A Magazine of People and
Possibilities
Sports and General Injuries
by Dr. Raj Rakhra
An injury is damage to your body. It is a general term that refers to harm caused by accidents, falls, blows, burns, weapons etc. Millions of people injure themselves every year. Injuries range from minor to life-threatening and can happen at work or play, indoors or outdoors, driving a car or walking across the street. Common injuries include Burns, Fractures, Dislocations and Sprains.
Joint Disorders
A joint is where two or more bones come together, like the knee, hip, elbow or shoulder. Joints can be damaged by many types of injuries or diseases. Arthritis or simply years of use may cause a joint to wear away. This can cause pain, stiffness and swelling. Over time, a swollen joint can become severely damaged.
Back pain
The back is an intricate structure of bones, muscles, and other tissues extending from the neck to the pelvis. Back injuries are often associated with an unsafe environment, accident or overextending your physical capabilities as in sporting or recreational activities. Many injuries can happen during everyday activities at work, home, in the garden, or from a sudden jolt such as sustained in a motor vehicle accident. The lower back is the most common site of back injury such as sprains, strains, herniated disks and fractured vertebrae.
These injuries can cause pain and limit your movement. Treatments vary but might include medicines, icing, bed rest, physical therapy or surgery. You might be able to prevent some back injuries by maintaining a healthy weight and exercise regime, lifting objects with your legs and using a lower-back support when you sit.
Ankle Injuries
The ankle bone and the ends of the two lower leg bones make up the ankle joint. The ligaments that connect the bones to one another stabilize and support the ankle joint and the muscles and tendons move it.
The most common ankle problems are sprains and fractures. A sprain is an injury to the ligaments. It may take a few weeks to many months to heal completely. A fracture is a break in a bone. You can also injure other parts of the ankle such as tendons, which join muscles to bone, and cartilage. Ankle sprains and fractures are common sports injuries.
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway of ligament and bones at the base of your hand. It contains nerve and tendons. Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the nerve to be compressed. Symptoms usually start gradually. As they worsen, grasping objects can become difficult. Other causes include performing assembly line work, wrist injury, or swelling due to certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment includes resting your hand, splints, pain and anti-inflammatory medicines, and surgery.
Neck Injury
Muscle strain or tension often causes neck pain. The problem is usually overuse, such as from sitting at a computer for too long. Sometimes you can strain your neck muscles from sleeping in an awkward position or overdoing it during exercise. Falls or accidents, including car accidents can cause a soft tissue injury to the neck such as whiplash also called neck sprain or strain. If you are an elderly person a fall can change your life and can lead to disability and loss of independence. If your bones are fragile a fall could break a bone, most often the hip bone. Frail, aged people are also at risk of falling because their balance can be impaired by poor circulation, a heart condition, diabetes, nervous system problems and some medications can cause dizziness.
Knee Injuries
The knee joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the knee joint move. Knee problems can induce pain and make walking difficult. Arthritis is the most common disease that affects the bones in your knees. The cartilage in the knee gradually wears away, the result is pain and swelling. Injuries to ligaments and tendons also cause knee problems. A prevalent sport related injury is to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), usually injured by a sudden twisting motion.
Treatment of Injuries depends on the cause.
A sports Injury, is assessed and First Aid begins with Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation to relieve pain, reduce swelling and speed healing. Other possible treatments include pain relievers, keeping the injured area from moving, rehabilitation, and sometimes surgery.
Other treatments used in our clinic are acupuncture, injections of traumeel and other homeopathic remedies. Some refined anti inflammatory herbs such as Ginger, Curcumin, Boswellia, Glucosamine are effective alone or combined with other quality supplements.
Intravenous therapies- There are different combinations that are effective.
Prolotherapy.
Prolotherapy - is a solution of Procaine, B12 and dextrose, that is injected into the injured site where the ligament or tendon attaches to the bone. This causes a localized mild irritation or inflammation in the weakened area to increase the blood supply and flow of nutrients to stimulate the tissue to repair itself.
Platelet rich Plasma Therapy ( PRP )
Many disciplines including dentistry, neurosurgery, wound healing and orthopedics have incorporated PRP treatments to enhance the healing process. Because platelets play a key role in the healing of tissue, a high concentration of platelets are reintroduced directly into the injured site. The treatments facilitate and intensify tissue regeneration in tendons, ligaments and soft tissue. This procedure is primarily employed to decrease inflammation and pain, increase collagen (base component of connective tissue), bone density and the development of new blood cells.
PRP Preparation and Treatment
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is an outpatient procedure. About ten to twenty cc's of the patient’s blood is drawn and placed in a centrifuge to separate the blood components. The platelet-rich plasma is withdrawn in a syringe for the procedure. The patient can have a local anesthetic (lidocaine) in preparation for the treatment. Typically a course of therapy consists of three to six injections one to four weeks apart depending on the injury.
Dr. Rakhra is a Naturopathic Physician, serving Calgary
for more than twenty years and practicing Complementary Medicine since 1964. He is a
Member of Alberta Association of Naturopathic Doctors. Dr. Rakhra's clinic is located at 121 - 14 Street North West in Calgary, Alberta. You
can reach his office at 403-270-7033. Visit his website at: www.aynh.com.
Read more articles by Dr. Rakhra Here.