Immediate first aid is essential after a sports injury or sprain. The following is an overview of such methods:
Support the injured area immediately after injury to avoid further damage.
Apply ice to the sore area to reduce swelling and bleeding.
Apply pressure to the site with an elastic bandage to suppress swelling and bleeding.
Elevate the injured area above the heart to facilitate the drainage of fluids from the injured area.
But you can do more than that. After a few days of injury, you can significantly reduce recovery time by consuming nutrients that reduce inflammation and speed recovery. Here are four particularly effective strategies:
- Vitamins and minerals that have therapeutic properties
Several nutrients are essential for promoting recovery. Vitamin C supplements are necessary because vitamin C plays a vital role in preventing and repairing the damage. Vitamin A deficiency is associated with poor tendon and bursa of Fabricius tissue repair. In addition to C, vitamins A, zinc, E, and selenium are crucial for their wound-healing properties and antioxidant effects. - Flavonoids
Flavonoids, a group of plant pigments that give many fruits and flowers their color, are very effective at reducing inflammation and strengthening collagen structure. Collagen is the main protein in tendons and other connective tissues. Flavonoids help maintain healthy collagen structures by (1) reducing vascular permeability, thereby reducing the flow of inflammatory mediators into the damaged area; (2) Preventing free radical damage through its effective antioxidant properties; (3) Inhibiting collagen tissue damage caused by the enzyme that breaks down collagen; (4) inhibit the release of inflammatory chemicals; (5) Enhance the natural cross-linking of collagen fibers to make them stronger. An important source of flavonoids is pine bark or grape seed extract. A daily dose of 150 to 300 mg is recommended. - Bromelain and other proteolytic enzymes
Bromelain, a protein-digesting enzyme complex in pineapple, has been found to have various benefits, including reducing inflammation in the case of sports injuries or trauma and preventing swelling after trauma or surgery. One of the most exciting studies of the use of bromelain to treat sports-related injuries involved 146 boxers. Of 74 patients who received bromelain, 58 had all bruising symptoms wholly resolved within four days. Of the 72 boxers who did not take bromelain, only ten had fully recovered from their bruise after four days, while the rest took seven to 14 days to recover fully. That’s something! It is recommended to take 200 to 500 mg twice daily between meals. - Curcumin
Curcumin, the yellow pigment of turmeric, has excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Studies have shown curcumin to be as effective in animal studies as cortisone or the potent anti-inflammatory drug. However, cortisone and buttons are highly toxic, while curcumin has no side effects. One problem with curcumin is absorption, but several methods and products exist to enhance curcumin absorption. One way is to combine curcumin with soy phospholipids to produce a product called Meriva. Studies with another advanced form of curcumin-co-curcumin showed better absorption (at least 27 times higher than regular curcumin). Follow the label instructions for any of the enhanced forms.
Always see a doctor if you suffer a severe sports injury. There are also physical therapy methods that may be very helpful in speeding up recovery and relieving pain. But you can make a big difference with these four natural strategies.