four tips that can help you heal faster and experience less pain when you are recovering from a sports injury.
Visit a Sports Medicine Center
For many people, their first instinct after a sport-related injury is to "walk it off" and self-medicate with over-the-counter pain medication. However, damage to different parts of the body and different types of tissues can warrant different recovery methods. Because of this, it is important to always get a diagnosis so that you know exactly what kind of injury you are dealing with.
Sports injuries usually involve damage to muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues, meaning that their diagnosis is in the realm of an orthopedic physician. Many orthopedic clinics deal primarily with sports injuries and are referred to as sports medicine centers. These centers are usually your best option for getting a professional orthopedic evaluation and recovery plan.
Use Nutritional Supplements That Promote Recovery
Nutritional supplements are likely not the first things that come to mind when you are trying to recover from a sports injury. However, fueling your body with the right nutrients can accelerate its natural healing process and allow you to get back in the game more quickly.
Glucosamine and chondroitin are two compounds naturally made within the body that are involved with the creation and maintenance of cartilage. These closely-related compounds are typically found together in the same supplement. Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements can be effective at speeding up the repair of cartilage that protects your joints from the shock of running and contact sports.
Methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM, is another supplement that can have positive effects on muscular injuries. MSM supplements have inflammation-reducing properties that can make them beneficial for sprains and overextensions. MSM can also be found as a topical ointment that is useful for relieving muscle cramps.
Practice Range of Motion Exercises
One of the key indicators that the soft tissues at the site of injury are still damaged is reduced range of motion. It is imperative to restore full flexibility to the injured area before you begin playing again to reduce the risk of recurring injury. Reduced flexibility indicates that tight tendons, torn tissue, and/or subdermal muscular swelling are still present.
In addition to stretching multiple times daily, following a routine of range of motion exercises is vital for restoring your flexibility. There are several different range of motion exercises designed to isolate individual muscle groups and restore flexibility for virtually any sports injury.
Use Ice and Heating Pads Correctly
You have likely heard conflicting stories about whether ice or heat is better for a muscular injury. Surprisingly, the answer is that both can be effective, but only if used in the correct order. The number one factor to keep in mind is that heat increases capillary action in the blood vessels around the injury. This means that heat can actually worsen the problem if it is applied directly to swollen or inflamed muscles.
Ice should always be used first on swelling and inflammation because it slows down blood flow to the area and numbs pain. Ice should be used as a first-response treatment, while heat is more effective as a long-term recovery option that relieves soreness and stiffness.
An active attempt at recovery can minimize the amount of time it takes your body to repair soft tissue damage. Use these tips to make your sports injury recovery as short as possible. For more information, contact a local clinic like Town Center Orthopaedic Associates.
Share22 October 2015
