We talked about the "RICE" method for injury healing last week. As we mentioned, many practitioners and trainers are no longer recommending the “RICE” method after an acute injury. Rest and ice have been part of the standard treatment for injury and soreness for so long because it helps to relieve pain, however, recent studies show these two factors may actually delay healing rather than help it.As we have discussed before, inflammation is a natural process carried out by the body to heal itself. Uncontrolled inflammation in different parts of the body can lead to other health concerns, but when it comes to inflammation after injury, the primary goal is to heal the injury.
Let’s start with icing. Of course ice can help to make a person feel better, however, it also can cause congestion in the tissues and fluids around the site of an injury. The constricted vessels are unable to bring fresh oxygenated blood and nutrients in and get rid of the waste products created by the inflammatory process. Some research has also shown that the effects of ice may last for hours after the ice has been removed, causing this back up of nutrients to last even longer.Now to address rest after injury. Different injuries will require different time periods of rest after an injury. An ankle sprain versus a fracture, for example, will have a different process for healing. With a sprain injury, the resting period after injury should remain fairly short. It is important to keep the joints mobile for a few different reasons –First, the waste products created by the inflammatory process are carried in the lymphatic system. This system relies on muscle contraction to help move fluids around the body, as it does not have a built in pump system like the circulatory (blood) system does. The second reason is to prevent scar tissue formation. When soft tissue such as a ligament or tendon is injured, it does not heal back in exactly the same way as before the injury took place. Imagine a deep cut on your finger, it will eventually form a scab and form a scar on the skin which will remain there forever. The more movement that scar tissue has during healing, the better. This helps to prevent restrictions or adhesions around the injury which may lead to movement compensation down the road.So what is the best course of care? Compression and elevation are suggested to control inflammation better than the entire RICE method altogether. Using a wrap such as an Ace bandage around an injury allows the vessels to continually replenish the site of injury while keeping the swelling under control. Excess fluid is not able to build up when confined by a firm bandage.In closing, we aren’t necessarily saying to never use ice for an injury, but rather to use it for smaller amounts of time. Ice should be limited to 10 minutes every few hours, if at all. Movement and light range of motion exercises should be incorporated as soon as possible to limit any loss of function. The doctors at Optimal Chiropractic treat a wide range of sports injuries from high school athletes to the Weekend Warrior. Give our office in Post Falls, Idaho a call to see how we can help you or someone you may know.
Using RICE for Injury Repair
Anyone who has worked with athletes or been an athlete themselves, has likely heard the term RICE. This term stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Imagine a sprained ankle, the image of a person laying on the couch with their foot wrapped in ice and elevated on a pillow is fairly common, and displays all of the aspects of the RICE method.The idea behind RICE seems to make sense, so let’s break down each stage:
Rest – generally, if a person has a sudden injury we want to cease activity for a period of time to avoid any further injury and allow the body to begin the healing process. It is important, however, to not remain inactive for too long. Light stretching or range of motion exercises early on after injury will help to keep a joint mobile and prevent scar tissue from forming.
Ice – this is becoming more of a controversial topic. The idea behind the use of ice, is that it causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels). This slows the blood flow, and as a result is supposed to decrease inflammation and swelling around a joint. Heat, on the other hand, does the opposite. It causes vasodilation (widening of the blood vessels), which then allows more blood flow and inflammatory chemicals to come to the site of injury. Inflammation is a natural healing process by the body (click HERE to read our blog about painkillers and inflammation to learn more).
Compression – again, this is another method to control inflammation, as well as mobility. Depending on the injury, it may need to be stabilized or immobilized for a period of time. As with rest, and depending on the severity and type of injury, gentle mobilization needs to be incorporated into rehabilitation of the injury to avoid scar tissue and movement compensations developing.
