HAD A GOOD FALL LATELY?? Quite a few of our members have been reporting nasty falls with painful consequences. The one thing to remember if you find yourself going down, is to go as loose as possible and don't try to save yourself unless something much more disastrous may result.  eg cutting yourself on sharp object, knocking your head severely etc. Often an arm flung out to save the fall, results in a dislocated shoulder, wrist fracture or arm fracture.  These problems can persist for years whereas bruising would have only been weeks.

When we sustain an injury, the body's first reaction is to protect the damaged cells by increasing the blood supply to the area and putting a cushion around the hurt spot.  Fluid rushes into the tissues and swelling occurs.

As Richard Baker, the Silver Chain physio keeps reminding us, the treatment is RICE -  (but not the one you eat)
 

R = rest     I  = ice    C = compression    E = elevate

An ice pack or frozen peas constricts the blood vessels, lessening the flow out into the tissues, bruising etc.  It also helps to numb the area, lessening the pain.

Bandage if possible to support and restrict swelling too.  Elevate above the heart level as gravity then assists venous return and makes it harder to pump more blood for swelling.

If the skin is not broken and you have Hirudoid or other anti-bruising cream to hand, applied as soon as possible will hasten the repair.  With broken skin, mercurochrome and leave open is still the quickest or plastic spray bandage.

Dr Niblett has a cream for unbroken soft tissue injury he swears by.  It's called Rheuma-Gesic Sports Rub - available at Beechboro Pharmacy.

First Aid over, let's look at the damage.

FRACTURE?  - Your body needs the ingredients to repair the bone.  Getting on to boron and magnesium lessens the pain within a few days and speeds healing of the bone.  Boron is the cement that holds the bone together.

JOINTS?  - Any problem with joints again needs boron for repair.  There is probably damage to muscle, tendons and maybe nerves too.  If you remember these simple formulas you'll know what you need.
 

Bone and joints - need boron   Muscles - need magnesium   Tendons - need manganese   Nerves - need Vitamin B6   Inflammation - needs Vitamin C   Bleeding - needs Vitamin C   Veins - need Vitamin E   Cell repair - needs zinc

Analyse what's involved and what action you need.  Once the initial swelling has been prevented you may need heat.  Cold constricts.  Heat expands.  To effect repair we need the blood supply to bring in the fix-it items, so we want to encourage circulation now.  Heat can also lessen pain.  A hot pack, hot water bottle, electric blanket, hot shower or bath can help.  And don't get cold.  Cold depresses the immune system when the body is shocked by injury.

PAIN - pain depresses and makes healing difficult.  Don't be a stoic, putting up with pain.  We get better quicker if pain can be eliminated.  Use the above formulae and pain killers as well  if needed.  Pain killers tend to constipate so you may need extra Vitamin C to avoid constipation.  Your body needs extra Vit C for the repair work anyway.  You will know if you are having too much Vit C or magnesium - your bowels will get loose. So just cut back slightly.

And DO TAKE CARE where you put your feet.