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Keeping in mind that the best advice for a major injury is always given by your doctor, there are several steps that you can take in order to ease the pain and aid in the healing process of a mild ankle sprain.

This type of injury typically happens when the ankle is rolled in one direction or the other and the ligaments and tendons which give it support and hold it upright are stretched too far. The result is a painful injury that can lead to swelling and immobility. As with any injury, you should immediately ice the ankle. The ice constricts the blood vessels in the affected area, thus restricting blood flow. This restriction in blood flow help to control the swelling. The ice also helps to numb the pain. You should continue to ice the injury for 20 minutes several times a day.

Sometimes these injuries occur when you are out shopping. How often have you gone over on your ankle when stepping off a curb? A good idea is to buy a small packet of frozen garden peas, or sweetcorn to apply to the injured area and go and sit on a bench for several minutes.

If the injury is causing enough pain that it prevents you from walking, then you should see a doctor for some x-rays. The injury could be more significant than you thought. If the injury is just causing you minor discomfort then you may find further relief with an over the counter pain killer. One that is an ibuprofen product will help reduce some of the inflammation that may be causing the stiffness, and the ibuprofen will also help to numb the discomfort.

As your ligaments and tendons work to repair and strengthen themselves, you may want to take it easy for a while. Since they have been stretched past their normal capacity, they will be weaker and the probability that you could injure yourself again is higher during the time when your body is rebuilding its strength.

You can help your body recover by giving the injured ankle some additional support. You can by supportive ankle braces over the counter at many pharmacies or sporting goods stores. These fit tightly over the foot and ankle and offer some support to supplement the natural strength of your ankle, which may be diminished because of the injury. While it is ok to use these supports during the recovery phase, you may want to consult a doctor about prolonged use, as your body can grow to depend on the brace for support and never truly regain its own strength.

If you do try to treat the injury at home and you are still not seeing any improvement after a few days, you should see a doctor. If you have torn a ligament or tendon and don’t get it taken care of promptly and properly, you can do permanent damage to your future mobility and stability. Sometimes small fractures can also occur which obviously need to be treated by a doctor. It’s ok to take a little time to asses the severity of the injury, but if it doesn’t get better with ice and ibuprofen, it’s time to go see a doctor.

Tags: ligaments and tendons, ankle braces, ankle sprain, inflammation, sprained ankle



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photo credit: tsuacctnt

Caring for blisters is important because as you know blisters can be very painful. There are a number of different factors which cause them but the main one is a combination of poorly fitted shoes and repetitive movement.

A blister is a natural function of your body to try and protect the area of your foot, (or elsewhere) where damage is occurring by friction. These areas or spots are known as ‘hotspots’. Unfortunately you don’t always realise it is happening until the damage has occurred and the blister has formed.

A blister is simply your body trying to build a pad over the damaged area by using fluid. The pain itself comes from the damaged skin layers underneath.

Trying to prevent a blister from forming in the first place is the best approach. Please see an earlier post in this blog called ‘The Best Method For Breaking In Shoes’.

Proper fitting socks are important. Socks hold moisture around the foot and any movement is usually around the heel, or at the front of the foot where the sock tends to get bunched up at the toes. Also pay attention to what you are actually buying. Cheap socks can contain fibres which aggravate the formation of blisters and make your feet sweat. Choose socks that will take moisture away from your feet and keep your feet dry when they sweat. Also try to choose footwear that allows your feet to breathe. A little forethought goes a long way in the prevention of blisters.

If you are unfortunate enough to get a blister simply leave it alone. The blister has formed to protect the skin below. Don’t burst it as you are simply exposing the damaged tissue to more damage. The best course of action is to try and prevent blisters from breaking. If they do break cover the area liberally with an antibiotic cream and cover with a bandage to try and prevent infection.

Tags: blister, blisters, breaking in shoes, Health, Fitness, repetitive movement



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More hugs please!

Brits are missing out on 2,808 hugs each every year and it could be damaging our health a new report reveals today. That’s 54 per week per person! In order to stay healthy we all know we should be eating five portions of fruit and veg a day, but we need eight portions of hugging a day too according to experts!

65% of people in the UK are losing their soft touch by admitting to steering clear of hugging, representing 368 million hugs a day that aren’t being given or received. 10% of Brits never hug loved ones, 55% only give around two a week and only 17% are really big softies admitting they love hugging! This means that the average Brit is only getting 3% of the hugs that experts say is healthy and good for you, reveals the findings in a study commissioned by Andrex.™

The benefits of a good hug are medically proven by the release of a ‘feel good’ hormone ‘Oxytocin’ when giving and receiving a cuddle. Experts say that we should be getting around eight hugs a day to maintain a feeling of happiness and well-being.

Maylis Galeano, Andrex™ Consumer Care Manager says: ‘We at Andrex™ think it’s time for Britain to show their softer side much more. There’s nothing wrong with showing affection and hugging your loved ones, especially if there are health benefits too!’

Osho, an Indian mystic and author summarises the theory perfectly saying: “Analysis is the way of the mind, hugging is the way of the heart. The mind is the cause of all diseases, and the heart is the source of all healing.” *

*Source: The Wild Geese and the Water #4, 1981.

The survey by Andrex™ was conducted to mark the launch of the ‘Hello Softie’™ packs which is now in-store.

About Kimberly-Clark:

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people–nearly a quarter of the world’s population–trust K-C’s brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well being. With brands such as Kleenex^®, Andrex^®, Scottex^®, Huggies^®, Pull-Ups^®, Kotex^® and Poise^® now changing its name to Depend^®. Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company’s 132-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com.

® Registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. or its affiliates

About Andrex™®

· 1 in 10 households own an Andrex® cuddly toy

· Since the first puppy advert in 1972, there have been over 120 ads starring the Andrex® Puppy

· 24 rolls of Andrex® are being sold every second, making Andrex a £335 million brand

· Andrex® ranks 8^th in the Top 100 UK Grocery Brands, making it the number one non-food brand in the UK

· Andrex® has a 33.3% value share of the total market by value (source: A C Nielsen, February 2008)

· Andrex® is the nation’s favourite brand of toilet tissue – a position it has held for over 40 years

· For further information, please go to www.andrex.co.uk

· ® Registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. or its affiliates

Tags: Health, Kleenex, Eating, Food, hormone oxytocin, fruit and veg, softies, showing affection, kimberly clark, health benefits, happiness, diseases