Elevation – this step is to help the body with blood flow. Arteries take blood to the tissues, and veins work hard to pump the fluid back to the heart. There is another system in the body called the lymphatic system, which also carries fluid to and from the body tissues and is also involved in healing. This other system, however, relies on many of the body’s other tissues and systems to help move fluids to different areas of the body. With the help of gravity when elevating an arm or leg, it helps to get fluids flowing in the right direction and decrease swelling.
At Optimal Chiropractic, one question we get asked on a DAILY basis is what patients should be doing at home for acute injury and pain. Many physical therapists, chiropractors, and trainers are now moving away from the RICE method. For our next blog, we will discuss why many practitioners no longer recommend this method of treatment, and some alternatives you could be using instead.
The Dangers of OTC Medications
It is estimated that 240 million Americans use over-the-counter (OTC) pain killers for their aches and pains. Every year Americans spend roughly $102 billion dollars on these presumably safe drugs. OTC pain killers are recommended for everyday aches and pains, headaches, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, and reducing inflammation. When taking a drug or supplement, people should always question its safety and efficiency. As with all drugs, there are side effects, and no drug is harmless. If you frequently use OTC painkillers there are some things you need to know.Common OTC painkillers are Tylenol, Motrin, Aspirin, Aleve, and Ibuprofen to name a few. OTC painkillers are responsible for more than 100,000 hospitalizations, and more than 16,000 deaths annually.Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is used as a pain reliever and also to reduce fever. It is responsible for more than 50,000 Emergency Room visits per year. The problem with Tylenol, is that it can cause damage to the liver, kidneys, and brain over time. It has the highest rate of “staggered overdose” which simply is the "if two must work well, 3 must work better" mentality. However, 3 may be considered an overdose. Over time this can cause problems, and liver damage can occur before a single symptom of overdose is detected.Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) like Advil, Aleve, and Ibuprofen are most commonly used to reduce inflammation. Inflammation occurs when there is an injury to the body such as a joint sprain. Long term use of NSAIDS can cause a variety of problems such as gastric (stomach) bleeding, which can be severe and even fatal. It can also cause cardiovascular problems by raising high blood pressure, and may cause kidney failure which is irreversible.Aspirin is most suggested for heart health. Everyone has heard the myth that a baby aspirin a day reduces your risk of heart attack and stroke. Recent research by the FDA has actually found exactly the opposite. Aspirin also increases risk of gastro-intestinal bleeding as it is an NSAID by nature. Scientific research has also shown that 90% of cases diagnosed with Reye’s syndrome were caused by aspirin.Recent research published by the FDA admits that NSAIDS and Aspirin can actually increase the risk for heart attack and stroke by up to 50% with high dose prescriptions. Over-the-counter NSAIDS increase risk by 10%, and low dose prescriptions increase risk by 20%. This is a huge increase to the associated risk the FDA found in 2005. Researchers said they are unsure which drugs are more dangerous, and every one of them should be taken with caution.In the next blog, we will discuss natural supplements that are just as effective as these common OTC drugs. The advantage of taking natural supplements is that you don’t have the same side effects associated with medications. Remember, every drug that has been recalled by the FDA, was once found to be SAFE and EFFECTIVE by the FDA.Contact the doctors at Optimal Chiropractic in Post Falls if you have any questions or concerns, or would like to know more about natural and safe alternatives to your health.
What's in Your Sports Drink?
