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Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter

October 1, 2003

Issue Vol. 3 No. 10

In This Newsletter
Introduction
Healthfully yours
Health Hints

Introduction***

The Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter is written monthly, solely for information to help seniors, baby boomers and anyone who may have an interest in staying healthy, living a vigorous, active lifestyle and combating the aging process. It does not constitute the practice of medicine and is not meant to prescribe treatments. It is offered strictly as an educational aid. Any medical problems you may have, we recommend that you seek the help of your physician or other healthcare professional. Discussing your intentions with your doctor is always the proper procedure. The newsletter also includes know-how in the form of useful tips and links to more extensive material on the Internet. You may wish to share this newsletter by sending a copy to a friend, neighbor or relative and suggesting they subscribe to it.

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Healthfully Yours***

Is it a Strain or Sprain?

Strain or sprain injuries are one of the most common injuries that can affect any individual, whether at work, doing household chores, engaging in any amateur sport, or even professional sports. The reaction of any injury that results in tissue tears are-called “strains” or “sprains. The classification of these injuries will be determined by their severity. Strains and sprains are graded according to the degree and number of muscle fibers involved. There are 3 grades of strains and sprains.

Grade 1:

  • There is slight overstretching.
     
  • Little or up to 10% tearing.
     
  • Little or no swelling.
     
  • Little to slight loss of function.

Grade 2:

  • There is a partial tear of a muscle usually between 10 to 50 percent of the muscle fibers.
     
  • There will be moderate swelling, heat and pain.
     
  • There will be some loss of function.

Grade 3:

  • There is an extensive tear and possibly a complete rupture of the muscle involved.
     
  • The swelling will be severe, with possible internal bleeding, and severe pain.
     
  • The muscle or ligament may be completely torn away from it’s insertion
     
  • There will be complete loss of function.

Strains and sprains can occur in any part to the body. They will occur wherever and whenever a particular joint, muscle or ligament is stretched beyond it’s normal limits. The areas most affected are the ankles, elbows, shoulders, sacroiliac joints, and basically any muscles in the body. Sprains and strains generally aren’t usually serious. However, the resultant swelling, tenderness and pain will generally keep you from your normal activities. If the sprain or strain is in the grade 3 categories, it may prove more debilitating and actually keep you from doing anything at all.

Generally the grade 1 and grade 2 sprains can generally be attended to on a self-help basis. The grade 3 sprain and strain, needs to be evaluated by your healthcare provider. Should there be severely torn or ruptured muscles, tendons, ligaments, or a combination of any of these, surgical intervention may be necessary.

When an individual suffers a sprain or strain in any part of their body, this will leave them vulnerable to a re-injury at some time in the future. The ankles, elbows, shoulders and lower back are particularly susceptible to these re-injuries. To prevent these occurrences, the individual must be aware of the triggers that originally caused the sprain/strain, and change their of doing certain actions, whether at work, home or doing sports. Treating and coping with this problem will be explored in the health hints below.

Health Hints***

Again, let me caution you to be sure that if your injury is so severe as to be a grade 3 sprain/strain, you should seek advice from your healthcare provider. He/she will determine if surgical intervention is needed. However, once it is determined that there are no complete tears or ruptures, grade 1, 2 and 3 sprains will respond well to conservative treatment. The following procedures should be used within the first 24 to 72 hours of the injury.

R-I-C-E…

REST: If the injury is to the ankle, stay off it as much as possible. If the injury is to the elbow, shoulder, low back or any other area of the body, refrain from placing any stress on it as much as possible.

ICE: Ice the area during the first 24 to 72 hours. Use the ice for 20 minutes, and leave off for at least an hour before applying again to allow the tissues to return to normal temperatures. CAUTION: Always use paper toweling on the shin before applying the cold. ALSO: Do not apply cold if there are circulatory problems or any areas of decreased sensation, ulcers, open wounds, or areas of known malignancies. Using an analgesic gel, such as BIOFREZE 3 to 4 times daily can be a significant method of alleviating the pain.

COMPRESSION: Using some form of compression, such as an ankle, elbow or back brace, or strapping to immobilize the area as much as possible will prove extremely helpful. Using such immobilization will prevent the muscles, ligaments and tendons from being over-stressed, giving them a better chance to rest and heal. ELEVATION: If the injury is to the ankle or any other area of the leg, keep the leg elevated as much as possible. This will afford proper drainage of any fluids that accumulate in any injury. After following the above recommendations for the 72-hour period, another letter (P) is added to the RICE procedure as follows:

PRICE…
The above R-I-C-E procedures have been followed, now you add the “P”. The “P ” only means that you will be adding a protective brace to be worn when you are back to work, during rigorous household chores or engaging in any active sports. This

will help prevent further injuries.

A regime such as the above, will get the individual back to a normal daily lifestyle. It will preclude the need for bed-rest in most cases. The individual, however, should be aware of the initial injury and make every effort to prevent recurrence. This may include changing their golf stance, how they throw a bowling ball, how they swing a bat, or what they are doing on the job. Certain lifestyles may need to be changed. If there are recurring injuries to the same area, it will become a chronic problem. When this occurs, scar tissue will certainly form making this a greater problem.

So, be aware of what and how you are doing these things and enjoy a vigorous and painless lifestyle.

Doc Cane

Copyright, Disclaimer, and Trademark information Copyrightă 1997-2003 Emanuel M. Cane. All rights reserved. Except stated below, this material or parts thereof may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed by any means whatsoever without explicit, written permission from the author.

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