Some very basic injury tips

This first week I was going talk about goal setting, but in light of a shoulder injury, I thought I would take a moment to talk about what do to if you get hurt. Obviously its best to stretch and warm up properly before you exercise so you can avoid getting hurt because, well, it hurts. But, in the event that you do get hurt, its important to take care of it right away.

First and foremost, I'm not a doctor, and if you get hurt, you probably want to go see one. Just to check it out and make sure you're not seriously injured. Your doctor can diagnose exactly what the problem entails and how best to treat it.

However, should you pull a muscle, sprain an ankle, strain your rotator cuff, etc. Here are some tips that should tide you over till you can get in to see a doc.

For Wrists, Knees, Ankles, first and foremost, when you feel the pain, stop and rest! Take some anti-inflammatory meds (ibuprofen) and put some ice on that injury. Keep ice on it as much as you can, taking anti-inflammatory every 4 to 6 hours. Keep your knee or ankle elevated if possible and stay off it as much as you can till you get in to the doc. Wrapping the sprain tightly is a great

For a shoulder injury, the first step is the same. Stop doing whatever caused the pain. Again, best first practice is to go see a doctor first. I have strained my rotator cuff before, so I know thats what I have this time. For a rotator cuff strain, be gentle with your shoulder. Rest, take the anti-inflamatory meds, alternate between ice and heat. Keep this routine up till you shoulder heals, this could take up to 2 weeks. My doc suggested a week of not lifting anything over ten pounds and taking two Aleve in the morning and two at night. Stretching is key. Be gentle, but do not put your shoulder in a sling or stop using it all together. This can cause Frozen Shoulder. Just be gentle, try not to lift anything with your injured side till it heals. Your doctor can tell you about what weight limits you should apply and such. When you do start to use your shoulder again, build up strength slowly. Your doc can give you some good exercises and stretches to do.

And thats all I have for you today! To sum it up when dealing with an injury, use RICE!

Rest
Ice
Compression (except on shoulders)
Elevation