What is actually in your Sports Drink?Fall Sports seasons are starting up all over the United States. It’s not uncommon to see coolers of Gatorade and other various sports drinks. Most athletes drink these liquids without any thought about whether or not it is helping to hydrate them or perform better. Most athletes don’t even consider what is actually in their sports drink. Gatorade claims it will keep you hydrated while providing electrolytes to keep athletes performing better. But what is actually in a bottle of Gatorade or other sports drinks? Do these drinks actually do anything to hydrate or help you perform better?When looking at the label on a Gatorade bottle, there are actually very few ingredients that make it up. There is sodium and potassium (electrolytes), carbohydrates (sugar), and then they also list sugar. In a nutshell, Gatorade is basically salt water, flavored and colored with artificial ingredients, and sweetened with sugar for taste. When compared to a can of soda, there actually isn’t much difference between a bottle of Gatorade and that soda. In fact, a lot of sugary drinks that are considered to be bad for you have almost the same composition.Here is a breakdown of some popular drinks:
Drink
Potassium
Sodium
Sugar
Gatorade (bottle)
65 mg
250 mg
35 g
Soda (Mt. Dew Can)
65 mg
46 g
Monster
360 mg
50 g
Red Bull
200 mg
27 g
Vitamin Water
32.5 g
Powerade
87.5 mg
375 mg
52.5 g
The first question people generally ask when they see this chart, is why so much sodium? Sodium and potassium are two main electrolytes in the body. Electrolytes make it possible for electric current to be conducted so that your brain and nervous system are able to communicate with the rest of the body. We lose electrolytes when we sweat, so we need to replenish them. Sodium also has the secondary effect of making you very thirsty. You are essentially drinking salt water. To make the salt water taste better, companies add TONS of sugar. So why is this a problem for athletes and overall health?Sugar is known to give you energy followed by a “crash." Though temporary energy is good, the crash can reduce the athlete’s performance in the long run. Sugar is also the main culprit in the obesity epidemic in the United States. On average Americans consume 76.7 grams of sugar a day. The equivalent of 19 teaspoons. Sugar is also shown to have devastating effects on your overall health.When choosing a drink for hydration and performance, still one of the best options out there is water. It’s not only inexpensive, but it will hydrate you and provide the necessary electrolytes. There will also be no “crash” and the athlete won’t suffer in performance. You also won’t be feeding your athlete tons of sugar, which in the long run will improve overall health. If a quick energy boost is needed, Optimal Chiropractic carries products that are all natural to give the athlete the energy they need without the unhealthy by-products in other products. For more information contact Optimal Chiropractic today!
How to Choose YOUR Chiropractor
What is it that separates one chiropractor from another? Each practitioner has a variation in techniques or services they utilize. It is important to realize that a technique or treatment which may work well for one patient, may not be the best for another.From headaches to heel pain, chiropractors have a wide range of conditions they are able to treat outside of neck and back pain. Like the medical profession, there are many areas of specialty in chiropractic. It is important to know what you are looking for before choosing a chiropractor.Functional chiropractic care focuses on movement and function of the body as a whole, rather than just a traditional structural approach. With a combination of chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue treatments, and exercises, we are able to pinpoint the cause of dysfunction and make corrections to help the body function at its optimal level.With advanced diagnostic imaging and research, our understanding of how the spine functions has greatly improved. A typical chiropractic adjustment is not only restoring proper movement to a single joint, but is having a more global effect on the region being targeted. Postural correction and alignment of the vertebrae still remain very important, however, our focus shifts to proper joint movement and muscle function overall to support or stabilize the spine.As daily activities and stress take their toll on the body, it changes the way we function. Chiropractors have a thorough knowledge of how interconnected the muscle and joints are with bones and connective tissues of the body. In combining our knowledge of structural correction and functional movement, we are able to personalize treatment to each individual depending on their needs.The majority of the cases involving joint or muscle pain, there needs to be some level of stretching or strengthening activity. These types of activities tend to produce better outcomes and satisfaction with care. Functional chiropractic care is for people of all ages and all activity levels. Exercises and activities are often of minimal intensity and designed to help patients reach their goals much faster.Not only are we looking to the spine, but the entire musculoskeletal system to pinpoint causes of pain and dysfunction. The doctors at Optimal Chiropractic have sought out additional training to better understand and educate their patients to be able to provide a comprehensive and conservative approach to their health care. If you are looking for a chiropractor in North Idaho, give our office a calls at (208) 777-4305. We serve all of Kootenai County including Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, and Rathdrum.