Hurt vs. Harm Tissue Healing & Recovery Presented by:[name]

Definitions Soft tissue Whiplash injuries Sprains Strains Muscle spasms

Soft Tissues  Except bones and teeth All tissue of the body Muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, and fat

Whiplash Injuries Injury to the cervical vertebrae And Adjacent soft tissues

Whiplash Injuries

What Causes Whiplash? Rapid acceleration & deceleration Flexion & extension of cervical spine One source - vehicle suddenly & forcibly being struck from the rear

Sprains The forcible wrenching or twisting of a joint with partial rupture or other injury to its’ ligaments without dislocation. It occurs when ligaments are stressed beyond their normal capacity.

Ankle Sprain

May Also Damage Blood vessels Muscles Tendons Nerves

What Causes Sprains? Trauma directly to the joint causing the joint to move into a position which it was not designed to move.

Results Joint and/or muscle pain Swelling Discoloration of skin ( bruising) Impaired joint function

Strains Overstretching a muscle Use more force than they are capable of handling Becoming inflamed, swollen, & painful

Muscle Spasms Sudden, involuntary contraction Very tight and often painful Often after a joint sprain Body is attempting to protect joint By immobilizing or splinting it in the form of sustained muscle contraction

Tissue Healing & Recovery 1.Acute Stage a)0-1 months post injury 2.Sub-acute stage b)1-2 months post injury 3.Chronic Stage c)3+ months post injury

Acute Stage (0-1 Months Post-injury)

First 7 Days Inflammatory process Swelling Varying degrees of pain

Treatment First day-icepacks Modalities Hot packs Infrared TENS Muscle relaxants

Inactivity Continuing this inflammatory phase by rest and avoidance of activity can actually be counter productive.

Inflammatory Phase Excessive swelling Scar tissue formation Pain Decreased mobility Weakness

Inactivity In fact, prolonged bed rest, longer than 3 days has not been shown to reduce disability or dysfunction.

Early Activity Increase blood flow Promotes healing Maintain muscle tone

Cardio

Flexibility Strength

Days Regeneration of damaged tissues Promotes proper soft tissue healing Healing tissue needs specific stress or new fibers may become useless scar tissue

Early Stages PainDiscomfort Does Not Mean further injury

Protective Response Often, when a particular movement causes pain, it is our immediate reaction to avoid that movement.

Sub-acute Stage 1- 2 Months Post-injury

The goal of this phase is to fully restore function to the injured area and supporting structures. GOAL

Passive Treatment TENS Ice packs Acupuncture Hot packs

Active Treatment Specifically, restoring full range of motion and improving muscular strength are essential components of this stage of recovery and can be achieved through physical activity.

Restore Improve Range of Motion Muscle Strength

Chronic Stage 3+ Months Post-injury

Chronic Stage Think of pain as injury or disease Assume it indicates bodily harm Makes sense when pain is acute

Persistent Pain Assuming that pain indicates bodily harm Does not apply long after injury has healed

Hurt Vs. Harm Synonymous Not Hurt Harm

Why Does Pain Persist? No one knows for sure Injured area becomes “hypersensitive” Stress factors result in pain By producing muscular tightening And irritation of local nerve fibers

Normal Response to Pain Stop the activity that causes pain May cause temporary relief, but not for long.

Continued Lack of Activity Muscle shortening Muscle tightening Weakness Joint stiffness Poor posture

The Cycle Develops Pain Stop Rest Activity Relief

The Cycle When activity is resumed, pain often results. It is then likely that a person will return to a sedentary state to avoid more pain and a vicious cycle will develop.

Consequences of Inactivity

Prolonged Inactivity Loss of muscle size (atrophy) Loss of strength Flexibility Endurance Coordination

Physical Activity Is Needed Maintain muscle tone Joint mobility

Decreased Physical Activity As a result of decreased physical activity, people become “out of shape” or de- conditioned. De-conditioning typically occurs for 3 basic reasons.

1. Avoiding Activity Avoiding activity because it is painful results in a vicious cycle. Unused muscles tend to weaken and shorten. This makes resuming activity even more difficult. As a result, people often avoid further activity, and so on.

Braces and canes weaken muscles in the long run because muscles are prevented from doing their job. If muscles in these areas remain unused for a long time, the body comes to depend on the support that these artificial devises provide. 2. Braces & Canes Overuse

3. Protective Responses Develop

Protective posturing and responses are often developed to avoid pain associated with use of the injured area. For example, limping to avoid leg pain will eventually lead to weakening due to under use, while muscles and joints on opposite side become over stressed. Imbalance and stress leads to more pain. Protective Responses Develop

Proper Exercise Positive affect on muscles/soft tissue Can reduce stiffness Increase strength Improve oxygen delivery Increase endurance Decrease body fat

Did you know?

Lack of Physical Fitness One of the primary causes of injury.

Physical activity has been shown to promote the release of endorphins, one of the morphine like substance that we have in our bodies.

Essential Physical Activity Conditioning Good HealthRecovery

Everyone should try to incorporate an exercise routine into their daily lives!