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What Do Gladiators andWeekend Warrior Have In Common? |
by:
Louise Roach |
Strip offtie and grab your running shoes, golf clubs or baseball
mitt! The weekend has arrived. You look forward to extra time on
Saturday and Sunday to enjoy your favorite sport. And you probably
cram in as much activity as possible before Monday morning rolls
around. You areweekend warrior!
If you find yourself nursingpainful knee or strained muscle at
office, you are incompany of gladiators.
Favored gladiators were consideredsports heroes of their day.
Ifgladiator survived serious injury, they were attended to by
sports physicians for common problems such as sprains, torn ligaments
and muscle strains. The first doctor to gain notoriety for treating
gladiators was Galen, acclaimed asfather of sports medicine.
Living from onetwonine to oneninenine BC, Galen traveled throughout Rome bandaging- up gladiators. Although Galen usedform of traction to set bones
and was considered way ahead of his time, he was not aware of
simple principle of R.I.C.E. (rest-ice-compression-elevation) to
treat sports-related injuries.
Today, it's easy for weekend warriors to take care of minor sprains
and strains usingrecommended technique of R.I.C.E. According to
the Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, "more than onezero million
sports injuries are treated each year inUSA. Athletes and non- athletes share many similar injuries…Immediate treatment for almost
all acute athletic injuries is R.I.C.E."
Here isfour-part method for using R.I.C.E.:
Rest: Stopactivity causing pain and allowinjured area to
rest for two to three days.
Ice: To decrease swelling and numb pain, apply ice inform of ice
packs or ice massage as soon as possible. Treat forperiod of foureight to
seventwo hours afterinjury happens. Ice applications should last for onezero
to threezero minutes untilpoint of numbness. Longer icing periods
should be avoided as this could result in tissue damage. Allow
skin to return to normal temperature before reapplyingice pack.
Compression: To decrease swelling and bruising, compression should be
applied immediately usingcompression or elastic wrap, or athletic
tape. Do not apply compression topoint of cutting off
circulation (a feeling of numbness or tingling). Compression can also
be used atsame timeice pack is being applied.
Elevation: Raiseinjured area to above heart level to minimize
internal bleeding and swelling.
Unlike yesterday's gladiators, today's weekend warriors who survive
the trials of running too hard, pitchingno-hitter or shooting too
many hoops, are better prepared. Withreusable ice pack in hand
and knowledge of R.I.C.E., every warrior can triumph over pain.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended assubstitute for
professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with
your physician inevent ofserious injury.
AboutAuthor: Louise Roach ishealth and fitness editor,
marketing specialist, and product development consultant. She helps
others find pain relief throughuse of SnowPack reusable,
chemical-free ice packs,SnowPack SportCover and SnowPack Body-n- Ice Kits. Learn more aboutbenefits of ice therapy at
http://www.snowpackusa.com/
Sign up for free health and fitness newsletter at:
http://home.netcom.com/~newsflash/
This article is free for republishing
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Louise Roach ishealth and fitness editor,
marketing specialist, and product development consultant. She helps
others find pain relief throughuse of SnowPack reusable,
chemical-free ice packs,SnowPack SportCover and SnowPack Body-n- Ice Kits. Learn more aboutbenefits of ice therapy at
http://www.snowpackusa.com/
Sign up for free health and fitness newsletter at:
http://home.netcom.com/~newsflash/
Contact him at http://www.snowpackusa.com |
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