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PROLOTHERAPY
DOES RICE PREVENT SPORTS
INJURIES FROM HEALING?
Ross
Hauser, M.D.
For the weekend
athlete, the most common injuries suffered are sprains: an injury to the
connective tissues that hold bones together (ligaments), and strains, an injury
to connective tissues that hold muscle to bone (tendons). Sprains and strains
can be caused by an acute injury such as a "sprained" ankle, or by
long-term repetitious movement, such as that found in "tennis elbow."
Customarily sprains and strains are treated with RICE: Rest,
Ice, Compression, and Elevation, in order to immobilize the injured area and
decrease swelling. This is beneficial in the short-term as RICE is effective in
reducing pain. However, continual injury and long-term use of the RICE method as
a remedy, can produce impairments in the natural healing process that can lead
to chronic and disabling pain, and the individual's inability to enjoy an active
participation in sports.
inflammation is the immune system’s response to an injury
and is a necessary component of proper healing. When an injury occurs,
inflammatory cells circulating in the blood rush to the affected area in an
attempt to repair and minimize the damage quickly. The RICE treatment decreases
blood circulation thereby preventing the immune cells from getting to the injury
site. By this suppression of the immune system reaction, continuous RICE
application leads to injuries that do not heal and a chronic weakened condition
in the injured area that is easily susceptible to re-injury.
Another and considered better approach to sports injuries is
MEAT - Movement, Exercise, Analgesics, and Treatment. While immobility is
detrimental to ligament and tendon healing, movement is beneficial. Movement and
gentle range-of-motion exercises improve blood flow to the area. With better
circulation, there is better healing. If the movement is too painful initially,
then isometric exercise involving the contraction of muscle without movement of
the affected joint can be performed with equal benefit.
Natural analgesics or pain relievers such as bromelaine,
trypsin, and papain aid in healing injuries by increasing nutrient delivery to
the injured site as well as removing the debris of damaged tissues, reducing the
swelling or edema.
The T in Meat stands for specific treatments that increase
blood flow and immune cell migration to the damaged area. This includes physical
therapy, massage, ultrasound,
chiropractic care, and
Prolotherapy.
The goal of a health professional in treating a chronic sport
related injury should not be the alleviation of pain, but the restoration of the
ligaments and tendons to their normal pre-injury strength. Unfortunately most
athletes are treated by clinicians who provide pain relief in the form of
Ibuprofen, aspirin,
cortisone shots, and surgery. While these therapies meet the
goal of providing pain relief in the short-term, they do so at the expense of
continually weakening the ligaments and tendons, and the eventual loss of the
individual's ability to participate in their chosen sports.
Prolotherapy can
bring the athlete back to full strength without surgery, drugs, or other pain
suppressants.
Prolotherapy, because it triggers the growth of normal
collagen, or connective tissue, not only allows the athlete to return to sports
actively, but often the area that was injured will be stronger than before the
injury and the athlete's performance will be enhanced.
Generally
Prolotherapy
treatments are given once a month to
allow time for the growth of the new connective tissue. Patients normally
require four to six treatments for complete recovery.
Injured athletes will want to return to their
golf or tennis
game or other activities as quickly as possible. In this case
Prolotherapy injections are sometimes given on a weekly basis, or a stronger solution is used
to speed the healing process. This is not the ideal situation however. The
preferred regime is for the patient to receive Prolotherapy treatments in the
off-season to allow complete strengthening to take place.
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