Many of you may have experienced the pain and discomfort of a muscle sprain or tear, possibly as a result of falling or placing too much demand on certain areas of your body.
Known as soft tissue injuries, they can relate to muscle, tendon, ligament and surface tissue (including skin, fat and bursae), causing swelling and sometimes bleeding.
Treatment needs to start immediately – and a handy approach for remembering what to do in the first 24 hours is the RICE method, using a combination of Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation:
REST: refrain from any further activity. Continuing to move the injured area will cause more swelling and bleeding.
ICE: put ice in a wet cloth and apply to reduce pain, swelling and bleeding. This should be applied for 20 minutes every one to two hours.
COMPRESSION: bandaging the affected area will help to reduce swelling and should be firm but not so tight that it causes further pain.
ELEVATION: lifting the injured area reduces blood flow, which helps this type of injury. Slings are suggested for the upper part of the body and pillows or chairs for lower limbs.
Any treatments that increase blood flow in the first 24 to 48 hours, such as heat, alcohol and massage, need to be avoided.
Following injury, inadequate activity may lead to further weakness and joint stiffness leading to a prolonged recovery period. Too much activity means the injured tissues don't have a chance to heal.
Treatment and advice from a health professional should be sought as soon as possible to find the right level of activity suitable.
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