Brad is a Health Science graduate of the University of New England and has postgraduate accreditations in athletics, swimming and triathlon coaching. Brad is often referred to as the Stretch Coach and has even been called the Stretching Guru. His stretching and sports injury articles have been published in numerous health and fitness magazines and extensively online at sites like the Washington Post and the New York Times. Amazon has listed his books on 5 of their best-seller lists both in the US and the UK. Brad lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia with his wife of 25 years, Jennifer and two boys, Ethan and Seth.
Soft tissue injuries are common in most sporting activities, if not all. Soft tissue injuries include sprains, strain, tears, and bruises affecting muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. The difference between a strain and a sprain is, a sprain refers to a tear or rupture of the ligaments while a strain refers to a tear or rupture of the muscles or tendons. Most soft tissue injuries are caused by activities requiring the muscles to stretch and contract at the same time. A lack of conditioning, flexibility, and warming up may also contribute.
The best initial treatment for these types of injuries is the RICER regimen. This regimen involves rest, ice, compression, elevation, and referral for appropriate medical treatment. The regimen provides an initial base for complete recovery and healing. Moreover, there are huge differences when the regimen is applied, and when not, within the first 24 hours. When applied the RICER regimen helps to control bleeding, swelling, and pain. A long-term difference is that, with the regimen, there is minimal formation of scar tissue allowing for the optimal return of movement and strength.
When applying ice, it is recommended to apply it for 20 minutes every 2 hours for the first 48- 72 hours. However, due to the differences in sensitivity caused by age and circulatory problems, people should use their own judgment in application. During application, avoid applying ice directly to the skin, rather use a damp towel to protect the skin.
Stretching and stressing the injured area is to be avoided during the initial rehabilitation process. A vital role of this process is to avoid scar tissue problems. Normally, the body does not repair a tear with new muscle (or tendon or ligament); instead, it repairs it with scar tissue, which is easily injured due to its inflexibility. The scar tissue also forms a weak spot as it draws the surrounding tissues together. However, after 72 hours, one can start light activities to promote blood circulation and activate the lymphatic system. For the removal of unwanted scar tissue, two vital treatments are used; the first involves treatments to increase blood flow to the injured area, and the second involves deep tissue sports massage.
At this stage, the swelling and bleeding may have stopped, but a crucial part of the recovery remains. Among the phases remaining, active rehabilitation includes activities and exercises to speed up recovery and permanently reorganize the scar tissue fibres. The activities should be gradual from simple movements to strength exercises and finally stretching. Another phase involves balance and proprioception, which is important due to the damage of nerves at the injury site. Balancing exercises should also be progressive. Finally, to return the muscle to a pre-injury state, dynamic and explosive exercises are incorporated. Moreover, exercises and drills relating to the specific sport can now be introduced.
During the whole process, it is important to note that you cannot do things the way you used to. A proper mindset involving patience, lack of ignorance and early treatment are important to heal faster. Moreover, proper diet involving eating certified organic foods, slow eating, reducing coffee, dairy and meat intake and drinking filtered water also helps. Lifestyle in terms of sleeping at least 8-9 hours a night and maintaining good general health and fitness also provide a solid base for healing. Supplements like vitamin C and Branch Chain Amino Acids can be added as part of the recovery.
For more tips on treating muscle injuries and healing quickly, visit StretchCoach.com.