| Whether you are in the Northern or the Southern | | | | of training. Used in any other way than this, sport |
| hemisphere, right now there will be hundreds of | | | | or even just plain exercise can be painfully |
| thousands of athletes, would-be athletes and | | | | injurious. Let us take a look at some injuries and |
| get-fitters who will get it wrong in the exercise | | | | their treatments. |
| stakes. Either the warm up will not be long enough | | | | THE INJURIES |
| or will not have happened at all - the warm down | | | | CARTILAGE |
| will have been too abrupt or, simply, an injury will | | | | This type of injury normally affects the knee |
| be experienced as the result of an unavoidable | | | | joint. Designed to move in only one plane, forward |
| accident. Whatever sport or athletic activity you | | | | and back, the knee is sometimes compelled to |
| involve yourself in there are bound to be injuries. | | | | move to one side or the other! Strained or even |
| SO WHAT? | | | | torn cartilage should receive immediate attention |
| All very commonplace, you say. True, but these | | | | due to the fact that cartilage has a poor blood |
| days the treatments for sporting injuries have | | | | supply and is mostly incapable of repairing itself. |
| taken on a new persona. In days of yore when | | | | Often surgery is the only remedy for damage to |
| you twisted your ankle kicking a rugby or soccer | | | | cartilage. |
| ball around the pitch at the weekend, on rushed | | | | SPRAINS AND DISLOCATIONS |
| the coach or appointed medic (who may or may | | | | Injury to a ligament occurs when a joint is |
| not have had any formal training in first-aid) to | | | | suddenly stretched beyond its normal range. This |
| give the required attention to the injury. When | | | | is commonly called a sprain and affects the fibres |
| the same thing happens today it's a whole new | | | | that hold the joint in its normal position. They tear |
| ball game! Technology and training, together with | | | | causing pain and weakness of the affected joint. |
| advancements in knowledge of the causes and | | | | Swelling, bruising and tenderness at the point of |
| treatment of sports injuries have progressed in | | | | injury is the result. |
| leaps and bounds. | | | | THE TREATMENTS |
| Also emerging from the dark ages of sports | | | | In the case of cartilage injury the immediate |
| bumps is the awareness of just how useful | | | | treatment is to apply an ice compress to the |
| natural health techniques can be. Coupled with | | | | affected area. This is as much to alleviate the pain |
| orthodox views natural therapies are fast | | | | by numbing the damaged area as to help reduce |
| becoming an adjunct to the older methods - | | | | the swelling. As previously mentioned, in serious |
| some of which have been dragging their | | | | cases of cartilage injuries it is as well to get the |
| hypothetical feet in the peat bogs of antiquity. | | | | patient to hospital for an x-ray to assess the |
| The number of injuries sustained whilst playing a | | | | degree of damage as surgery may be needed. In |
| sport of some description is almost incalculable. It | | | | certain cases massage at the joint may help, but |
| runs from bruises, sprains and dislocations through | | | | this should be carried out by someone trained in |
| to bone fractures, tendon, ligament and cartilage | | | | sports injuries. To reduce shock and bruising try |
| damage. The list of treatments is almost as long - | | | | Arnica 30 as a natural healer - Arnica has been |
| massage, hydrotherapy, homoeopathy, | | | | said to work wonders. |
| acupressure and acupuncture...even aromatherapy. | | | | As for sprains and dislocations again, ice to reduce |
| Sport strengthens muscles, increases stamina, | | | | swelling. Arnica 30 may be used as soon as the |
| assists in the control of obesity and improves | | | | injury is sustained and taken hourly for six hours. |
| sleep patterns. However, it is common sense to | | | | Massage is likely to help disperse swellings and |
| practise it wisely and regularly, beginning in small | | | | prevent adhesions (the joining together of internal |
| doses and gradually working up to a full regimen | | | | surfaces normally separate from one another). |