Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Athlete's Corner: R.I.C.E.

I hear my high school softball coach chanting the creed in my head as I drop in the dirt. REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, ELEVATION. My second thought is “There goes the Hana Relay”. I’m not even 100 yards into my Tuesday trail run. I lift my eyes from the trail for one second. My foot comes down on a particularly vicious root. I feel a hard wrench, almost hearing it as it reverberates in my body. I don’t fall but I have to sit down. I hold my ankle, I stare at it, waiting for it to swell….but miraculously it doesn’t. I wait some more and the pain subsides. I rise, take a few tentative steps…not so bad. A little tender but I don’t think it’s serious. I decide to walk as far as the beginning of the loop trail to see how it feels. By the time I get to the sign it’s feeling good, I think I can make it another 5 miles. I decide to jog a bit. Not bad. I’m feeling optimistic. But by the time I get to where the trail splits again the ankle is starting to ache and I tell myself to not be stupid. Skip this run, get home and ice it. By morning you’ll be able to do your 8 mile road run. Right.

Driving down the hill I have trouble pressing in the clutch and by the time I’m home I’m limping heavily, the ankle is swollen and starting to bruise. The chant begins again in my head, REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, ELEVATION. R.I.C.E.
So, here are some things that are available at Mana that I am using to aid my recovery.
Curamin A big favorite of mine, anti-inflammatory.
Topricin Anti –iflammatory and pain relief healing cream.
Castor oil pack with flannel wool Anti-inflammatory soothing pain relief.

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